Research Finds PFAS Levels in Foams on State Waterways Have Higher Levels Than the Water Below

Saturday, July 13th, 2024 -- 9:00 AM

(Danielle Kaeding, Wisconsin Public Radio) Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have found that naturally occurring foams on state waterways have PFAS levels as much as thousands of times higher than waters that lie below.

According to Danielle Kaeding with Wisconsin Public Radio, the findings are part of a new study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. Researchers studied 36 different types of PFAS in samples collected from foams and the very top layer of the water column across 43 rivers and lakes in Wisconsin.

Christina Remucal is a co-author of the study and a professor of civil and environmental engineering at UW-Madison. She said the PFAS concentrations in foam were “jaw-dropping.” Samples of foam collected from Lake Monona showed PFAS levels up to roughly 328,000 parts per trillion.

“So just for comparison, the new (federal) drinking water regulations are 4 (parts per trillion) in comparison with over 300,000,” Remucal said. “So these are really high numbers.”PFAS are a class of thousands of synthetic chemicals used in cookware, food wrappers, stain-resistant clothing and firefighting foam.

They don’t break down easily in the environment. High exposure to the chemicals has been linked to kidney and testicular cancers, fertility issues and other serious health problems.

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