Disposable Test Strips for Ultra-Sensitive Quantification of Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Ground Water

Human exposure to polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has been linked to cancer, elevated cholesterol, obesity, immune suppression and endocrine disruption. The EPA has set a PFOA health advisory of 70 parts-per-trillion. Due to widespread use of PFAS in aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) to fight fuel fires, millions of gallons of PFASs have been used at oil refineries, military bases, civil aviation sites and petrochemical plants. The major types of contaminated sites include firefighting training areas, aircraft crash sites, metal coating and plating facilities, water treatment systems and receiving waters bodies, and facilities storing AFFFs. Current fluorocarbon analysis methods are expensive, labor intensive and are performed by a few highly specialized chemical laboratories. An inexpensive, simple to use, highly sensitive test strip for the quantification of fluorocarbon pollution in groundwater is essential. This system would be useful for identifying areas with PFAS contamination, and for continually monitoring drinking water supplies to ensure they are contaminant-free. Successful products in regulatory driven markets are the technologies that are capable of achieving the regulatory requirement at the lowest price point. Our perfluorocarbon test strip will help rapidly identify contaminated ground water and enable all water providers to ensure safe drinking water for the U.S. population.