PFAS Testing Results at Selected Landfills and WWTFs and Overview - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

PFAS Testing Results at Selected Landfills and WWTFs and Overview of State-Wide Background Study John Schmeltzer VT DEC June 6, 2018

Started in Bennington-2016

Water Supply Wells-nd to over 2500 ppt Bennington Landfill Leachate Vault-over 5,000 ppt PFOA WWTF-over 350 ppt influent WWTF-6 to 8 ppb pressed Sludge samples Elevated PFOA in Septic sludge

What are PFOA concentrations in leachate and influent/effluent at other Facilities?

• Fall-Winter 2017 Developed Scope for State-Wide Sampling at

these facilities

• Selected five landfills
• Selected six WWTF (those that received leachate from

landfills

• Analytical Methods-Currently not consensus and Evolving
• MLA 110-DOD approved method (primary)
• Modified EPA 537Results from WWTP influent 350
• Samples collected in Winter 2018
• Report May 3, 2018

PFAS results from analysis of WWTP Influent and Effluent by MLA 110

(January 2018)

• ALL PFAS results are in ppt (ng/L) range
• Maximum effluent PFOA/PFOS values (Facility E), maximum influent values (Facility F)
• Average PFOA and PFOS for all 6 facility effluent and influent samples in last two columns

[Bolded values indicate result above detection level]

• Six (6) WWTFs that receive landfill leachate
• Grab samples collected from INFLUENT,

EFFLUENT, RESIDUALS

• Analyzed by MLA 110 and EPA modified 537 and

SPLP (sludge)

• ALL results are in ppt (ng/L) range

* RPD calculated as means of comparing methods.

* RPD improves dramatically when method yields results above the method detection limit !!

[Bolded values indicate result above detection level]

PF PFAS AS resu esults fr lts from an

• m anal

alysis of ysis of WWTP WWTP Influen Influent t an and d Ef Effl flue uent nt

• MLA 110 method produced

the “best results” (lowest RL/DL) compared to modified EPA 537 for solids

• All PFAS detections for

sludge in the low ppb range from < 1 to 14 ug/kg

PFAS results from analysis of WWTP Residuals by MLA 110

PF PFAS S results esults fr from

• m an

anal alys ysis is of

• f WWTP

WWTP Residua esiduals ls by by MLA LA 11 110 an 0 and d EP EPA 53 537 an 7 and d SPLP SPLP

[Bolded values indicate result above detection level]

• Method comparison – note high detection limits for EPA 537

• SPLP = synthetic precipitation leaching
• Procedure (how much PFAS leaches from sludge

exposed to slightly acid rainfall)

• Results Max = 22.7 ppt PFOS

Avg = 13 ppt PFOS Max/avg = 5 ppt PFOA

SPLP R SPLP Result esults

PFAS results from analysis of Landfill Leachate

(March 2018)

TOP ASSA OP ASSAY-One WW One WWTF a TF and One L nd One Landfi andfill ll

• WWTF Effluent No

Precursors due to oxidation but high reporting limits

• Landfill Leachate several

PFCs (5-12 carbon chains) increased

____________________________________ PFAS Results from Bennington WWTF

Media PFOA 2016 PFOA 2018 Influent 350 ppt 39.7 ppt Effluent ND - 69 ND – 430 SPLP 66-69 ppt 62.6 Sludge 6.9-8.2 ppb 9.1 ppb

Summary of State-Wide Study Results

• PFOA concentrations found in Leachate and at WWTF
• PFOA concentrations in Leachate below Recommended

Guidelines-requiring no restrictions prior to discharging to a WWTF

• Modified 537 more sensitive to matrix interference than

MLA 110

• TOP ASSAY a tool to identify the character of the mixture

present and potential future problem with PFAS

What’s Next?

• VT DEC reviewing the results and conferring with
• ther States, EPA, Regional and National

Organizations

• Work in Progress…Stay Tuned

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Overview State-Wide Background Study

• Why do we need one?
• Many argue it is everywhere-It is in the blood of Polar Bears
• “Background” Samples Results collected at part of area-wide Site

Investigation in Bennington had higher than expected levels of PFCs in soils.

• An argument is being made that PFCs in soils, particularly the

eastern side, reflect a regional background. We don’t believe it.

• Winter 2018 VT DEC requested Grant Proposals
• University of Vermont Awarded Grant

Study Approach

• Grantee to obtain soil samples from around

Vermont to be analyzed for poly and per-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and Total Organic Carbon (TOC)

• Starting point-select locations (state property,

municipal parks, etc.) used in recent VT Background Study for lead, arsenic and PAHs

• Screen out locations that may be located near and

known and suspected source of PFAS

Study Approach (Continued)

• Modified EPA 537 proposed
• Principal Component Analysis to be performed on

Results

Current Timeline

• Preparation of QAAP/Sampling Plan, HASP etc. -

pending

• Perform Sampling-Summer 2018
• Report Sampling Results-September 2018
• Present Findings and Regional and National

Meeting and plan to publish in technical journal- December 2019

Contact information: John Schmeltzer 802-249-5620 John.Schmeltzer@vermont.gov

Questions?

Thank you!