1. Per & Polyfluorinated compounds (PFAS) in Drinking Water:
role of the BOH
Wendy Heiger-Bernays, PhD -
Boston University Superfund Research Program
Chair, Lexington BOH

2. What are PFAS?
Large group of chemicals (2000 and counting) have been identified in the environment;
Water repellant and stain resistant properties
Used since the 1940s in consumer and industrial products
Unregulated, unregulated, unregulated!!!

3. Multiple PFAS in the Environment and in People
Approximately 50% of samples with PFAS detections contained ≥2 PFASs. Guelfo and Adamson PMID:
Nyberg et al., 2018 PMID:

4. Measuring PFAS

6. PFAS are REALLY Hard to Measure Properly
USEPA Method 537 (version 1.1, 2009)
Only applicable to Drinking Water samples
ASTM D & ASTM D a (2017)
Applicable to non-Drinking water aqueous samples and soils
ONLY USE A CERTIFIED LABORATORY!!!!!!!!!

7. What Data do YOU NEED? At a minimum: “Summary Data Package”
Cover Letter or Lab Narrative explaining the analyses performed and any deviations
Results for your Samples
Results for all Quality Control
Critical Samples may require a “Full Deliverable”

8. Are People Exposed – How?
Food, water, household dust, consumer products
Breastfed infants (but breastfeeding is BEST!!!!)
Air, water, food & soil…..

9. Health Effects of PFAS What do we know?
ATSDR

10. Health Effects Associated with PFAS
Various forms of cancer, including testicular and kidney cancer
Pregnancy-induced hypertension/pre-eclampsia
Liver damage
Increases in cholesterol levels
Increased risk of thyroid disease
Decreased antibody response to vaccines
Increased risk of asthma diagnosis
Increased risk of decreased fertility
Small decreases in birth weight

11. So Why Aren’t PFAS Regulated?

12. EPA Monitors a Subset of Larger Community Water Supplies
Hu et al., 2016: DOI:PMID:

13. So are PFAS measured in the Commonwealth? YES!

14. Military Installations – Major Sources of PFAS

16. Where’s the Government?
Interventions and Prevention Strategies

18. Non-Governmental Organizations
Toxics Action Center
STEEP – RI Superfund Research Program – Silent Spring Institute
Northeastern University
UMASS Amherst

19. Drinking Water in MA
Public Water Supplies
Private Water Supplies

20. Granular Activated Carbon
Treatment Options
Granular Activated Carbon
Reverse Osmosis

21. Emergency Response Coordinator Nick Child at 617-574-6847 

22. What’s the Health Risk?

24. Risk Communication
Boards of Health – responding to complaints and concerns

25. Responding to Concerns Education Coordination KEEPING UP TO DATE!
Discussion & Working Groups

26. RESOURCES

27. Let’s Discuss the Following Situations:
Question from a community member
I live next to a fire department – should I be concerned?
Question from a community member about private well;
Should she test?
What to advise?

28. Thank you! Boston University Superfund Research Program www.BUSRP.org
National Institutes of Health (NIH) 2P42ES