Environmental Testing for PFAS (Per/Polyfluoroalkyl Substances) via Method EPA 1633
In August 2021 USEPA published the first draft method for analysis of PFAS contaminants via method EPA 1633. This method is required for Clean Water Act compliance monitoring in the United States.
Accredited laboratories performing PFAS analysis in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and Delaware are extremely rare. Suburban Testing Labs is proud to be the first laboratory in PA to gain this accreditation.
Analysis is performed by a solid-phase extraction (SPE) on the sample, followed by analysis using Liquid Chromatography with tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). We can also perform analysis for PFAS in drinking water.
Testing is completed right at our headquarters without the need to ship samples to an out-of-state facility. Knowing your samples are handled at our lab without the possibility of shipping delays gives our clients peace of mind.
Hazards of PFAS in Wastewater
According to the USEPA, Humans can be exposed to PFAS in a variety of ways. Manufacturing or chemical production facilities that discharge into publically owned wastewater treatment facilities (POTWs) that are not designed to treat wastewater for these contaminants can cause discharged water and biosolids to be contaminated with these harmful compounds. Wastewater discharged to our waterways from treatment plants could be a source of contamination in fish, and drinking water supplies. Contaminated biosolids used as fertilizer on agricultural lands can affect ground and surface water and animals grazing on the land.
Sampling and testing at various points of the collection system, industrial discharges, the influent, the effluent, and the biosolids is an important way POTWs can understand how much PFAS they are really dealing with, and what the sources may be.
PFAS Testing Parameters via EPA 1633
EPA Method 1633 for the determination of the per- and polufluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) quantifies PFAS analytes listed in the table below. The routine Reporting Limit (MRL) and the Method Detection Limit (MDL) are currently the same.
The sample container is (2) 500 mL High Density Polyethylene (HDPE), plastic container, plus (1) 125 mL for solids determination. You should get these containers from our laboratory to ensure they are free of PFAS compounds. Field Reagent Blanks should be collected when testing for compliance purposes.
| Analyte Name | Abbreviation | MDL (µg/L) | MRL (µg/L) |
| Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic Acid | PFBA | 0.008 | 0.008 |
| Perfluoropentanoic Acid | PFPeA | 0.004 | 0.004 |
| Perfluorohexanoic Acid | PFHxA | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| Perfluoroheptanoic Acid | PFHpA | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| Perfluorooctanoic Acid | PFOA | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| Perfluorononanoic Acid | PFNA | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| Perfluorodecanoic Acid | PFDA | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| Perfluoroundecanoic Acid | PFUnA | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| Perfluorododecanoic Acid | PFDoA | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| Perfluorotridecanoic Acid | PFTrDA | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| Perfluorotetradecanoic Acid | PFTA | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic Acid | PFBS | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| Perfluoropentanesulfonic Acid | PFPeS | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| Perfluorohexanesulfonic Acid | PFHxS | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| Perfluoroheptanesulfonic Acid | PFHpS | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| Perfluorooctanesulfonic Acid | PFOS | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| Perfluorononanesulfonic Acid | PFNS | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| Perfluorodecanesulfonic Acid | PFDS | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| Perfluorododecanesulfonic Acid | PFDoS | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| 1H,1H,2H,2H-Perfluorohexane Sulfonic Acid | 4:2FTS | 0.008 | 0.008 |
| 1H,1H,2H,2H-Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid | 6:2FTS | 0.008 | 0.008 |
| 1H,1H,2H,2H-Perflurodecane Sulfonic Acid | 8:2FTS | 0.008 | 0.008 |
| Perfluorooctanesulfonamide | PFOSA | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| N-methyl Perfluorooctanesulfonamide | NMeFOSA | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| N-ethyl Perfluorooctanesulfonamide | NEtFOSA | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| N-methyl Perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic Acid | NMeFOSAA | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| N-ethyl Perfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic Acid | NEtFOSAA | 0.002 | 0.002 |
| N-methyl perfluorooctanesulfonamidoethanol | NMeFOSE | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| N-ethyl Perfluorooctanesulfonamidoethanol | NEtFOSE | 0.02 | 0.02 |
| Hexafluoropropylene Oxide Dimer Acid | HFPO-DA | 0.008 | 0.008 |
| 4,8-Dioxa-3H-Perfluorononanoic Acid | ADONA | 0.008 | 0.008 |
| 9-Chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanonane-1-sulfonic acid | 9Cl-PF3ONS | 0.008 | 0.008 |
| 11-chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic… | 11Cl-PF3OUdS | 0.008 | 0.008 |
| 3-Perfluoropropyl Propanoic Acid | 3:3FTCA | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| 2H,2H,3H,3H-Perfluorooctanoic Acid | 5:3FTCA | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| 3-Perfluoroheptyl Propanoic Acid | 7:3FTCA | 0.05 | 0.05 |
| Perfluoro(2-ethoxyethane)sulfonic Acid | PFEESA | 0.004 | 0.004 |
| Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic Acid | PFMPA | 0.004 | 0.004 |
| Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic Acid | PFMBA | 0.004 | 0.004 |
| Nonafluoro-3,6-Dioxaheptanoic Acid | NFDHA | 0.004 | 0.004 |