PFAS Distribution
and Transport in
Surface Water,
Sediment, and Fish
Tissue at a DOD Site
Gail Lipfert, PhD
Certified Hydrogeologist/Technical Services
Barry Mower
Biologist III/Environmental Assessment
MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
Protecting Maine’s Air, Land and Water
What is PFAS?
•
•
•
•
•
Per- and PolyFluoroAlkyl Substances
Also known as PFC
PFOA, PFOS
Manmade, ubiquitous
Organic compounds, H is replaced with F,
has a functional group
• C-F bond, strongest covalent bond
• More than 200 different chemicals
MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
www.maine.gov/dep
What is PFAS?
• Hydrophobic and lipophobic
• Resists stains, heat, water, oil
• Very mobile, very persistent
• Bioaccumulates
MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
www.maine.gov/dep
Why are they at DOD sites?
• AFFF, aqueous film-forming foams
• Used at crash sites, spills, fire training
Potential Release Sites
Amec Foster Wheeler, 2016
Site Investigation Report
Site Investigation
• 2015
– 23 Surface water samples
– 22 Sediment samples
– 15 Fish tissue samples
• 2016
– 12 Surface water samples
– 13 Sediment samples
– 2 Fish tissue samples
Surface Water Results
MeCDC Human Health RiskBased Screening Levels
ng/L
Recreational SL
Construction Worker SL
PFOA
170
740
PFOS
300
1,300
Loring 2015 Surface Water, ng/L
1400
1400
n = 23
1000
800
800
600
600
400
400
200
200
0
0
6:2FTS
8:2FTS
NETFOSAA
NMEFOSAA
PFBA
PFBS
PFDA
PFDoA
PFHpA
PFHxA
PFHxS
PFNA
PFOA
PFOS
PFPeA
PFTeDA
PFTrDA
PFUnA
PFOA
PFOS
1200
n = 13
6:2FTS
8:2FTS
NETFOSAA
NMEFOSAA
PFBA
PFBS
PFDA
PFDoA
PFHpA
PFHxA
PFHxS
PFNA
PFOA
PFOS
PFPeA
PFTeDA
PFTrDA
PFUnA
PFOA
PFOS
1200
1000
Loring 2016 Surface Water, ng/L
Surface Water 2015 Results, ng/L
Surface Water Results
• PFOS and PFHxS most commonly detected,
greatest concentrations.
• PFOA, PFHxA also commonly detected.
• 3 PFOS exceedances (Recreational) near base.
• No PFOA, PFBS exceedances.
• Western drainage to Greenlaw Brook more
impacted than eastern Butterfield Brook.
Sediment Results
MeCDC Human Health Risk- ng/g
Based Screening Levels
PFOA
PFOS
Child
Adult
Screening
5,000 47,000
5,000
5,000 47,000
5,000
Loring 2015 Sediment, ng/g
Loring 2016 Sediment, ng/g
80
80
PFOA/PFOS
60
PFOA/PFOS
60
n = 22
n = 12
40
40
20
20
6:2FTS
8:2FTS
NETFOSAA
NMEFOSAA
PFBA
PFBS
PFDA
PFDoA
PFHpA
PFHxA
PFHxS
PFNA
PFOA
PFOS
PFPeA
PFTeDA
PFTrDA
PFUnA
0
6:2FTS
8:2FTS
NETFOSAA
NMEFOSAA
PFBA
PFBS
PFDA
PFDoA
PFHpA
PFHxA
PFHxS
PFNA
PFOA
PFOS
PFPeA
PFTeDA
PFTrDA
PFUnA
0
PFOS Surface Water – Sediment
Relationship
Sediment Results
• PFOS most commonly detected.
• PFOA, PFHxS also commonly detected, but
very low concentrations
• No exceedances.
Fish Tissue 2015 Results
Loring Skinless Fillets, ng/g
MeCDC Human Health RiskBased Screening Levels
Meals/wk
Maine
Recreational
Angler
Subsistence
Fisher
1
4
400
Recreational
Subsistence
300
PFOA
44
11
PFOS
44
11
200
n = 13
100
0
6:2FTS
8:2FTS
NETFOSAA
NMEFOSAA
PFBA
PFBS
PFDA
PFDoA
PFHpA
PFHxA
PFHxS
PFNA
PFOA
PFOS
PFOSA
PFPeA
PFTeDA
PFTrDA
PFUnA
ng/g
Fish Tissue 2015 Results
1000
2000
3000
Recreational
Subsistence
0
PFOS, ng/g
4000
O = Offal
SF = Skinless Fillets
SOF = Skin-On Fillets
O
SF
SOF
Fish Tissue 2015 Results
2 Background samples:
2.17, 2.80 ng/g
2016 Results
Fish Tissue Results
• PFOS was most commonly detected PFAS.
• All the fish samples had exceedances, except
for background samples.
• PFOS concentrations greater in western
drainage than in eastern.
• PFOS concentrations in offal and skin are
greater than in fillets.
Background Fish Tissue, MEDEP
Background Fish Data, EPA
Surface Water – Fish Relationship
R2 = 0.293
Possible increase of fish tissue concentrations
with surface water concentrations
Conclusions
• PFOS is most commonly detected PFAS in all media.
• Surface water:
– 3 PFOS exceedances of screening levels.
– PFHxS concentrations similar to PFOS.
– Detections of PFOA, PFHxA.
• Sediment: no exceedances, mostly PFOS.
• Fish tissue:
– PFOS exceedances for all samples except background.
– PFOS had greatest concentrations.
– Possible relationship with surface water concentrations.
Contact:
Gail Lipfert
[email protected]
207-592-5091
www.maine.gov/dep