You may have heard a lot about PFAS carcinogens from the news lately, and for good reason. EPA test results from studies conducted between 2013 and 2015 show dangerous levels of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, in municipal water supply systems across 33 US states. Some 3,500 different types of these PFAS chemicals have been a staple in modern industrial production practices since the 1940s, and they don’t seem to be going anywhere! Once introduced into the soil or water, certain profiles of these compounds are expected to stick around for thousands of years. It's no wonder these “forever chemicals” are quickly becoming a top priority of the EPA.
So, what are PFAS?
Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are dangerous byproducts of industrial waste and household chemicals – non-stick Teflon coating, firefighting foams, carpeting, and fast food wrappers being some of the major catalysts for these carcinogenic compounds. In the US, there are no current federal drinking water standards in place to regulate or quantify the damage these toxins impose on our bodies – and they are damaging!
How are PFASs bad for us?
Okay, put on your lab coats… This is where the science gets a bit scary. PFAS are genotoxins, meaning they’re harmful to the human body on a cellular level. By potentially damaging genetic information and mutating the cellular structures of anything these toxins come in contact with, they could lead to a whole host of health problems like hormonal dysfunction and cancer. And though the average elimination half-life of PFAS compounds is about 3 years, permanent cellular mutations and changes can affect germ cells in the host and even upset the development of future offspring!
One study found a probable link between the types of PFAS found in Teflon production and obesity, kidney and testicular cancers, hypertension in pregnant women, ulcerative colitis, thyroid disease, and high cholesterol. In short, you do not want to drink this garbage.
Get PFAS out of your water!
Past incidents like the Flint, Michigan water crisis and the countless hydraulic fracking failures have taught us that we can’t always depend on government regulatory agencies and public municipalities to warn or protect us against polluted drinking water. In today’s landscape of ever-expanding industry, urban sprawl, and environmental collapse, it’s more and more necessary to defend ourselves against pollutants like PFAS. Thankfully, there is something you can do at home to rid your drinking water of these harmful PFAS carcinogens and save yourself, your family, and future offspring from their harmful effects.
Reverse osmosis water filtration might sound like something out of a Doctor Strange episode, but it’s not as intimidating as its super cool, scientific name might suggest. This method of water filtration is the most effective way to eliminate harmful ions, molecules, and even larger particulate matter from your drinking water – and with modern, advanced systems like the Brondell Circle reverse osmosis water filtration system, it’s now as affordable and intuitive as it is necessary.
Reverse osmosis, or RO, works differently than conventional carbon or sediment water filtration systems. In reverse osmosis, pressure is applied to drive tap water through a semipermeable membrane. Without getting into scary territory like thermodynamic parameters, colligative properties, or solution concentrations, think of it like this: Your tap water is potentially contaminated with harmful PFAS genotoxins – not to mention chloramine, fluoride, arsenic, heavy metals, and lead (Sorry, scarier territory!) With standard carbon filtering, you aren’t going to catch all of this, and with distillation you’ll spend countless hours evaporating water and tons of money on bulky equipment to filter your water. Reverse osmosis pressurizes the contaminated tap water and quickly filters it through a semipermeable membrane where the diffusion, or filtering, process allows none of the harmful molecules and ions to pass through. The PFAS molecules, which are small enough to easily pass through carbon block filters, don’t stand a chance when it comes to the power of selective diffusion and reverse osmosis. This is the best possible method of removing harmful toxins without paying a ton to distill just a few gallons of drinking water per day.
Trust the Circle
With the abundance of RO systems on the market today, it may seem a bit daunting trying to find the perfect rig for your family’s needs. Many of these filtration systems are costly, wasteful, and inefficient – some of them producing up to 20 gallons of wastewater for every gallon of drinkable water. With Brondell’s Circle RO system, patented new technology eliminates back pressure and allows the unit to produce just the water your family needs at a 2.1 to 1 waste-to-water ratio. And since Brondell’s Circle is an all-in-one, integrated tank and filter system, it eliminates the need for electricity and allows for a refill or filtering rate that’s more than twice the speed of non-electric systems and just as fast as those with electric pumps. Also, on the chance you’re really trying to impress that special plumber in your life, it looks pretty freaking sharp as well.
We’re here to help
In today’s frantic environment, it can be difficult to account for all the things you need to keep your body safe and your family protected from invisible, damaging elements like PFAS genotoxins. At Brondell, we’re committed to innovating and producing intuitive, high-quality, and affordable healthy home products to help keep your world insulated from harm and open to improvement.