Does AquaTru Remove Microplastics? Yes: 96.48%, Certified (2026)
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Key Takeaways
- AquaTru Classic is certified to NSF/ANSI 401 for microplastics at 96.48% (particles 0.5–1 µm; the standard requires at least 85%).
- It is also certified to NSF/ANSI 42, 53 (PFOA/PFOS and VOCs), 58 (reverse osmosis: lead, fluoride, arsenic, nitrate and more) and 372.
- No certification covers nanoplastics, and AquaTru makes no nanoplastic claim.
- It needs no plumbing: it sits on the counter and you fill a tank. AquaTru rates it 75% efficient.
- $475, with filters costing about $110–$130 a year at AquaTru's prices.
AquaTru Classic: the certified numbers
Does AquaTru remove microplastics?
Yes, with a certified number behind it. The AquaTru Classic (models AT2000–AT2050) is listed by IAPMO R&T under NSF/ANSI 401, and the listing includes microplastics. On AquaTru's performance data sheet the microplastics test, on particles 0.5 to 1 µm, shows a 96.48% average reduction against a required 85%. The smaller AquaTru Carafe is certified to the same standards, with a higher microplastics result of 98.96%.
It is a four-stage system: stages one and two are a combined pre-filter and carbon filter, stage three is the reverse-osmosis membrane, and stage four is a carbon filter for volatile organic compounds. AquaTru does not publish a pore size for the membrane.
What about nanoplastics?
No certification tests particles smaller than 0.5 µm, so no filter can show certified nanoplastic removal, and AquaTru does not claim it. The 2024 PNAS study that counted about 240,000 particles per litre of bottled water, most of them nanoplastics, suggested that reverse-osmosis membranes in bottling plants may remove larger particles while leaving mostly nanoplastics behind. That was industrial bottling, not a home unit, but it is a reason not to assume RO catches everything.
What the certifications cover
- NSF/ANSI 401: emerging contaminants, including microplastics (96.48%) and several pharmaceuticals.
- NSF/ANSI 58: reverse-osmosis performance, including lead (99.1%), fluoride (93.5%), pentavalent arsenic (98.0%), nitrate/nitrite (89.9%), chromium, barium, radium and dissolved solids.
- NSF/ANSI 53: PFOA/PFOS and volatile organic compounds.
- NSF/ANSI 42: chlorine, taste and odour. NSF/ANSI 372: lead-free materials.
AquaTru reduces pentavalent arsenic, and says it may not remove other forms. Reverse osmosis also takes out most dissolved minerals (dissolved solids fall by 87.1%), so some owners add mineral drops for taste.
Cost and maintenance
The AquaTru Classic costs $475 on AquaTru's site. The pre/carbon filter is changed every 6 months or 600 gallons, the VOC filter every 12 months, and the RO membrane every 24 months or 1,200 gallons, which comes to about $110–$130 a year at AquaTru's prices. It needs a counter and a socket, not plumbing.
AquaTru vs the alternatives
| Filter | Type | Microplastics (NSF/ANSI 401) | Also certified for |
|---|---|---|---|
| AquaTru Classic | Countertop RO | 96.48% (IAPMO) | Lead, fluoride, arsenic, nitrate, PFOA/PFOS and more |
| PUR PLUS | Pitcher | 99.8% (IAPMO) | Lead, total PFAS |
| Brita Elite | Pitcher cartridge | 99.6% (WQA) | NSF 42 and 53 claims |
| Aquasana Clean Water Machine | Powered countertop dispenser | 99.6% (WQA) | PFOA/PFOS |
| Clearly Filtered | Pitcher | Not certified (brand lab tests only) | NSF 42, 372 |
| Berkey | Gravity-fed | Not tested, per Berkey | None for Black Berkey elements |
Choose AquaTru if you want reverse osmosis for lead, fluoride, arsenic or nitrate as well as microplastics. If microplastics are the only goal, a certified pitcher costs less and posts a higher certified figure. The full comparison is in best water filter for microplastics; see also Clearly Filtered and Berkey.
Use the App
Filtered at home, but what about everywhere else?
AquaTru handles your kitchen tap. Scan the bottled water, to-go cups, and kitchen gear you use away from it with the MicroPlastics app to catch the exposure your filter can't.
Get the MicroPlastics appFrequently Asked Questions
Is AquaTru certified for microplastics?
Does AquaTru remove nanoplastics?
Does AquaTru remove PFAS and fluoride?
Is AquaTru better than a Berkey for microplastics?
Sources
- AquaTru (2026). AquaTru Classic performance data sheet (IAPMO R&T: NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 58, 372, 401). AquaTru.
- IAPMO R&T (2026). Certificate W-10195: AquaTru, NSF/ANSI 401 (including microplastics). IAPMO.
- NSF (2026). Water filter FAQs (NSF/ANSI 401 and microplastics). NSF.
- Qian N, Gao X, Lang X, et al. (2024). Rapid single-particle chemical imaging of nanoplastics by SRS microscopy. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
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