Is your airport using the right tools to approach PFAS forensics?
Recently, Airport Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) Report 255, PFAS Source Differentiation Guide for Airports was published to provide the industry with guidance on investigating the sources of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are a family of thousands of chemical compounds found in many products and industrial processes. These synthetic chemical compounds, which are found in aqueous film-forming foam used for firefighting at airports, can accumulate over time in water and soil when released into the environment.
Mead & Hunt was part of a team that co-authored this research led by Terracon and GSI Environmental and included other PFAS industry leaders from Eurofins, Battelle, and Smith Environmental and Engineering. This team collaborated to create a guidebook that provides background information on PFAS forensics and awareness considerations for airports.
PFAS Source Differentiation Approaches for Airports
The guidebook defines “PFAS of Relevance” and focuses on research and source differentiation approaches airports can use to determine potential sources. These approaches include:
- Desktop Review – This approach focuses on informational resources that can be gathered to provide an initial understanding of historic PFAS releases into the environment. The guidebook includes a list of potential resources where airports can find information about on- and off-airport releases.
- Conventional Sampling – This approach applies to performing soil and water sampling to determine the presence of PFAS. The guidebook includes strategies for airports to consider if deciding to sample soil, surface water, and groundwater for PFAS.
- Advanced Forensics – This approach centers on the use of emerging technologies that can be applied to determine sources of PFAS. The guidebook helps airports consider the advantages and limitations of these technologies.
New Preliminary Screening Application Tool Provides PFAS Resource
The guidebook also includes a Preliminary Screening Application tool as an additional resource (Preliminary Screening Application tool). This Microsoft Excel-based application includes an actions checklist for airports to evaluate the sources of PFAS at their facilities. The tool allows airports to compare the sample results for PFAS with common sources of “PFAS of Relevance” as an initial comparison of a potential source. These sources for comparison include AFFF, industrial activities, chrome plating, and environmental cleanup sites. The guidebook also includes data visualizations from sources of PFAS that were analyzed as a part of the research as an additional tool to compare sampling results with common sources of “PFAS of Relevance.”
In summary, there is no single go-to or definitive solution when it comes to determining sources of PFAS at airports; however, with the application of the research and the suggested investigative approaches presented in the guidebook, an airport can have greater confidence and direction in their journeys to determine sources of PFAS. In combination with the Preliminary Screening Application, airports can establish a baseline of their current PFAS forensics journeys and garner an understanding of the next steps needed to determine sources of PFAS.
