From adsorption to leaching: assessing micropollutants removal and contaminants release by household filter jugs

• Domestic filter jugs show wide variability in contaminant removal performance. • Several jugs achieved near-complete removal of PFAS and organic contaminants • Carbon-only and bio-based filters showed limited and selective contaminant removal. • Some devices released SVOCs, PFAS or BPA; BPA intake exceeded EFSA TDI for one jug. • Results highlight the need to expand certification to include material stability and leaching. Ensuring the chemical safety of drinking water has become a growing concern as traditional pollutants are increasingly accompanied by emerging contaminants, including pharmaceuticals and other anthropogenic organic contaminants, as well as high-concern substances such as bisphenols and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Household filter jugs are widely promoted as a convenient solution to improve water quality, yet their actual performance and material safety remain insufficiently characterized. This study provides a comparative evaluation of six representative filtration systems available on the European market, focusing on their capacity to remove organic micropollutants while assessing possible leaching of polymer-associated substances. Results revealed marked differences in efficiency: four of the tested filter jugs achieved high removal rates whereas the remaining two systems showed limited performance. The limited removal of short-chain PFAS confirmed their lower adsorption affinity for hydrophobic sorbents, a pattern consistent with previous studies. Leaching analyses showed that some devices released manufacturing additives, including organophosphate esters, benzothiazole, and PFAS. From a toxicological perspective, PFAS released from certain devices contributed measurably to overall PFAS exposure, particularly in children, although calculated margins of exposure remained above safety thresholds. In addition, BPA was detected in one filtrate, indicating that filter materials can act as secondary contamination sources. Overall, the findings demonstrate that while household filters can effectively reduce chemical exposure, their performance is highly variable and may involve trade-offs between contaminant removal and material-related release. These results emphasize the need to expand certification standards.