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A glass of water on green background. The wooden table. Pure water with gas. Sparkling water tested for PFAS "forever chemicals."

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Are you seeking the safest sparkling water without traces of PFAS “forever chemicals?” Seltzer water is a refreshing beverage and healthier option to sugary sodas or other drinks full of high-fructose corn syrup. But which seltzer waters will remain the healthiest after we send them to our EPA-certified laboratory for testing, looking at specific PFAS chemicals commonly found in water? Let’s find out! You’ve trusted Mamavation to bring you topics like (1) safest coffee tested for pesticides, PFAS, & mycotoxins, (2) cooking oils tested for toxic phthalates, and (3) protein powders tested for pesticides, heavy metals, PFAS, & phthalates, now join us for our latest consumer study on sparkling waters tested for PFAS “forever chemicals.”

Disclosure: This consumer study is released in partnership with Environmental Health News. Scientific reviews were performed by (1) 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, (2)Terrence Collins, Teresa Heinz Professor of Green Chemistry & Director of the Institute for Green Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University Donations were provided by Environmental Health News and Mamavation community members. Note that Mamavation has only “spot-checked” the industry and thus we cannot make predictions about brands and products that we have not tested. Products and manufacturing aides can change without notice so buyer beware. This post contains affiliate links, with some to Amazon, which means Mamavation will receive a portion of those sales and we will use that to pay ourselves back for the testing. You can also give a tax-deductible donation to our consumer studies here through Environmental Health Sciences. Thank you! Copyright © 2025 Mamavation — All Rights Reserved

Seltzer water tested for PFAS "forever chemicals" being poured on the table with a blue background

Mamavation’s Lab Found PFAS “Forever Chemicals” Inside Sparkling Waters

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.”

sparkling water sitting on a table

PFAS “Forever Chemicals” Have Problematic Health Effects

PFAS “forever chemicals” are problematic for human health and the environment. They are considered ubiquitous, persistent, and toxic. Therefore, reducing the amount of PFAS you are exposed to from food, water, and other beverages like tea is imperative. Mamavation is dedicated to helping you do that when shopping for tea.

Here are some of the adverse health effects of different PFAS “forever chemicals:”

It’s also very clear, based on biomonitoring evidence from the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC), that PFAS are in all Americans. Therefore, these exposures can harm most Americans.

Sparkling water poured into a glass at an outdoor restaurant

Specific PFAS Found by Mamavation’s Laboratory

Mamavation’s laboratory found six PFAS chemicals within the seltzer water sent: 6:2FTS, PFOA, PFBA, PFHxA, PFHpA, PFPeA. 

  • 6:2FTS: 6:2-Fluorotelomersulfonic acid (6:2FTS) is a replacement chemical for perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) used in fire-fighting foams and chromium plating. Although 6:2FTS has not been studied intensively,  such “short-chain” PFAS chemicals have already become very persistent in the environment and can get into places where they were not expected to be found.
  • PFOA: Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) is the most well-studied PFAS chemical with a wide variety of adverse health effects in both animals and people. This chemical has been classified as carcinogenic to humans by the WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC)and the US EPA. Many PFAS, such as PFOA, do not break down in the environment. They are commonly referred to as “forever chemicals” because they are a persistent organic pollutant (POP).  PFOA is known to move through the environment and contaminate drinking water and soil as it bioaccumulates. Residues have been consistently found worldwide in wildlife, humans, and the environment. PFOA is also very persistent in people.
  • PFBA: Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA), another short-chain PFAS, is a breakdown chemical of other PFAS used in stain-resistant fabrics, paper food packaging, and carpets. PFBA was also used for manufacturing photographic film. 3M Company was once a major manufacturer of PFBA and products containing PFBA, but their production was phased out in 1998. PFBA continues to be produced by multiple companies in the US and other parts of the world. Exposure to high levels of PFBA resulted in thyroid and liver effects, such as increased thyroid, changes in thyroid hormones, and decreased cholesterol in animal studies. PFAS do not break down in the environment and are commonly referred to as “forever chemicals” because of their status as a persistent organic pollutant (POP). PFBA is known to move through the environment and contaminate drinking water and soil as it bioaccumulates. Residues have been consistently found worldwide in wildlife, humans, and the environment.
  • PFPeA: Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) is a lesser-known PFAS compound most notably found in firefighting foams, industrial surfactants, stain-resistant coatings for textiles, carpets, and furniture. PFPeA is an example of “short-chain” PFAS compounds which were created to replace “long-chain” PFAS, such as PFOA and PFOS. Although PFPeA has not been studied intensively,  such “short-chain” PFAS chemicals are also very persistent in the environment and can get into places where they were not expected to be found. In animal studies, this chemical has also been linked to liver problems, inflammatory responses, and immune issues. North Carolina is the state where this chemical is most often found in the water supply. This chemical is part of a family of perfluoroalkyl carboxylates, which is similar in structure to PFOA but with a carbon chain length of only 5 carbons. PFPeA can also be found in the body due to dermal contact.
  • PFHxA: Perfluorohexanoic Acid (PFHxA) and related salts are breakdown products of other PFAS used in stain-resistant fabrics, paper, food packaging, and carpets. This substance was also used for manufacturing photographic film and a substitute for longer-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) in consumer products. Scientific evidence indicates that PFHxA likely causes hepatic, developmental, hematopoietic, and endocrine effects in humans.
  • PFHpA:  Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA), which has 7 carbon atoms, is considered a short-chain PFAS chemical. These perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids and their salts are used as surfactants that reduce the surface tension of water and other organic liquids. These acids and derivatives are used as wetting, dispersing, emulsifying, and foaming agents in commerce. Health effects include harm to development and the liver.

Safest sparkling water tested for PFAS being poured out by a man.

