• Skip to main content
itrc_logo

PFAS — Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances

☰
PFAS HOME
Navigating This Website
About ITRC
Fact Sheets
1 Introduction
2 Naming Conventions and Use
2 PFAS Chemistry and Naming Conventions, History and Use of PFAS, and Sources of PFAS Releases to the Environment overview
2.1 Environmental Significance
2.2 Chemistry, Terminology, and Acronyms
2.3 Emerging Health and Environmental Concerns
2.4 PFAS Reductions and Alternative PFAS Formulations
2.5 PFAS Uses
2.6 PFAS Releases to the Environment
3 Firefighting Foams
3 Firefighting Foams Overview
3.1 Foam Formulations
3.2 AFFF Characteristics
3.3 Mechanisms for Release to the Environment
3.4 AFFF Fate and Transport
3.5 Forensic Analysis of AFFF
3.6 AFFF Procurement and Inventory
3.7 Foam Systems and Operations
3.8 Emergency Firefighting Operations
3.9 Immediate Investigative and Cleanup Actions
3.10 AFFF Disposal
3.11 Firefighting Foam System Replacement
3.12 Federal, State and International Regulations and Guidance
3.13 Foam Research and Development
4 Physical and Chemical Properties
4 Physical and Chemical Properties Overview
4.1 Challenges and Limitations Related to PFAS Physical and Chemical Properties
4.2 Physical Properties
4.3 Chemical Properties
5 Fate and Transport
5 Environmental Fate and Transport Processes Overview
5.1 Fate and Transport Introduction
5.2 Phase Partitioning
5.3 Media-Specific Migration Processes
5.4 Transformations
5.5 PFAS Uptake into Aquatic Organisms
5.6 PFAS Uptake into Plants
6 Occurrence
6 Media-Specific Occurrence Overview
6.1 Air
6.2 Soil and Sediment
6.3 Groundwater
6.4 Surface Water
6.5 Biota
7 Health Effects
7 Human and Ecological Health Effects of select PFAS Overview
7.1 Human Health Effects
7.2 Ecological Toxicology
8 Basis of Regulations
8 Basis of Regulations Overview
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Regulatory Programs
8.3 Differences in the Available Regulations, Advisories, and Guidance Regulatory
9 Site Risk Assessment
9 Site Risk Assessment Overview
9.1 Human Health
9.2 Ecological Risk Assessment
9.3 Uncertainty
10 Site Characterization
10 Site Characterization Overview
10.1 Site Characterization Issues Relevant to PFAS
10.2 Initial Steps
10.3 Site Investigation
10.4 Data Analysis and Interpretation
10.5 Source Identification
11 Sampling and Analysis
11 Sampling and Analytical Methods Overview
11.1 Sampling
11.2 Analytical Methods/Techniques
11.3 Data Evaluation
11.4 Source Identification
12 Treatment Technologies
12 Treatment Technologies Overview
12.1 Overview
12.2 Field-Implemented Liquids Treatment Technologies
12.3 Field-Implemented Solids Treatment Technologies
12.4 Incineration
12.5 Limited Application and Developing Liquids Treatment Technologies
12.6 Limited Application and Developing Solids Treatment Technologies
12.7 Integrated Remedial Solutions
12.8 Sustainability of PFAS Treatment
12.9 Improving Evaluation of PFAS Treatment Technologies
13 Stakeholder Perspectives
13 Stakeholder Perspectives Overview
13.1 Stakeholder Concerns
13.2 Specific Tribal Stakeholder Concerns
13.3 Stakeholder Resources
14 Risk Communication
14 Risk Communication Overview
14.1 Role of Risk Perception: Public Stakeholders and Decision Makers
14.2 Risk Communication Challenges
14.3 Risk Communication Planning and Engagement Tools
15 Case Studies
15 Case Studies Overview
15.1 Site Characterization Case Studies
15.2 Treatment Case Studies
15.3 Risk Assessment Case Study
15.4 Risk Communication Case Studies
16 Surface Water Quality
16 Surface Water Quality
16.1    Introduction
16.2 Protection of Human Health
16.3 Protection of Biota
16.4 Sampling and Analysis
16.5 Surface Water Foam
Additional Information
References
17 Additional Information
17 Additional Information Overview
17.1 Additional Information for Media-Specific Occurrence
17.2 Additional Information for Human Health Effects
17.3 Additional Information for Risk Assessment
Acronyms
Glossary
Acknowledgments
Team Contacts
Document Feedback
ITRC & Environmental Justice/Diversity Equity & Inclusion

 

PFAS — Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
HOME

PFAS

PFAS HOME

This Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC) online document includes the resources that the ITRC PFAS Team has developed since it began work in 2017.

