PFAS Considerations for New Build & Retrofit Projects
With a chemical property engineered to resist oil and water, PFAS, a man-made substance developed in the 1940s, is an attractive component found in various products and home goods, including stain-resistant coatings on fabrics, cleaning supplies, grease-proof paper, and nonstick cookware.
Due to this, PFAS, or per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances, act as a silent ubiquitous component in many people's day-to-day lives.
One issue with its use, however, is that the chemical is often referred to as a “forever chemical” since its strong carbon bonds prevent the chemical from fully breaking down.
As such, lingering questions remain about the health, safety, and environmental concerns of PFAS usage in everyday life, including in the lab design process.
Lab Design News spoke to Chuck Powley, a chief scientist at PFAS Solutions, about the use of PFAS in labs, the health and environmental considerations, and what materials to keep in mind for your next new build or retrofit project.
Q: Could you please introduce yourself professionally?
A: I have a PhD in analytical chemistry from the University of Illinois and worked in that capacity for the DuPont Company for over 30 years until I retired in 2016. Part of that work involved the development and publication of analytical methods for PFAS compounds in the environment and that work is the basis of many of the current EPA methods. In 2019 I helped start up the Center for PFAS Solutions in New Castle, DE. This organization provides analytical services and performs remediation research in the PFAS area.
Q: Could you please share what PFAS is, and why it is an important topic?
A: PFAS stands for per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances and is a broad class of chemical compounds that possess a high degree of fluorination. These substances are all man-made and have a high degree of nonstick properties and thermal stability, which makes them suitable for a wide variety of consumer applications. They have been in widespread use since the 1950s. Unfortunately, they tend to persist in the environment and have been attributed to a variety of health conditions, including:
Increased cholesterol levels
Decreased vaccine response in children
Changes in liver enzymes
Increased risk of high blood pressure in pregnant women
Small decreases in infant birth weights
Increased risk of kidney or testicular cancer
Most of our exposure to these compounds is currently thought to come from our drinking water. Other routes of exposure such as from food, clothing, and air have just started to be considered.
Q: Is PFAS a consideration when taking on new build or renovation projects?
A: The short answer is no. The only major current concern is if the structure (especially a home) is going to draw drinking water from a private well. In many states, a PFAS test of the well water is required before a structure can be sold or resold. The solution is usually the installation of some sort of water filtration system before the structure can be sold or resold.
Q: Is PFAS more of a concern with new builds or with renovations?
A: Neither really. It certainly is possible for PFAS compounds to be present in building materials and paints, but this is rarely considered or looked into.
Q: How should we evaluate building materials and casework for PFAS?
A: Currently these materials are not thought to be a major source of PFAS exposure, but it has not really been investigated to the best of my knowledge. An exception to this may be carpets, where PFAS compounds have been applied to provide stain resistance.
If we focus on laboratories where PFAS research is conducted, especially labs where low-level (part per trillion) analyses are to be undertaken, there are a number of precautions that should be taken. Materials that contain polytetrafluoroethylene (PFTE, for example, trademark Teflon®) should be avoided if they could come in contact with analytical samples. When moving into a new or repurposed lab, one should conduct a swipe test of all surfaces that would be relevant to sample handling and processing.
I recommend swiping with a 1:1 methanol: water; these solutions can then be directly analyzed by LCMS. Airborne PFAS compounds (especially carboxylates and sulfonates) can be detected simply by leaving an uncovered solution of two percent ammonium hydroxide in methanol on the counter overnight and then analyzing the next day.
Q: How can water systems help control PFAS contamination?
A: Water systems that have high PFAS contamination should install filters to remove PFAS. This has become mandatory in some states and new EPA regulations will eventually require this on a national level. The most common adsorbent is granular activated carbon, which is effective at removing the PFAS compounds currently targeted by the EPA.
Q: Is there anything you would like to add or mention?
A: Laboratory contamination is a huge issue and usually arises from the mishandling of concentrated standards or field samples.
Once a lab is badly contaminated, it is very difficult—if not impossible—to decontaminate it. There are also other sources of contamination that one might not immediately suspect, such as pipette tips and solvents. Be prepared to spend considerable time tracking down and eliminating sources of contamination if you want to get into this area.
