Coates Kameron A, Harrington Peter de B
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Missouri State University, 901 S National Ave., Springfield, MO 65897, United States.
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ohio University, 133 University Ter., Athens, OH 45701, United States.
Water Res. 2024 Nov 15;266:122390. doi: 10.1016/j.watres.2024.122390. Epub 2024 Sep 3.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known as forever chemicals, have received international attention over the last two decades for their health risks and environmental persistence. One pathway of human exposure to PFAS is by rainwater. This review aims to analyze current studies of legacy and emerging PFAS contamination levels in rainwater in North America. In April 2024, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized new regulations for PFAS levels in drinking water. This review compares PFAS in rainwater to the latest US EPA regulation for the first time. Our analysis determined that five recent studies' average total PFAS (ΣPFAS) ranged from 2.28 to 92.42 ng/L and had a hazard index (HI) of 0.05-0.30. The average ΣPFAS and HI for all five studies are below the maximum contamination levels (MCLs) recommended by the EPA. However, rainwater samples collected near local point sources often exceeded the MCLs. To better understand the extent of PFAS contamination in the United States, more studies need to be conducted and analyzed throughout North America, testing for both legacy and emerging PFAS and locating local point sources.