Recent Studies on PFAS in Sparkling Waters Have Demonstrated Widespread Contamination

Mamavation isn’t the only organization finding PFAS in sparkling waters. Other non-profits, such as Consumer Reports, have found similar issues within this category. Especially when restricting calories for weight management & health, seltzer water is the perfect alternative to soft drinks. Mamavation decided to revisit this category and expand on it to help our audience with their selections.

Consumer Reports found in 2020 that many seltzer water products contain specific PFAS chemicals above what is recommended for public health by our advisors. Mamavation was able to retest some of the more popular brands and new ones, and we found some similarities and differences. Most levels were similar to what was seen before, except for Topo Chico, which looks to have lowered amounts but is still detectable for specific PFAS. We also found some variance in Sundrift, whereas different flavors were tested. However, our lab found similar results with San Pelligrino, Perrier, & La Croix. We also tested nine additional brands that haven’t been looked at before, but were recommended by our audience.

Scroll down to the bottom to see Consumer Reports testing alongside Mamavation testing results.

Safest seltzer water tested for PFAS "forever chemicals" on the table with a lemon

Mamavation’s Investigation of Sparkling Waters and PFAS “Forever Chemicals”

Mamavation tested fifteen sparkling waters, including probiotic sodas and low-calorie juice-based seltzer waters. We did not test club soda, tonic water, or soda water. Products tended to be (or claimed to be) higher in magnesium and calcium or had superior quenching abilities from the minerals present. Each product was recorded in our database and sent directly to the lab within its original packaging. Mamavation’s EPA-certified laboratory used method EPA 1633 to test for 40 PFAS compounds, including the following:

  • Perflurobutanoic acid (PFBA)
  • Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA)
  • Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA)
  • Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA)
  • Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
  • Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA)
  • Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA)
  • Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA)
  • Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA)
  • Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA)
  • Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTeDA)
  • Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS)
  • Perfluoropentansulfonic acid (PFPeS)
  • Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS)
  • Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS)
  • Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)
  • Perfluoronanesulfonic acid (PFNS)
  • Perfluorodecanesulfonic acid (PFDS)
  • Perfluorododecanesulfonic acid (PFDoS)
  • 1H,1H, 2H, 2H-Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (4:2FTS)
  • 1H,1H, 2H, 2H-Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (6:2FTS)
  • 1H,1H, 2H, 2H-Perfluorodecane sulfonic acid (8:2FTS)
  • Perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA)
  • N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamide (NMeFOSA)
  • N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamide (NEtFOSA)
  • N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (NMeFOSE)
  • N-ethyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoethanol (NEtFOSE)
  • Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA)
  • 4,8-Dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA)
  • Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid (PFMPA)
  • Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid (PFMBA)
  • Nonafluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid (NFDHA)
  • 9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanonane-1-sulfonic acid (9CI-PF3ONS)
  • 11-Chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic acid (11CI-PF3OUdS)
  • Perfluoro(2-ethoxyethane)sulfonic acid (PFEESA)
  • 3-Perfluoropropyl propanoic acid (3:3FTCA)
  • 2H,2H,3H,3H-Perfluorooctanoic acid (5:3FTCA)
  • 3-Perfluoroheptyl propanoic acid (7:3FTCA)

Terrence Collins, Teresa Heinz Professor of Green Chemistry & Director of the Institute for Green Sciences at Carnegie Mellon University wrote: “If ever there was a class of chemicals where production should be drastically reduced immediately, it’s PFAS chemicals. Mother Nature has been wailing at us for decades through science, and she cannot cope with PFAS contamination. Once contaminated by these “forever chemicals”, there is no going back for the living ecosphere on any meaningful time scale. For any sparkling water manufacturer, you will likely improve your sales and steer our civilization away from the threats of PFAS chemicals by highlighting on your bottles and scientifically proving that your brand is PFAS-free.”

Safest Sparkling Waters Tested for PFAS "Forever Chemicals" 4

Not Our Favorite Sparkling Waters

These products were sent to the laboratory by Mamavation and found to have detections of specific PFAS “forever chemicals.” Levels are reported in the parts per trillion (ppt).

Additional products tested by Consumer Reports in 2020:

Sparkling water also called mineral water being poured on the table

Better Sparkling Waters

These products were sent to the laboratory and received a detection of some type of PFAS; however, the amounts were so minute that they could not quantify them. Levels are reported in the parts per trillion (ppt).

Sparkling water and probiotic soda tested for PFAS "forever chemicals" on the table with some lime

Best Sparkling Waters

These products were sent to the lab by Mamavation and had non-detect results for specific PFAS chemicals. Levels are reported in the parts per trillion (ppt).

Additional products tested by Consumer Reports in 2020:

Sparkling water background

Make Your Own Sparkling Water at Home —Mamavation Also Tested Seltzer Water / Soda Machines!

Mamavation sent two seltzer water machines off to the labratory to test for specific PFAS “forever chemicals” after they produced 20 rounds of water. These two brands returned with non-detect results for 40 of the most common PFAS analytes after seltzer water was made with clean water from the lab. In other words, these machines were non-detectable for PFAS in the water. Therefore, we recommend using these machines to make seltzer water or natural sodas in your kitchen.

Frozen aisle at the grocery store

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Comments

  1. Vickilynn

    Excellent article, thank you!

    I’m especially interested in the reference to the tests of the 2 home carbonation machines since we own a DrinkMate and carbonate using their stainless steel bottle and also their plastic one. Would it be possible to test the DrinkMate as well?

    Thank you!

    Reply

  5. deer adventure

    Really eye-opening to see how many sparkling waters contain PFAS — those “forever chemicals” are hiding in what we thought were safe choices. Thanks for the lab-tested breakdown, Mamavation — makes me rethink my hydration habits.

    Reply

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