Is it safe to drink those little black particles that come from a water filter?

The little black particles are activated charcoal. Activated charcoal itself is a fine, black powder that is odorless, tasteless, and nontoxic.

Activated charcoal is good at trapping other carbon-based impurities ("organic" chemicals), as well as things like chlorine. Many other chemicals are not attracted to carbon at all -- sodium, nitrates, etc. -- so they pass right through. This means that an activated charcoal filter will remove certain impurities while ignoring others. It also means that, once all of the bonding sites are filled, an activated charcoal filter stops working. At that point you must replace the filter.

[Source: http://science.howstuffworks.com/question209.htm ]

Is Activated charcoal safe?

Activated charcoal is considered to be the most effective single agent available. It is used after a person swallows or absorbs almost any toxic drug or chemical. Activated charcoal is often given after gastric lavage—the technique often called the stomach pump.

[ http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/11575-1.asp ]

This is a question about the anwer by Brad Jones. If the charcoal traps impurities we dont want to drink, how can drinking the particles that trap the impurities (the charcoal) not be harmful to us? Do the chemical propeties change?

Perhaps not toxic in itself, (Check w/poison center) the same abitily of charcoal to absorb and isolate poisons from our stomach, could pose a poss. health risk if consumed consistently over a long time because charcoal cannot pick and choose what to absorb. So it stands to reason that it can rob your body of usefull nutrients and even any suppliments or necissary medications you are taking. Still, I bet the tiny particles and scarce amount wouldn't have the ability to absorbe much at all.

The Brita filters say not to drink the particles. They don't say what will happen if you do.