Fluorochemicals are a class of structurally diverse synthetic compounds that contain a carbon-fluorine backbone.

These chemicals were first synthesized nearly a century ago with the discovery of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and the commercialization of Teflon and Scotchguard. There are thousands of fluorochemicals, including the class of approximately 5,000 – 10,000 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These chemicals are used in countless commercial and industrial applications because of their unique physiochemical properties, including oil, water, stain, and fire resistance. PFAS are also resistant to environmental degradation and are therefore often referred to as “forever chemicals”. The extensive usage and environmental persistence of PFAS has resulted in their detection globally in all environmental media.
The mission of SERFN is to:
- Improve the understanding of the environmental fate and transport of PFAS and PFAS-related compounds (e.g., precursors and alternatives);
- Foster interdisciplinary collaborations;
- Increase the awareness of current PFAS research and capabilities in the SER;
- Expand PFAS research opportunities on a regional scale;
- Communicate the latest information on PFAS research;
- Facilitate the development of long-term program strategies within the SER that align with the USGS’s Strategic Science Vision: Integrated science for the study of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment—A strategic science vision for the U.S. Geological Survey (usgs.gov).
SERFN Projects:
- Characterizing PFAS in aquatic ecosystems in the southwest utilizing Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS).
- A National Assessment of Pesticide, PFAS, Microplastic, and Antibiotic Resistance Gene Exposures in White-Tailed Deer
- Biosolid uptake study: Assessing farmlands from soil to vegetation
- Pilot study to evaluate anthropogenic contamination in Hinkson Creek in Missouri.
- Assessing the need for PFAS related fish advisories in South Florida
- Determining the environmental health of the Yellow River entering Effigy Mounds National Monument: Taking the pulse of a culturally important ecosystem
- Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Exposure and Effects Research at Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC)
- Environmental synergistic effects of contaminant and pathogen exposure on wildlife in the Indian River Lagoon: Interdisciplinary investigations via a One Health perspective
Participating USGS Centers:
- Caribbean-Florida Water Science Center (CFWSC)
- Central Midwest Water Science Center (CMWSC)
- Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC)
- Lower Mississippi Gulf Water Science Center (LMGWSC)
- Oklahoma Texas Water Science Center (OTWSC)
- Southeast Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)
- St. Peter Coastal Marine Science Center (SPCMSC)
- Wetland and Aquatic Research Center (WARC)
Additional Resources:
Interstate Technology Regulatory Council (ITRC)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – PFAS strategic roadmap, EPA’s commitment to action 2021-2024
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – U.S. State Resources about PFAS
Return to Fish and Invertebrate Toxicology
Return to Environmental Chemistry
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Exposure and Effects Research at Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC)
PFAS Investigations at the Virginia and West Virginia Water Science Center
Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Integrated Science Team
PFAS Transport, Exposure, and Effects
Laboratory-derived bioaccumulation kinetic parameters for four per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in freshwater mussels
Perfluorooctanesulfonate adversely affects a mayfly (Neocloeon triangulifer) at environmentally realistic concentrations
Assessing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in sediments and fishes in a large, urbanized estuary and the potential human health implications
Food, beverage, and feedstock processing facility wastewater: A unique and underappreciated source of contaminants to U.S. streams
Integrated science for the study of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment—A strategic science vision for the U.S. Geological Survey
A comprehensive statewide spatiotemporal stream assessment of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in an agricultural region of the United States
Public concern regarding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has grown substantially in recent years. In addition, research has documented multiple potential agriculture-related release pathways for PFAS (e.g., biosolids and livestock manure). Nevertheless, little research on the environmental prevalence of PFAS has been conducted in agricultural regions of the United States. To fill this g
Assessing the ecological risks of per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances: Current state‐of‐the science and a proposed path forward
Per‐ and poly‐fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) encompass a large, heterogenous group of chemicals of potential concern to human health and the environment. Based on information for a few relatively well‐understood PFAS such as perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoate, there is ample basis to suspect that at least a subset can be considered persistent, bioaccumulative, and/or toxic. However, d
Landfill leachate contributes per-/poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and pharmaceuticals to municipal wastewater
- Overview
Fluorochemicals are a class of structurally diverse synthetic compounds that contain a carbon-fluorine backbone.
