Water Treatment Chemicals as Potential PFAS Sources
Municipal water treatment plants use coagulants, flocculants, pH adjustment chemicals, and disinfectants to produce safe drinking water. Some water treatment chemicals contain PFAS impurities or are manufactured using fluorinated processing aids, creating a potential PFAS introduction pathway at the treatment plant.
Testing Water Treatment Chemical PFAS Content
AWWA and NSF International have developed guidance for testing water treatment chemical PFAS content. Suppliers are increasingly required to provide PFAS certification documentation, and utilities are including PFAS-free supply chain requirements in chemical procurement contracts.
Polyacrylamide Flocculants
Polyacrylamide-based flocculants used in water treatment have been found to contain PFAS impurities in some formulations. NSF/ANSI Standard 60 evaluation programs are updating testing protocols to detect PFAS in drinking water treatment chemicals at low ng/L contribution levels.
Disinfectant and pH Chemical Evaluation
Chlorine, sodium hypochlorite, lime, and other treatment chemicals generally do not contain PFAS. However, fluorosilicic acid used for fluoridation contains naturally occurring fluoride without PFAS concerns. Utilities should prioritize PFAS testing for polymeric treatment aids most likely to contain PFAS impurities.