FIU Researchers Develop 30-Minute Water Test for Forever Chemicals

FIU researchers have developed a rapid, efficient method to detect per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), commonly known as forever chemicals, in water systems. This new technique reduces testing time from over six hours to just 30 minutes. The findings, which could significantly enhance water safety monitoring, were published in the Journal of Chromatography A.

PFAS are a group of chemicals linked to severe health risks, including endocrine disruption, immune system impairments, and cancer. They are nearly indestructible and widespread in the U.S. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently enacted national regulations requiring continuous monitoring in public water systems. Rapid testing is crucial in areas like South Florida, where drinking water from the shallow Biscayne Aquifer is vulnerable to surface runoff from landfills, airports, military air bases, and rainwater contamination.

Maria Guerra de Navarro, a postdoctoral associate at FIU’s Institute of Environment, noted that current wastewater and drinking water facilities do not treat for PFAS, allowing contamination to move through the entire water cycle. While many water utilities invest in advanced filtration like activated carbon or reverse osmosis, these systems only concentrate the chemicals into difficult-to-dispose-of waste streams. In Miami-Dade County, groundwater wells are monitored every four months, with efforts to keep those with higher PFAS levels out of the main supply.

The new 30-minute method improves PFAS tracking by automating sample cleanup using online solid-phase extraction paired with high-precision testing tools. This process measures tiny traces of chemicals, uses smaller samples, and less solvent, thereby reducing human handling errors. The method detects 39 of the 40 EPA-listed PFAS, intentionally excluding one compound to maintain stringent detection limits for the most regulated chemicals, PFOS and PFAS, an “unacceptable compromise” according to Natalia Quinete, associate professor at FIU. The team, including doctoral candidate Carolina Cuchimaque Lugo, has already characterized PFAS in Miami-Dade County tap water and is now analyzing human serum samples.

Initially, the team focused on capturing smaller PFAS molecules and proved the method could analyze both small and large molecules simultaneously. They are currently working to detect even smaller molecules, which are frequently found in high concentrations in drinking water as larger PFAS break down. Before widespread adoption by water facilities, the method requires certification through extensive validation studies across multiple independent laboratories. Guerra de Navarro believes the EPA should consider incorporating this technology into a standard method, given the national demand for PFAS monitoring.

Looking ahead, the team is developing a simpler method to measure total PFAS, rather than individual compounds. This future approach aims to process 20 samples in a single day with minimal handling and less expensive equipment, potentially enabling real-time field assessment.

Editor's note: Comprehensive coverage of the new FIU testing method and background context, capturing all key source facts accurately.