Investigation of PFAS and other Emerging Contaminants in New Jersey Fish Tissue, Sediment, and Surface Water

Abstract

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large family of man-made chemicals that have been extensively used in numerous products and industrial procedures since the 1940s. PFAS can enter the environment in numerous ways, including through industrial releases, or from the discharge of Class B Aqueous Film-Forming Foams (AFFF). Releases of PFAS have also been related to aggregate sources such as wastewater discharges and leaching and emissions from landfills that have accepted PFAS in waste. New Jersey’s environment has been particularly impacted by PFAS, with it being found in multiple environmental media, related to known or unknown sources. An earlier occurrence study collected single samples at eleven targeted sites in New Jersey (Goodrow et al, 2020). The current study sought to expand on the earlier study and to provide a directed investigation of several known types of sources that have not been fully characterized. The study examined five categories of potential PFAS releases that relate to AFFF, biosolid application, car washes, industrial activities, discharges of wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs). The study was intended to only provide an initial indication of potential impact from a source, as samples were generally limited to grab samples taken at a single sample collection event. Twenty-one locations were selected for investigation, with 58 subsampling locations chosen to characterize the locations. Grab samples of surface water and sediment were collected at each site and fish were collected where available, for a total of 74 surface water, 71 sediments, and 118 fish samples evaluated for this project. Samples were also collected from a sixth category, five isolated ponds in the state with limited impact from overland migration of contaminants.