Sources/Usage: Some content may have restrictions. Visit Media to see details.Southeast Region Southeast Region Fluorochemical Network (SERFN) graphic These chemicals were first synthesized nearly a century ago with the discovery of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), and the commercialization of Teflon and Scotchguard. There are thousands of fluorochemicals, including the class of approximately 5,000 – 10,000 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). These chemicals are used in countless commercial and industrial applications because of their unique physiochemical properties, including oil, water, stain, and fire resistance. PFAS are also resistant to environmental degradation and are therefore often referred to as “forever chemicals”. The extensive usage and environmental persistence of PFAS has resulted in their detection globally in all environmental media.
The mission of SERFN is to:
- Improve the understanding of the environmental fate and transport of PFAS and PFAS-related compounds (e.g., precursors and alternatives);
- Foster interdisciplinary collaborations;
- Increase the awareness of current PFAS research and capabilities in the SER;
- Expand PFAS research opportunities on a regional scale;
- Communicate the latest information on PFAS research;
- Facilitate the development of long-term program strategies within the SER that align with the USGS’s Strategic Science Vision: Integrated science for the study of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment—A strategic science vision for the U.S. Geological Survey (usgs.gov).
SERFN Projects:
- Characterizing PFAS in aquatic ecosystems in the southwest utilizing Polar Organic Chemical Integrative Samplers (POCIS).
- A National Assessment of Pesticide, PFAS, Microplastic, and Antibiotic Resistance Gene Exposures in White-Tailed Deer
- Biosolid uptake study: Assessing farmlands from soil to vegetation
- Pilot study to evaluate anthropogenic contamination in Hinkson Creek in Missouri.
- Assessing the need for PFAS related fish advisories in South Florida
- Determining the environmental health of the Yellow River entering Effigy Mounds National Monument: Taking the pulse of a culturally important ecosystem
- Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Exposure and Effects Research at Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC)
- Environmental synergistic effects of contaminant and pathogen exposure on wildlife in the Indian River Lagoon: Interdisciplinary investigations via a One Health perspective
Participating USGS Centers:
- Caribbean-Florida Water Science Center (CFWSC)
- Central Midwest Water Science Center (CMWSC)
- Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC)
- Lower Mississippi Gulf Water Science Center (LMGWSC)
- Oklahoma Texas Water Science Center (OTWSC)
- Southeast Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC)
- St. Peter Coastal Marine Science Center (SPCMSC)
- Wetland and Aquatic Research Center (WARC)
Additional Resources:
Interstate Technology Regulatory Council (ITRC)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – PFAS strategic roadmap, EPA’s commitment to action 2021-2024
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – U.S. State Resources about PFAS
Return to Fish and Invertebrate Toxicology
Return to Environmental Chemistry
- Science
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Exposure and Effects Research at Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC)
The Columbia Environmental Research Center’s Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) team conducts research focusing on the occurrence, fate, and toxicity of PFAS compounds in aquatic and terrestrial systems. Laboratory capabilities include dedicated analytical instrumentation and experimental facilities to allow USGS scientists to analyze a wide range of sample types including water, sediment...PFAS Investigations at the Virginia and West Virginia Water Science Center
Exposure to some per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been linked to harmful health effects in humans and animals. The Virginia and West Virginia Water Science Center works with local and regional partners to determine the drivers and distribution of PFAS contamination in groundwater, surface water, and drinking water supplies across Virginia and West Virginia.Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Integrated Science Team
Increasing scientific and public awareness of the widespread distribution of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in U.S. drinking-water supplies, aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems, wildlife, and humans has raised many public health and resource management questions that U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) science can inform. The USGS Environmental Health Program's PFAS Integrated Science Team...PFAS Transport, Exposure, and Effects
The team is determining the movement and behavior of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from their sources in the environment, as they move through exposure pathways in ecosystems including watersheds and aquifers, their incorporation into food webs, and molecular to population scale effects on fish and wildlife. These studies are accomplished at a variety of spatial scales from regional... - Publications
Laboratory-derived bioaccumulation kinetic parameters for four per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in freshwater mussels
