CWA Analytical Methods for Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS)
EPA is developing new analytical methods to test for PFAS compounds in wastewater, as well as other environmental media.
Background
As discussed in EPA’s PFAS Action Plan, there are hundreds of different PFAS chemicals of varying carbon chain lengths and different functional groups. Analyzing them in a comprehensive way has been a challenge that scientists at all levels of government are working to address. EPA has published methods to test for certain PFAS in drinking water and is continuing to work on methods for other matrices.
Methods Under Development
In collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense, EPA is developing analytical methods to test for PFAS in wastewater as well as surface water, groundwater, leachate, soil, sediment, biosolids, and fish tissue. The following list of 40 PFAS are the subject of analytical method development. Method development includes single- and multi-laboratory testing. Following single-laboratory validation, which demonstrates proof of concept, a multi-laboratory validation will be conducted to further determine method viability. EPA anticipates that multi-laboratory validation for this method will be finalized in 2021.
Abbreviation | Name – Acid/Neutral Form | CAS# |
---|---|---|
PFBA | Perfluorobutanoic acid | 375-22-4 |
PFPeA | Perfluoropentanoic acid | 2706-90-3 |
PFHxA | Perfluorohexanoic acid | 307-24-4 |
PFHpA | Perfluoroheptanoic acid | 375-85-9 |
PFOA | Perfluorooctanoic acid | 335-67-1 |
PFNA | Perfluorononanoic acid | 375-95-1 |
PFDA | Perfluorodecanoic acid | 335-76-2 |
PFUnA | Perfluoroundecanoic acid | 2058-94-8 |
PFDoA | Perfluorododecanoic acid | 307-55-1 |
PFTrDA | Perfluorotridecanoic acid | 72629-94-8 |
PFTA | Perfluorotetradecanoic acid | 376-06-7 |
PFBS | Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid | 375-73-5 |
PFPeS | Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid | 2706-91-4 |
PFHxS | Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid | 355-46-4 |
PFHpS | Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid | 375-92-8 |
PFOS | Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid | 1763-23-1 |
PFNS | Perfluorononanesulfonic acid | 68259-12-1 |
PFDS | Perfluorodecanesulfonic acid | 335-77-3 |
PFDoS | Perfluorododecanesulfonic acid | 79780-39-5 |
4:2 FTS | 4:2 fluorotelomersulfonic acid | 757124-72-4 |
6:2 FTS | 6:2 fluorotelomersulfonic acid | 27619-97-2 |
8:2 FTS | 8:2 fluorotelomersulfonic acid | 39108-34-4 |
NMeFOSAA | N-Methylperfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid | 2355-31-9 |
NEtFOSAA | N-Ethylperfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid | 2991-50-6 |
PFOSA | Perfluorooctanesulfonamide | 754-91-6 |
NMeFOSA | N-Methylperfluorooctanesulfonamide | 31506-32-8 |
NEtFOSA | N-Ethylperfluorooctanesulfonamide | 4151-50-2 |
NMeFOSE | N-Methylperfluorooctanesulfonamidoethanol | 24448-09-7 |
NEtFOSE | N-Ethylperfluorooctanesulfonamidoethanol | 1691-99-2 |
HFPO-DA | Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid | 13252-13-6 |
DONA | 4,8-dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid | 919005-14-4 |
9Cl-PF3ONS | 9-chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanonane-1-sulfonic acid | 756426-58-1 |
11Cl-PF3OUdS | 11-chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic acid | 763051-92-9 |
3:3 FTCA | 2H, 2H, 3H, 3H-perfluorohexanoic acid | 356-02-5 |
5:3 FTCA | 2H, 2H, 3H, 3H-perfluorooctanoic acid | 914637-49-3 |
7:3 FTCA | 2H, 2H, 3H, 3H-perfluorodecanoic acid | 812-70-4 |
NFDHA | Perfluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid | 151772-58-6 |
PFEESA | Perfluoro(2-ethoxyethane)sulfonic acid | 113507-82-7 |
PFMPA | Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid | 377-73-1 |
PFMBA | Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid | 863090-89-5 |