A to Z Glossary

#

537.1, EPA Method

• EPA Method 537.1, the standard analytical method for measuring PFAS in drinking water using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

533, EPA Method

• EPA Method 533, analytical method for measuring additional PFAS compounds in drinking water beyond those covered by Method 537.1.

1633, EPA Method 

• EPA Method 1633, analytical method for measuring PFAS in wastewater, surface water, and groundwater matrices. 

A

AFFF (Aqueous Film-Forming Foam) 

• Firefighting foam containing PFAS chemicals, used at airports and military installations. A major source of environmental PFAS contamination.

Analytical Method

• Standardized laboratory procedure for measuring specific chemicals in samples, such as EPA Method 537.1 for PFAS in drinking water.

ATSDR

• Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, part of CDC that studies health effects of environmental contaminants including PFAS.

B

Bioaccumulation

• The process by which PFAS chemicals build up in living organisms over time, including in human blood and tissue.

Biosolids 

• Treated sewage sludge from wastewater treatment plants, often used as fertilizer. Can contain PFAS and spread contamination to agricultural land.

C

Chain of Custody

• Documentation that tracks a sample from collection through analysis to ensure integrity and legal defensibility of results.

Cleanup Criteria

• Regulatory standards that determine when environmental contamination requires remediation. Michigan has established criteria for seven PFAS compounds.

Contamination

• Presence of PFAS chemicals in environmental media (water, soil, air) at levels that may pose health or environmental risks.

D

Detection Limit 

• The lowest concentration of PFAS that a laboratory method can reliably measure. Typically measured in parts per trillion (ppt) for PFAS.

Discharge

• Release of treated wastewater from industrial facilities or municipal treatment plants, regulated under NPDES permits.

E

EGLE

• Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, the state agency responsible for environmental regulation and PFAS response.

EPA Method 537.1

• Standard analytical method for measuring PFAS in drinking water using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

EPA Method 533

• Analytical method for measuring additional PFAS compounds in drinking water beyond those covered by Method 537.1.

EPA Method 1633

• Analytical method for measuring PFAS in wastewater, surface water, and groundwater matrices.

F

Forever Chemicals

• Common name for PFAS, referring to their persistence in the environment and resistance to natural breakdown processes.

Fluorine

• Chemical element that forms extremely strong bonds with carbon in PFAS molecules, making them persistent and difficult to destroy.

G

GenX

• Trade name for HFPO-DA, a PFAS replacement chemical that has been found to contaminate water supplies.

Groundwater

• Underground water that flows through soil and rock formations. Can be contaminated by PFAS and used for drinking water wells.

H

Health Advisory

• EPA guidance on safe exposure levels for contaminants. Previously set at 70 ppt for PFOA and PFOS combined.

HFPO-DA

• Hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid, also known as GenX, used as a replacement for PFOA in some applications.

I

Ion Exchange

• Water treatment technology that can remove PFAS by exchanging contaminated ions with clean ones on specialized resins.

Isotope Dilution 

• Analytical technique using labeled internal standards to improve accuracy and precision in PFAS measurements.

J

K

Kit, Collection

• Sample collection package containing bottles, instructions, and shipping materials for PFAS water testing.

L

LC-MS/MS

• Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry, the analytical instrument required for accurate PFAS detection at regulatory levels.

LIMS

• Laboratory Information Management System, software that tracks samples and manages laboratory data and workflows.

M

Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL)

• Legally enforceable drinking water standard. Michigan has established MCLs for seven PFAS compounds.

MDL

• Method Detection Limit, the minimum concentration that can be measured and reported with 99% confidence.

MPART

• Michigan PFAS Action Response Team, the multi-agency group coordinating the state's PFAS response efforts.

N

Nanogram per Liter (ng/L)

• Unit of measurement equivalent to parts per trillion (ppt), commonly used for PFAS concentrations.

NPDES

• National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System, the permit program regulating wastewater discharges that may contain PFAS.

O

Ongoing Monitoring

• Regular testing to track PFAS levels over time in water supplies, groundwater, or after treatment system installation.

P

Parts Per Trillion (ppt)

• Unit of measurement for PFAS concentrations. Equivalent to one drop in 20 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

PFAS

• Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, a class of thousands of synthetic chemicals used in various industrial and consumer applications.

PFBS

• Perfluorobutane sulfonic acid, a shorter-chain PFAS compound regulated under Michigan's groundwater cleanup criteria.

PFHxS

• Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid, a PFAS compound included in Michigan's drinking water standards.

PFNA 

• Perfluorononanoic acid, a PFAS compound regulated under both Michigan and federal drinking water standards.

PFOA

• Perfluorooctanoic acid, one of the most studied PFAS compounds and subject to drinking water regulations.

PFOS

• Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid, one of the most widespread PFAS compounds and subject to drinking water regulations.

Plume

• Underground area of contaminated groundwater that spreads from a pollution source, often in the direction of groundwater flow.

Q

QA/QC

• Quality Assurance/Quality Control, laboratory procedures that ensure accurate and reliable analytical results.

Quantitation Limit

• The lowest concentration at which PFAS can be accurately measured and quantified, typically higher than the detection limit.

R

Regulatory Compliance

• Meeting government standards and requirements for PFAS monitoring, reporting, and remediation.

Remediation

• Process of cleaning up environmental contamination to meet regulatory standards or reduce health risks.

Reverse Osmosis 

• Water treatment technology that can effectively remove PFAS using semi-permeable membranes.

S

Sample Matrix

• The type of material being tested, such as drinking water, groundwater, surface water, or wastewater.

Surface Water

• Lakes, rivers, and streams that can be contaminated by PFAS and may serve as drinking water sources.

Surrogate

• Chemical compound added to samples during analysis to monitor method performance and data quality.

T

Turnaround Time

• Period from sample receipt to result reporting. Blue Shore Labs targets 5-7 days vs. industry standard 10-15 days.

Treatment System

• Equipment designed to remove PFAS from water, such as granular activated carbon or ion exchange systems.

U

UCMR

• Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Rule, EPA program requiring large public water systems to test for PFAS.

V

Validation

• Process of proving that analytical methods produce accurate and reliable results for PFAS measurements.

Volatile

• Property of chemicals that easily evaporate. Most PFAS are not volatile, so inhalation exposure is typically limited.

W

Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP)

• Facility that treats municipal sewage, which may contain PFAS that passes through to receiving waters.

Water Quality Standards

• Regulatory limits for contaminants in water bodies, established to protect human health and aquatic life.

Wellhead Protection

• Programs to prevent contamination of groundwater sources used for public drinking water supplies.

X

XIC 

• Extracted Ion Chromatogram, a data visualization technique used in LC-MS/MS analysis to identify and quantify PFAS compounds.

Y

Yield

• The percentage of PFAS recovered during the analytical process, used to assess method performance and data quality.

Z

Zone of Contamination

• Area around a pollution source where PFAS concentrations exceed cleanup criteria or health-based standards.

Table of Contents