Application

PFAS Testing for Water Quality

Chemicals used in PFAS Water Quality Testing

Measurements of water levels in wells provide the most fundamental indicator of the status of this resource and are critical to meaningful evaluations of the quantity and quality of ground water and its interaction with surface water.

These chemicals have been in use since the 1940s and are found in a variety of products including firefighting foams, household products such as non-stick cookware, food packaging, and stain and water repellents.

The two most widely studied PFAS chemicals are perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS); these chemicals were voluntarily phased out of production in the United States. However, as many as 3,000 other PFAS chemicals still are used in a wide variety of applications.

These chemicals are persistent and resist degradation, meaning they accumulate in the environment and in your body over time.

PFAS Analytical Methods Development and Sampling Research

According to the EPA, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large class of synthetic chemicals that present numerous analytical challenges, including their widespread presence in a variety of environmental samples, occurrence of isomers for some compounds, and precursor transformations that may occur during preservation and storage of the samples. EPA’s methods for analyzing PFAS in environmental media are in various stages of development and validation.

EPA scientists are developing validated analytical methods for drinking water; groundwater; surface water; wastewater; and solids, including soils, sediments, biota, and biosolids, which may eventually become standard methods or research methods. Visit EPA’s status of PFAS research and development webpage to get updates about this and other PFAS research.

Performing PFAS tests

As PFAS sampling has become increasingly common, so has the ambiguity of regulations and restrictions associated with conducting these types of events. When customers call to place orders, we’re often asked about the suitability of our equipment for their applications. Since PFAS are used in the production of many types of traditional groundwater monitoring equipment, materials and supplies and can be sources of sample contamination, we’ve outlined answers to commonly asked questions to help guide you through the process of selecting equipment and field supplies for those applications.

Equipment used in PFAS sampling events must be made from acceptable materials, which include high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene, silicone, stainless steel, nylon, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), acetate, and cotton. Sampling equipment that contain PFAS-based (fluoropolymers) parts that would be in direct contact with the sample or sampling environment should be avoided. With respect to Eco-Rental Solutions’ inventory of rental equipment and consumables, items that are typically considered acceptable and prohibited are listed below.