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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. 

Topic Overview (PDF)
2 Projects
Compounds of Emerging Concern (CECs)
Advanced Treatment
Endocrine Disrupting Compounds, Pharmaceuticals & Personal Care Products (EDCs & PPCPs)
Microplastics
Project #4322

Treatment Mitigation Strategies for Poly- and Perfluorinated Chemicals

$306,672
Completed

Project Highlights

The first objective of this project was to conduct a literature review covering the global occurrence and treatability of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs). The second objective was to conduct a limited, strategically targeted assessment to determine the fate of these compounds...

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Principal Investigator
Eric
Dickenson
Research Manager
Mrs. Alice E Fulmer

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. 

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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.

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"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.

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Recent Updates

Project #4906
Evaluation of Fouling Characteristics and Cleaning Efficacy of...

Reporting Period: March 2019 - May 2019. During this reporting period, the team completed testing of...

Project Update
04/08/2020
Project #4906
Evaluation of Fouling Characteristics and Cleaning Efficacy of...

The pilot began running in October of 2018 with the first set of three membranes: Toray...

Project Update
06/09/2019
Project #4731
Optimizing Biofiltration and Integrating Biofiltration into...

Reporting Period: April 1, 2019 – September 30, 2019. During this period, Subtask 3.3, Biofiltration Performance...

Project Update
12/27/2019
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
07/11/2019
Project #3177
Occurrence, Treatment, and Evaluation of Analytical Methods for...

In Phase I (Project 3177), quantitative real-time PCR assays were developed to detect Group F ads...

Project Update
06/26/2019

News

WRF Announces the Release of RFPs for 12 Research Projects

Press Release
08/17/2020

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) has released Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for 12 new projects funded through WRF’s Research Priority Program. This strategic program enables WRF to address broadly relevant...

View all Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) News

Resources

View all Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Resources

Related Projects

Project #1645

Use of Ozone in Water Reclamation for Contaminant Oxidation

Completed

Increased public awareness, potential human health effects, and demonstrated impacts on aquatic ecosystems have stimulated recent interest in pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) and endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs)...

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Project #4992

Evaluating Analytical Methods for Detecting Unknown Chemicals in Recycled Water

Completed

This report summarizes the current state-of-the-science for analytical methods used to identify and measure unknown trace organic compounds (TOrCs) in recycled water. The researchers propose an integrated framework...

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Project #4334

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

Completed

This project determined hydraulic and carbon loading rates for constructed wetlands required to achieve different levels of EDC/PPCP and engineered nanomaterial removal as a function of hydraulic loading...

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Project #4832

Evaluation of CEC Removal by Ozone/BAF Treatment

In Progress

Ozone/biologically active filtration (BAF)-based treatment trains in potable reuse can typically produce high-quality reclaimed water that meets drinking water standards at a significantly lower cost and environmental footprint...

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Project #5031

Occurrence of PFAS Compounds in US Wastewater Treatment Plants

In Progress

The presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs) has been widely reported. However, comprehensive quantitative data on specific PFAS compounds, their fate...

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Project #4972

Expanding the Use of Wastewater Epidemiology Tools to Improve Water Quality, Identify Service Populations under Stress, and Promote One Water Goals for a Thriving City

In Progress

Water and wastewater utilities in the U.S. face the multi-faceted challenge of meeting the mandate to ensure water security and quality, while also seeking to meet social, economic...

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Related Topics

Link

Compounds 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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