The Berkey® Phoenix Gravity filters, tested by independent and accredited laboratories, eliminate or significantly reduce a wide range of contaminants present in water.

Unlike many filters on the market that present themselves as "purifiers", very few actually meet the criteria required for this classification.
To be recognised as a water purifier, a system must:

→ eliminate at least 99.9999% of pathogenic bacteria
→ reduce viruses by at least 99.99%

Berkey filters far exceed these requirements, with measured performance of up to 99.9999% for bacteria and 99.999% for viruses.

Viruses

→ Eliminated at more than 99.999%
→ Exceeds the purification standard (log 4)

Tested contaminants:
→ MS2 Coliphage
→ FR Coliphage

Pathogenic bacteria (and substitutes)

→ Eliminated at more than 99.9999%
→ Exceeds the purification standard (log 6)

Tested contaminants:
→ Bacillus atrophaeus (anthrax substitute)
→ Raoultella terrigena (pathogenic bacteria substitute)
→ Salmonella enterica

Trihalomethanes (THM)

→ Reduction greater than 99.8%
→ Below laboratory detection limits

Substances concerned:
→ Bromodichloromethane
→ Bromoform
→ Chloroform
→ Dibromochloromethane

Inorganic minerals

→ Eliminated below laboratory detection limits

Contaminants concerned:
→ Chloramine
→ Chloride
→ Total residual chlorine
→ Chlorine

Heavy metals

(effective at both high and low pH)

→ Aluminium (> 99%)
→ Antimony (> 99.9%)
→ Barium (> 80%)
→ Beryllium (> 99.9%)
→ Bismuth (> 99.9%)
→ Cadmium (> 99.7%)
→ Cobalt (> 95%)
→ Chromium (> 99.9%)
→ Chromium VI (> 99.85%)
→ Copper (> 99.9%)
→ Iron (> 99.9%)
→ Lead (> 99.9%)
→ Mercury (> 99.9%)
→ Molybdenum (> 90%)
→ Nickel (> 99.9%)
→ Vanadium (> 87.5%)
→ Zinc (> 99.9%)

Pharmaceutical contaminants and drug residues

→ Eliminated at more than 99.9%

Tested substances:
→ Acetaminophen
→ Caffeine
→ Carbamazepine
→ Ciprofloxacin HCl
→ Erythromycin
→ Sulfamethoxazole
→ Trimethoprim
→ Bisphenol A
→ Diclofenac sodium
→ 4-para-nonylphenol
→ 4-tert-octylphenol
→ Primidone
→ Progesterone
→ Gemfibrozil
→ Ibuprofen
→ Naproxen sodium
→ Triclosan

Other eliminated or significantly reduced contaminants

→ Arsenic (> 99.9%)
→ Escherichia coli (> 99.999%)
→ Fluorene (> 99.9%)
→ Manganese (> 99.9%)
→ MBAS (> 96.67%)
→ PCB (> 99.9%)
→ Petroleum products
• Petrol
• Diesel
• Crude oil
• Kerosene
• Mineral spirits
• Refined petroleum
→ Selenium (> 99.9%)
→ Thallium (> 99.5%)
→ Rust
→ Silt
→ Sediment
→ Turbidity
→ Tastes and odours

Find more information and test documents here: Tests, standards & safety