  • PFAS Fact Sheets
  • PFAS Technical and Regulatory Guidance Document
    • External Data Tables
  • Training Resources
    • Quick Explainer Videos
    • Longer PFAS Training Module Videos
    • Archived Roundtable Sessions
    • PFAS Training Page

You can reach this PFAS Home page from any of the pages on this web site with the Home button at the top of screen.

PFAS Technical and Regulatory Guidance Document

Updated June 2022

⇐ ONLINE DOCUMENT: On this web page, use the Table of Contents shown in the left-hand navigation column to select a specific section of interest

  • Full Guidance Document PDF
  • Find the References, Glossary and Acronyms with these links or at the footer of the web

External Data Tables 

In many of the sections of the PFAS Guidance Document the team has developed tables that provide additional data and information to support the topics in the sections. These tables are linked here, along with identity of the section with which the table is associated.

  • Fact Sheets: PFAS Water and Soil Regulatory and Guidance Values Table Excel File
  • Fact Sheets: Basis for PFOA and PFOS Regulatory Values in Drinking Water Table Excel File
  • Section 2: Figure 2-4 PFAS Family Tree PDF
  • Section 2: USEPA Analytes List-PFAS Classifications PDF
  • Section 3: AFFF Characteristics Excel File
  • Section 3: AFFF Transition to F3 Case Studies Excel File
  • Section 4: Physical and Chemical Properties Table 4-1 Excel File
  • Section 5: Aquatic Organisms BCF-BAF Table 5-1 Excel file
  • Section 5: Plants BCF-BAF Table 5-2 Excel File
  • Section 7.2: Ecotoxicology Data Summary Excel File
  • Section 8: PFAS Regulatory Programs Summary Excel File
  • Section 11: Analytical Methods Excel File
  • Section 11: PFAS Data Usability Table PDF
  • Section 12: Table 12-1 Liquids Treatment Methods Table PDF
  • Section 12: Table 12-2 Solids Treatment Methods Table PDF
  • Section 12: Integrated Water Treatment Flow Chart PDF
  • Section 14: Risk Communication Social Factors Vision Board PDF
  • Section 15: Water Treatment Case Studies Excel File
  • Section 17.2: Table 17-8 Toxicological Effects Excel File

 

Training Resources

Quick Explainer Videos

The PFAS Team developed brief explainer videos to accompany the fact sheets. The following links will redirect you to ITRC’s PFAS Explainer Videos on YouTube:

  • ITRC PFAS Team Introduction
  • PFAS Naming Conventions
  • PFAS History and Use
  • PFAS Fate and Transport
  • PFAS Remediation
  • PFAS Lab Analytical Methods
  • Aqueous Film Forming Foam

Longer PFAS Training Module Videos

The PFAS Team developed training module videos to accompany this Technical and Regulatory Document. The following links will redirect you to ITRC’s PFAS Training Module Videos on Youtube:

  • PFAS introduction
  • Naming Conventions and Physical and Chemical Properties
  • Production, Uses, Sources and Site Characterization
  • Sampling and Analysis
  • Fate and Transport
  • Human and Ecological Effects 
  • Risk Assessment and Regulations
  • Treatment Technologies
  • Aqueous Film-Forming Foam
  • Risk Communication

Archived Round Table Sessions

 The PFAS Roundtable Sessions offered a unique opportunity to interact directly with PFAS experts from around the country on a different group of topics for each session. Each Roundtable is archived for On Demand listening and includes a Q&A Digest of all questions asked for the event, including those that were not addressed during the live class. 

  • Roundtable Session 1 – Naming Conventions, Sampling and Analytical Techniques, and History and Uses of PFAS (July 2020)
    • Roundtable Session 1 Digest
  • Roundtable Session 2 – Physical & Chemical Properties, Site Characterization, Fate and Transport (October 2020)
    • Roundtable Session 2 Digest
  • Roundtable Session 3 – AFFF and Treatment Technologies (April 6, 2021)
    • Roundtable Session 3 Digest
  • Roundtable Session 4 – Human and Ecological Health Effects, Site Risk Assessment, Regulations,  Risk Communication and Stakeholder Perspectives
    • Roundtable Session 4 Digest

 

Published by the Interstate Technology & Regulatory Council, June 2022

image_pdfPrint this page/section

glossary Full PDF
glossary
Glossary
referencesPFAS
References
acronymsPFAS
Acronyms

ITRC
Contact Us
About ITRC
Visit ITRC
social media iconsClick here to visit ITRC on FacebookClick here to visit ITRC on TwitterClick here to visit ITRC on LinkedInITRC on Social Media
about_itrc
Permission is granted to refer to or quote from this publication with the customary acknowledgment of the source (see suggested citation and disclaimer). This web site is owned by ITRC • 1250 H Street, NW • Suite 850 • Washington, DC 20005 • (202) 266-4933 • Email: [email protected] • Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and Usage Policy ITRC is sponsored by the Environmental Council of the States.