PFAS in Groundwater: Investigation Results in New Hampshire & Considering Soil Leaching

The webinar included the following presentations:

Amy Doherty & Kate Emma Schlosser, New Hampshire Department of Environmental Services [PDF] Over the past three years NH DES has collected a significant amount of multimedia PFAS data. With groundwater in particular, DES is able to begin to analyze occurrence and see trends associated with a particular release type/mechanism. The presentation summarized groundwater quality from over 6,500 samples across the state with a focus on public water systems and waste site cleanup program sites (AFFF use sites, industrial/commercial facilities, landfills, etc.).

Harrison Roakes, Sanborn Head & Associates [PDF] presented “PFAS in Soil: Considering Leaching to Groundwater”. Soil is a key medium regarding the sources, extent, transport, and fate of PFAS from many types of releases (e.g., AFFF, aerial deposition, application of biosolids). As there is a growing interest in PFAS in soil, understanding the applicability and potential limitations of typical approaches to site characterization is important. The presentation reviewed the fundamentals of PFAS in soil, leaching-based screening values, and data collected as part of the PFAS Background in Vermont Shallow Soils study. Harrison closed by discussing potential screening approaches for understanding risk and areas for future work.