Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS are a family of thousands of synthetic compounds widely used for the past eighty years in a host of industrial, commercial and everyday applications. They are persistent and are found everywhere at low levels but can be found at high levels in certain locations throughout the world. Their toxicity and distribution are a matter of much concern. Several states and the USEPA have started to regulate select PFAS chemicals including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and there has been a frenzy of PFAS sampling across the country over the past few years. Now most public drinking water supplies in New York must sample for PFAS, which has uncovered problems across the state including some in Chautauqua County. To get an idea of what’s happening in our own lakes and waterways, the Chautauqua-Conewango Consortium, A Waterkeeper Alliance Affiliate (Consortium) participated in a nationwide PFAS survey by sampling the Chadakoin River. Using a relatively inexpensive method developed by Cyclopure, Inc. they collected two samples from the river in 2022 and found they contained PFAS. A third sample from a large pond with an undeveloped watershed contained no PFAS. To better understand the prevalence of PFAS in our lakes, Consortium volunteers sampled the outlets of Bear, Cassadaga, Chautauqua and Findley lakes. This report provides the results from those samples and examines the quality of the Cyclopure method by comparing those results to data from commercial labs. It also reviews current PFAS water quality standards, issues and concerns about PFAS in animals.
The full report authored by William Boria for the Chautauqua–Conewango Consortium, dated July 2024 can be viewed below:
