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PFAS — Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances

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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 Mechanisms for Release to the Environment
3.3 AFFF Procurement and Inventory
3.4 Foam Systems and Operations
3.5 Emergency Firefighting Operations
3.6 Immediate Investigative and Cleanup Actions
3.7 Treatment and Disposal
3.8 Firefighting Foam System Replacement
3.9 Federal, State, and International Regulations and Guidance
3.10 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
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
Additional Information
16 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

 

PFAS — Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
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This Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council (ITRC) online document includes the PFAS Technical and Regulatory Guidance Document, PFAS Fact Sheets and Explainer Videos, Training Module Videos and external tables of data and information prepared by the ITRC PFAS Team. Internal links in the online document will help the reader locate interrelated topics, refer back to key concepts, and locate references, while external links provide connection to the training module videos, see below, on key topics. Finally, the web-based nature of this document lends itself to updating of key information in this rapidly evolving subject. It is the intention of ITRC to periodically update the document as significant new information and regulatory approaches for PFAS develop. The guidance document can be downloaded as a PDF.

The Technical and Regulatory document is designed specifically to support state and federal environmental staff, as well as others (including stakeholders, project managers, and decision makers), to gain a working knowledge of the current state of PFAS science and practice. Developed by a team of over 400 environmental practitioners drawn from state and federal government, academia, industry, environmental consulting, and public interest groups, it also provides a summary of the current understanding of all aspects of PFAS from a broad perspective. While every effort was made to keep the information accessible to a wide audience, it is assumed the reader has some basic technical background in chemistry, environmental sciences, and risk assessment.

An Introduction is provided for the document.

The document addresses these questions:

Questions Document Sections
What are PFAS?
  • Naming Conventions and Use
  • Chemistry, Terminology, and Acronyms
  • PFAS Uses
  • PFAS Releases to the Environment
How do they behave in the environment?
  • Physical and Chemical Properties
  • Environmental Fate and Transport Processes
  • Media-Specific Occurrence
Why are we concerned about PFAS?
  • Human and Ecological Health Effects
  • Basis of Regulations
  • Site Risk Assessment
How do we evaluate PFAS in the environment?
  • Site Characterization
  • Sampling and Analytical Methods
How do we remediate PFAS?
  • Treatment Technologies
What are the major concerns of communities and Tribes and
how do we share what we know about PFAS?
  • Stakeholder Perspectives
  • Risk Communication
Special topics
  • Firefighting Foams
  • Case Studies

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

  • Roundtable Session 1
    • Roundtable Session 1 Digest
  • Roundtable Session 2

Updated September 2020.

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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.