Safest Sparkling Waters Tested for PFAS “Forever Chemicals”

Avoiding sugary drinks may have you drinking more sparkling or seltzer water. These options are typically low sodium and far tastier than plain water. If you are using a sparkling water maker machine, with a button push, you have seltzer water you can add flavor to and enjoy. But if you purchase a seltzer water product, which is the safest from PFAS, “forever chemicals?” We have attempted to answer this question by spot-checking the industry.

Fifteen bottles of seltzer water and some other bubbly products like prebiotic soda & zero-calorie sodas were purchased and sent to an EPA-certified laboratory looking for specific PFAS analytes.

• 60% of seltzer waters sent to the lab were identified to have specific PFAS “forever chemicals.” That’s 9 products out of 15 that had detections.
• The ranges were from non-detect to  & 2.62 ng/L or parts per trillion (ppt)
• The specific PFAS chemicals found were the following: 6:2FTS, PFOA, PFBA, PFHxA, PFHpA, PFPeA

Linda S. Birnbaum, Scientist Emeritus and Former Director of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and National Toxicology Program & Scholar in Residence at Duke University, Adjunct Professor at the University of North Carolina, & Yale University had this to say: “Why should there be ANY PFAS in seltzer water?  Some of these PFAS chemicals have been withdrawn from the market for years, but yet we still find them since they are “forever”. We do not recommend drinking any beverages containing PFAS chemicals.”