Superfund Research Program

October 2022

Hot Publication

Researchers at the URI SRP Center demonstrated that passive samplers can better capture PFAS concentrations over time in diverse aquatic environments.

PFAS are a class of widely used and extremely persistent chemicals found globally in air, soil, and water. As PFAS are increasingly associated with negative health effects in humans, it is important to understand their distribution throughout the environment.

Typical water sampling methods for PFAS are discrete, meaning they provide a snapshot of PFAS concentrations at one point in time. Passive sampling — an environmental monitoring technique that allows pollutants to collect and accumulate on a sampler over time — may provide a more representative picture of average PFAS levels. It may also reduce costs by eliminating the need for frequent sampling trips.

In this study, the researchers tested the ability of a new passive sampler, consisting of a hollow plastic tube filled with adsorbent powder, to take up PFAS in a variety of surface water environments. They deployed the passive samplers for one month in water discharged from two wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), as well as at nine sites throughout Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay. The researchers also collected daily water samples from the WWTP locations to measure actual PFAS concentrations that could be compared to the samplers.

After extracting and analyzing the samples for 24 common PFAS, they found good agreement between the discrete samples and estimated passive sampler concentrations, mostly within 50% of the measured concentrations. The highest PFAS levels were detected in the northern part of the Bay, closest to the largest cities and industrial sites, but the team noted PFAS concentrations varied over time.

According to the authors, passive samplers may be useful for understanding contaminant concentrations in dynamic surface waters, and they may provide a suitable long-term monitoring tool for PFAS.

To learn more, please refer to the following sources:

  • Gardiner C, Robuck AR, Becanova J, Cantwell MG, Kaserzon S, Katz D, Mueller JF, Lohmann R. 2022. Field validation of a novel passive sampler for dissolved PFAS in surface waters. Environ Toxicol Chem doi:10.1002/etc.5431 PMID:35833595