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PFAS — Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances

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Navigating this Website
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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PFAS Fact Sheets

This page includes links for the ITRC PFAS fact sheets. The fact sheets are available as PDF files. Several tables of supporting information are published separately so that they can be updated periodically by ITRC. The fact sheet user should visit this page to access the current versions of the files.

The references list and an acronyms list are available on the website.

  • Naming Conventions (updated August 2020)
  • Regulations (updated August 2020)
      • The Water Table includes the available PFAS water values established by the USEPA, each pertinent state, or country (Australia, Canada and Western European countries)
      • The Soil Table includes the available PFAS soil values established by the USEPA, each pertinent state, or country (Australia, Canada and Western European countries)
    • Basis for PFOA and PFOS Values Tables Excel file (updated March 2020)
      • The PFOA Table summarizes the differences in the PFOA values for drinking water in the United States.
      • The PFOS Table summarizes the differences in the PFOS values for drinking water in the United States.

 

Updated August 2020

 

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