EPA Research Partner Support Story: Measuring PFAS Deposition from Air to Water
Partner: New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJ DEP)
Challenge: Measuring PFAS deposition from air to water
Resource: Evaluation of an assessment technique for atmospheric PFAS distribution
Project Period: 2020 ‒ Present
While PFAS contamination in drinking water has sparked growing interest, some industrial facilities also emit these compounds into the atmosphere rather than just discharging to surface waters. However, the relative importance of these two emission pathways is not well understood. Transport of PFAS through the atmosphere, and eventual deposition to surface waters, soils, and vegetation has been imputed, but not well quantified to date. The few evaluations performed to date have used exploratory chemical techniques and are still in the early stages. Beginning in late 2020, EPA ORD began a collaboration with NJ DEP and EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation (OAR) to evaluate a technique for measuring PFAS deposition in precipitation. ORD researchers conducted initial evaluations at a New Jersey air pollution monitoring site just west of Trenton. In mid-2023, NJ DEP began operating the site and asked ORD to continue to help address the uncertainties around the atmospheric pathways of PFAS contamination of surface waters. NJ DEP finds this technique to be of interest for their measurement and assessment needs and has since expanded to three additional locations across the state.
"Working with ORD to develop a standardized method we can use across the state to measure PFAS deposition is extremely valuable to New Jersey as we seek to identify, reduce and eventually eliminate human exposure to PFAS by using a holistic approach that recognizes air emissions as a source.” – NJ DEP Commissioner Shawn LaTourette
EPA ORD, in collaboration with OAR and federal partners such as USGS, has begun to transition from the proof-of-concept phase towards developing a standardized method for nationwide measurement of PFAS in precipitation. This nationwide approach will allow the state of New Jersey, along with several other state partners, to assess the extent to which PFAS contamination in water can be attributed to atmospheric emissions and precipitation. Measurements of the relative importance of atmospheric pathways will allow states and Tribes to make informed decisions about which emissions and discharges are most important to control as part of their efforts to reduce or minimize PFAS exposures to humans and ecosystems.