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Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also commonly referred to as perfluorinated chemicals or PFCs, are a group of anthropogenic chemicals with past and current uses in industrial processes and consumer products. In 2006, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency classified some PFAS as likely human carcinogens. 

PFAS are used in firefighting foams, coating for food packaging, ScotchGard™, and Teflon™, among other products. PFAS are highly resistant to chemical decomposition and can enter source waters through industrial releases, wastewater treatment plant discharges, stormwater runoff, release of firefighting foams, and land application of contaminated biosolids. 

For more information, contact Mary Smith.

Topic Overview (PDF)
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18 Projects 3 Webcasts
Constituents of Emerging Concern (CECs)
Advanced Treatment
Endocrine Disrupting Compounds, Pharmaceuticals & Personal Care Products (EDCs & PPCPs)
Microplastics
Project #5124

PFAS One Water Risk Communication Messaging for Water Sector Professionals

$260,080
2022
In Progress

Project Highlights

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of increasing concern to the water sector and the public. It is critical that water systems continue to be the trusted sources of information for their customers, especially regarding emerging contaminants such as PFAS...

View more details
Aug 31, 2021
Principal Investigator
Lauren
Weinrich
Research Manager
Ms. Mary Smith

Talking to Customers and Communities About PFAS

This article, authored by current and former WRF staff, offers risk communication guidance, grounded in WRF research, that utilities can use when communicating about PFAS. The article was published in the May 2020 issue of Journal AWWA. 

Read the Article

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances: Background Technical Information

This state of the science document provides an overview of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, including sources, health effects, regulations, occurrence and detection methods, and treatment. It also discusses WRF's published, ongoing, and future PFAS research.

Download

"Thinking About PFAS in Drinking Water" Core Message Sheet

This concise handout can be used by utilities and other agencies to communicate core messages about PFAS: what they are, where they come from, why they are a concern, and what solutions exist to deal with them.

Download

Recent Updates

Project #5107
Understanding Pyrolysis for PFAS Removal

Reporting Period: November 1, 2022 – February 1, 2023

Project Update
03/22/2023
Project #5153
Evaluation of Bench-Scale Methods to Predict Drinking Water PFAS...

Reporting Period: November 1, 2022 - January 31, 2023

Project Update
03/01/2023
Project #5153
Evaluation of Bench-Scale Methods to Predict Drinking Water PFAS...

Reporting Period: May 1 - July 31, 2022

Project Update
01/09/2023
Project #5088
Defining Exposures of Microplastics /Fibers (MPs) in Treated Waters...

Reporting Period: May 1, 2021 – November 1, 2021. The database was populated first with drinking...

Project Update
03/04/2022
Project #5031
Occurrence of PFAS Compounds in US Wastewater Treatment...

Reporting Period: December 1, 2020 - May 15, 2021

Project Update
09/28/2022
Project #5031
Occurrence of PFAS Compounds in US Wastewater Treatment...

Reporting Period: July 1, 2020 - September 1, 2020

Project Update
09/28/2022
Project #4168
Quantitative Structure Property Relationships (QSPR) to Predict Removal...
Project Update
11/19/2020
Project #3177
Occurrence, Treatment, and Evaluation of Analytical Methods for...

The overall objective of this project was to develop, improve, and apply sensitive and robust analytical...

Project Update
07/18/2022
Project #4954
Integration of High-Frequency Performance Data for...

Reporting Period: December 2021 - May 2022

Project Update
12/22/2022
Project #4833
Understanding the Impacts of Wastewater Treatment Performance on Advanced...

Reporting Period: July 1, 2021 - January 1, 2022. This reporting period, full chapter drafts from...

Project Update
05/04/2022

News

The Water Research Foundation Wins Award from Department of Defense to Study PFAS

Press Release
02/23/2018

The Water Research Foundation and American Water Announce PFAS Risk Communication Toolkits

Press Release
12/20/2022

(Denver, CO, and Camden, NJ) 12/20/22 – As public awareness of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) continues to expand, water professionals are seeking ways to communicate with their customers clearly...

New Projects Funded on PFAS, Lead Service Lines, HABs, and More

eLetter
12/06/2021

Through the Tailored Collaboration (TC) Program, WRF partners directly with our utility subscribers on research and innovation projects. Under this program, a subscriber or group of subscribers can obtain matching...

View all Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) News

Resources

Public Plus

Use of Ozone in Water Reclamation for Contaminant Oxidation

Executive Summary
11/01/2011
11/01/2011
Public Plus

Evaluation of Impact of Nanoparticle Pollutants

Report
#7-04PDF
11/01/2008
11/01/2008
Public Plus

Constructed Wetlands for Treatment of Organic and Engineered Nanomaterial Contaminants of Emerging Concerns

Executive Summary
03/31/2014
03/31/2014
View all Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Resources

Related Topics

Link

Constituents of Emerging Concern (CECs)

Link

Advanced Treatment

Link

Endocrine Disrupting Compounds, Pharmaceuticals & Personal Care Products (EDCs & PPCPs)

Link

Microplastics

Link

Source Water Protection

Link

Groundwater Management & Protection

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