Technical BRIEF
INNOVATIVE RESEARCH FOR A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE
www.epa.gov/research
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
Sampling studies and methods development for water and other environmental media
Background
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large
group of manufactured compounds used in a variety of
industries, such as aerospace, automotive, textiles, and
electronics, and are used in some food packaging and
firefighting materials. For example, they may be used to
make products more resistant to stains, grease and
water. In the environment, some PFAS break down very
slowly, if at all, allowing bioaccumulation (concentration)
to occur in humans and wildlife. Some have been found
to be toxic to laboratory animals, producing
reproductive, developmental, and systemic effects in
laboratory tests.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA)
methods for analyzing PFAS in environmental media are
in various stages of development. EPA is working to
develop robust analytical methods for groundwater,
surface water, wastewater, and solids, including soils,
sediments, and biosolids.
Drinking Water
Analysis using EPA Method 537
To assess for potential human exposure to PFAS in
drinking water, EPA-approved commercial drinking water
laboratories successfully analyzed finished (treated)
drinking water samples for six PFAS monitored under the
third Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule
(UCMR3). For the UCMR3 analyses, laboratories used
EPA Method 537, which also includes eight additional
PFAS analytes not listed on the UCMR3.
Health Advisories
In May 2016, EPA issued drinking water health advisories
for two types of PFAS—perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA)
and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). EPA's health
advisories are non-enforceable and non-regulatory, and
provide technical information to state agencies and
other public health officials on health effects, analytical
methodologies, and treatment technologies associated
with drinking water contamination.
EPA expects to have draft methods for
water and solids by fall 2017.
Method Development and Validation
Currently, there are no standard EPA methods for
analyzing PFAS in groundwater, surface water,
wastewater, or solids. Some U.S. laboratories are using
modified methods for non-drinking water samples
based on EPA Method 537. These modified methods
have no consistent sample collection guidelines and
have not been validated nor systematically assessed for
data quality.
To provide validated methods for sample types other
than drinking water, which will fill this sampling and
analytical gap, EPA formed a cross-Agency method
development and validation workgroup. The workgroup
will develop analytical methods for quantifying 24 PFAS
analytes. The method development process will occur in
a phased approach:
Phase I
EPA labs will test three existing analytical
protocols for preparing and analyzing 24 PFAS analytes
in surface water, groundwater, and wastewater.
] Several external labs will validate the most
promising protocol(s) based on the Phase I results.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
EPA/600/F-17/022
March 2017

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Studies on Sampling and Storage
EPA is currently running time-based studies on
degradation or loss of target analytes during sample
storage (45 days) and assessing the effects of different
sample vessel materials (e.g., plastic, glass) on analyte
recovery. EPA will also develop standard operating
procedures for field sampling, which are critical for
minimizing sample contamination and optimizing data
quality for site characterization.
Due to the widespread use of PFAS, many materials
normally used in field and laboratory operations contain
PFAS. For example, polytetrafluoroethylene products
(tubing, sample containers, and sampling tools) are often
used in sampling; however, since these products contain
PFAS, they cannot be used in sampling for PFAS. In
addition, many consumer goods, such as water-resistant
jackets or fast food wrappers, brought to a sampling site
may contain PFAS that can contaminate samples. Proper
field sampling and laboratory hygiene protocols are
critical to ensuring that testing results reflect actual PFAS
levels in the analyzed material.
Technical Contacts:
•	Christopher Impellitteri
impellitteri.christopher(5)epa.gov
•	Schatzi Fitz-James
fitz-iames.schatzi(S)epa.Hov
•	Cynthia Caporale
caporale.cynthia(5)epa,gov
Communications Contact:
•	Michelle Latham
latham.michelle(S)epa.gov
Additional EPA Information
• PFAS in Your Environment:
• EPA Method 537:
nepis.ep;
P100EQ6W.txt
vPDF,cgi?Dockev
• Drinking Water Health Advisories
for PFOA and PFOS:
epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-
water/drinking-water-health-
advisories-pfoa-and-pfc
• Third Unregulated Contaminant
Monitoring Rule (UCMR3):

epa.gov/dwucmr/third-unregulated-
contaminant-monitoring-rule
• EPA Water Research-
US EPA Water Research Links
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

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