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The Bottom Line
Microplastics research is still developing, but sub-micron carbon block filters and reverse osmosis systems are generally considered the most effective home filtration options for reducing particulate contaminants, microplastics included.
Interest in a water filter for microplastics has grown as more research looks at plastic particles in tap and bottled water alike. Here’s what’s actually known and what filtration options are relevant.
What Microplastics Are
Microplastics are tiny plastic particles, generally defined as under 5mm, that come from a wide range of sources including plastic packaging breakdown, synthetic fibers, and even some water treatment and distribution infrastructure. They’ve been detected in tap water, bottled water, and many other everyday sources.
This is still an active area of research, and standardized testing and certification specifically for microplastics removal is less mature than for contaminants like lead or chlorine. Be cautious of products making specific, unverified microplastics removal percentage claims without third-party testing behind them.
Filtration Methods That Generally Help
- Reverse osmosis: the membrane pore size is fine enough to catch most particulate matter, including microplastics. See our reverse osmosis guide.
- Sub-micron carbon block filters: filters rated below 1 micron catch more particulate matter than standard carbon filters, though rating specificity for microplastics varies by manufacturer.
- Broadly-certified pitcher filters: some higher-end pitchers with NSF/ANSI 401 or P473 certification address a wider range of particulates — see our pitcher comparison.
Reducing Exposure Beyond Filtration
Filtration is one part of the picture — reducing plastic packaging and containers for food/drink storage is a commonly cited complementary step, independent of what filter you choose.