Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been around since the 1940s, but have not been studied much until recently. It is now known that these substances do not break down, but rather they accumulate in the environment and in our bodies. Although PFAS are not manufactured in the US anymore, they are still manufactured in other countries. Across Alaska, PFAS have been identified in the soil and groundwater at many military sites and airports as a result of using products such as aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) to put out fires. In communities that rely on groundwater for drinking water, this contamination can have serious consequences - some PFAS compounds are known to be carcinogens.
In 2019, BGES collected soil samples for PFAS analysis, which requires a different protocol than typical soil sampling. Many sampling supplies that we typically use can contain trace amounts of PFAS (like notebooks, ice packs, waterproof clothing, or even hand cream), and some supplies can interfere with the detectable amounts of PFAS through adsorption (such as glass sample containers). Since most states have very low cleanup criteria for PFAS, those trace amounts can make a significant difference on the analytical results via cross-contamination. BGES is pleased to add PFAS sampling to our scope of services, and we are available to answer your questions about this emerging dilemma.