Although freshwater mussels are imperiled and identified as key conservation priorities, limited bioaccumulation information is available on these organisms for contaminants of emerging concern. In the present study we investigated the bioaccumulation of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the model freshwater pond mussel Sagittunio subrostratus because mussels provide important ecosysteAuthorsJeffery A. Steevens, Rebecca A. Consbrock, Eric Brunson, James L. Kunz, Erin Lee Pulster, Rebekah S. Burket, Kevin M. Stroski, Jaylen L. Sims, Matt F. Simcik, Bryan W. BrooksPerfluorooctanesulfonate adversely affects a mayfly (Neocloeon triangulifer) at environmentally realistic concentrations
Of the emerging contaminant types thought to threaten freshwater biota, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances appear to be particularly widespread, and limited studies conducted with these compounds thus far indicate insects may be particularly sensitive to them. This study investigated the short- and long-term effects of two commonly detected compounds on the laboratory-reared mayfly Neocloeon triaAuthorsDavid John Riecks Soucek, Rebecca A. Consbrock, Erin Lee Pulster, Brittany G. Perrotta, David Walters, Jeffery A. SteevensAssessing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in sediments and fishes in a large, urbanized estuary and the potential human health implications
The primary source of chronic exposures to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in humans is through the ingestion of contaminated foods and drinking water, with fish and other seafood being a major contributor. Nevertheless, there is scant literature on the dietary exposure to PFASs for the general United States (U.S.) population. The Tampa Bay (Florida, USA) region has the highest populatAuthorsErin Lee Pulster, Kylee Rullo, Sherryl Gilbert, Thomas M. Ash, Barbara Goetting, Kevin Campbell, Sara Markham, Steven A. MurawskiFood, beverage, and feedstock processing facility wastewater: A unique and underappreciated source of contaminants to U.S. streams
Process wastewaters from food, beverage, and feedstock facilities, although regulated, are an under-investigated environmental contaminant source. Food process wastewaters (FPWWs) from 23 facilities in 17 U.S. states were sampled and documented for a plethora of chemical and microbial contaminants. Of the 576 analyzed organics, 184 (32%) were detected at least once, with concentrations as large asAuthorsLaura E. Hubbard, Dana W. Kolpin, Carrie E Givens, Bradley D. Blackwell, Paul Bradley, James L. Gray, Rachael F. Lane, Jason R. Masoner, R. Blaine McCleskey, Kristin Romanok, Mark W. Sandstrom, Kelly Smalling, Daniel L. VilleneuveByEcosystems Mission Area, Water Resources Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Central Midwest Water Science Center, Kansas Water Science Center, New Jersey Water Science Center, Pennsylvania Water Science Center, South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC), Upper Midwest Water Science Center, National Water Quality LaboratoryIntegrated science for the study of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the environment—A strategic science vision for the U.S. Geological Survey
Concerns related to perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in sources of drinking water and in natural and engineered environments have captured national attention over the last few decades. This report provides an overview of the science gaps that exist in the fields of study related to PFAS that are relevant to the U.S. Geological Survey mission and identifies opportunities where tAuthorsAndrea K. Tokranov, Paul M. Bradley, Michael J. Focazio, Douglas B. Kent, Denis R. LeBlanc, Jeff W. McCoy, Kelly L. Smalling, Jeffery A. Steevens, Patricia L. ToccalinoA comprehensive statewide spatiotemporal stream assessment of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in an agricultural region of the United States
Public concern regarding per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has grown substantially in recent years. In addition, research has documented multiple potential agriculture-related release pathways for PFAS (e.g., biosolids and livestock manure). Nevertheless, little research on the environmental prevalence of PFAS has been conducted in agricultural regions of the United States. To fill this g
AuthorsDana W. Kolpin, Laura E. Hubbard, D.M. Cwiertny, Shannon M. Meppelink, D.A. Thompson, James L. GrayAssessing the ecological risks of per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances: Current state‐of‐the science and a proposed path forward
Per‐ and poly‐fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) encompass a large, heterogenous group of chemicals of potential concern to human health and the environment. Based on information for a few relatively well‐understood PFAS such as perfluorooctane sulfonate and perfluorooctanoate, there is ample basis to suspect that at least a subset can be considered persistent, bioaccumulative, and/or toxic. However, d
AuthorsGerald T. Ankley, Philippa Cureton, Robert A. Hoke, Magali Houde, Anupama Kumar, Jessy Kurias, Roman P. Lanno, Chris McCarthy, John L. Newsted, Christopher J. Salice, Bradley E. Sample, Maria S. Sepúlveda, Jeffery A. Steevens, Sara ValsecchiLandfill leachate contributes per-/poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and pharmaceuticals to municipal wastewater
Widespread disposal of landfill leachate to municipal sewer infrastructure in the United States calls for an improved understanding of the relative organic-chemical contributions to the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) waste stream and associated surface-water discharge to receptors in the environment. Landfill leachate, WWTP influent, and WWTP effluent samples were collected from three landfill-AuthorsJason R. Masoner, Dana W. Kolpin, Isabelle M. Cozzarelli, Kelly L. Smalling, Stephanie Bolyard, Jennifer Field, Edward T. Furlong, James L. Gray, Duncan Lozinski, Debra Reinhart, Alix Rodowa, Paul M. Bradley