Does AquaTru Remove Microplastics? The Certified Verdict (2026)
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Key Takeaways
- AquaTru uses reverse osmosis: its membrane blocks particles ~10,000× smaller than a microplastic, so removal is physical, not adsorptive.
- It is IAPMO-certified to NSF/ANSI 42, 53, 58, 401 and P473, one of the most thoroughly certified countertop units on the market.
- It needs no plumbing or installation, it sits on the counter and you fill a tank, unlike under-sink RO systems.
- RO removes minerals along with contaminants, so the water is “empty.” A remineralizer or a pinch of mineral drops restores taste.
- Trade-offs vs a pitcher: counter space, some wastewater, and pricier replacement filters, in exchange for the highest certified removal.
- See how it ranks against Berkey, Brita and Clearly Filtered in our water filters compared guide.
AquaTru & microplastics — the facts
- RO membrane pore size
- ~0.0001 µmRO membrane pore sizeabout 10,000× smaller than a 1–5 micron microplastic particle
- IAPMO certifications held
- NSF 42/53/58/401/P473IAPMO certifications heldtaste, heavy metals, RO performance, emerging contaminants, and PFAS
- contaminant reduction (incl. microplastics)
- 99%+contaminant reduction (incl. microplastics)RO physically excludes particles far larger than the membrane pore
- countertop install
- No plumbingcountertop installfill-and-go tank system, unlike under-sink RO
Does AquaTru remove microplastics?
Yes — and it is one of the few home filters where the answer rests on third-party certification rather than a manufacturer's own claim. AquaTru is a four-stage countertop reverse-osmosis system: a pre-filter, the RO membrane, and an activated-carbon stage. The RO membrane is the key. Its pores sit around 0.0001 micron, while microplastics are defined as particles up to 5 millimetres and the smallest fragments measured in drinking water are around 1–5 microns. A microplastic is thousands of times too big to pass the membrane, so it is physically blocked — the same mechanism that removes dissolved salts, lead, and PFAS.
Reverse osmosis is the filtration category most consistently shown to remove microplastics and nanoplastics. That is why the 2024 PNAS team that counted ~240,000 particles per litre in bottled water pointed to RO as an effective removal step (while noting, separately, that the RO membranes used inside bottling plants can shed their own nanoplastics — a manufacturing issue, not a knock on home RO).
What the certifications actually mean
Most gravity filters rely on self-funded lab tests. AquaTru is independently certified by IAPMO R&T to a stack of NSF/ANSI standards:
- NSF/ANSI 42 — aesthetic effects (chlorine, taste, odour).
- NSF/ANSI 53 — health effects (lead, chromium, and other contaminants).
- NSF/ANSI 58 — reverse-osmosis system performance (the RO-specific standard).
- NSF/ANSI 401 — emerging/incidental contaminants (pharmaceuticals, and the standard most associated with microplastic-relevant reduction).
- NSF P473 — PFOA/PFOS (PFAS) reduction.
There is no single NSF stamp that says “microplastics” in plain words — the industry standard closest to it is 401 — but the combination of certified RO performance (58) plus the membrane's physical pore size is the strongest evidence any home filter can offer that microplastics are removed.
The trade-offs: minerals, water waste, and space
RO's thoroughness is also its main downside. Because the membrane removes almost everything, it strips out beneficial minerals like calcium and magnesium, leaving “flat”-tasting water. Many owners add a remineralization stage or mineral drops. AquaTru also produces some wastewater (though its ratio is better than most under-sink RO), takes up counter space, and its replacement filters cost more than a pitcher's. None of that changes the microplastic verdict — it is about whether the format fits your kitchen.
AquaTru vs the alternatives
| Filter | Method | Certification | Keeps minerals? | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AquaTru | Reverse osmosis | NSF 42/53/58/401/P473 (IAPMO) | No (remineralize) | Strongest certified removal, no plumbing |
| Clearly Filtered | Affinity pitcher | Tested to NSF 42/53/401; P473 | Yes | Best pitcher; keeps minerals |
| Berkey | Gravity carbon | Not NSF-certified | Yes | Likely effective; no accredited cert |
| Brita Standard | Carbon pitcher | NSF 42/53 (not 401) | Yes | Weak on microplastics; not the tool for this |
For the full head-to-head, see Berkey vs Brita vs AquaTru vs Clearly Filtered and our best water filters for microplastics buyer guide. Comparing the other two? Read the Clearly Filtered and Berkey verdicts.
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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
Does AquaTru remove nanoplastics too?
Is AquaTru NSF certified for microplastics?
Does AquaTru remove the good minerals from water?
Is AquaTru better than a Berkey for microplastics?
Sources
- Qian N, et al. (2024). Rapid single-particle chemical imaging of nanoplastics by SRS microscopy. PNAS.
- NSF International (2024). NSF/ANSI 401: Emerging contaminants / incidental compounds. NSF.
- World Health Organization (2022). Dietary and inhalation exposure to nano- and microplastic particles. WHO.
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