The Analysis of Perfluorinated Compounds - Beyond UCMR3

Oral Presentation

Prepared by C. Neslund
Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories Environmental, LLC, 2425 New Holland Pike, Lancaster, PA, 17601, United States


Contact Information: charlesneslund@eurofinsus.com; 717-556-7231


ABSTRACT

Environmental laboratories that participated in UCMR3 analyzed thousands of samples for perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in drinking water using EPA Method 537. The Method 537 lists 14 perfluorinated compounds as a part of the analysis suite. UCMR3 required analysis of only 6 of those compounds.

As the interest in PFCs as emerging contaminants continues to grow, the compounds that are typically tracked as initial indicators are PFOA and PFOS. However, the list of compounds of potential concern is growing beyond PFOA and PFOS and well beyond the UCMR3 list. In addition, the range of matrices of concern is well beyond the drinking water matrix that Method 537 was designed for. Laboratories are being required to handle wastewater, soil/solids and tissues, matrices for which there isn't a published EPA method. What are the options available to laboratories and what are the kinds of modifications that they need to employ to generate data for these broader applications?