Know Your Environment. Protect Your Health.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS)

Pepperell DPW Water Division

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) is a member of a group of perfluorinated chemicals used in many consumer products. PFOS and other perfluorinated chemicals can cause serious health effects, including cancer, endocrine disruption, accelerated puberty, liver and immune system damage, and thyroid changes. These chemicals are persistent in the environment and they accumulate in people. Click here to read more about perfluorinated chemicals.

 

147

Samples

0

Samples exceeding legal limit (MCL)

142

Samples exceeding
health guidelines

Testing results - average by year

 
YearAverage resultSamples takenDetectionsRange of results
2013N/A00N/A
2014N/A00N/A
2015N/A00N/A
2016N/A00N/A
2017N/A00N/A
2018N/A00N/A
2019N/A00N/A
2020N/A00N/A
20214.84 ppt48480.609 ppt - 9.95 ppt
20224.85 ppt5048ND - 16.3 ppt
20235.65 ppt4946ND - 14.4 ppt

ppt = parts per trillion

State, National, and Health Guidelines for Drinking Water

EWG Health Guideline: 0.3 ppt

The EWG Health Guideline of 0.3 ppt for PFOS was defined by EPA's final toxicity value from the Office of Water’s Final Human Health Toxicity Assessment. This health guideline protects againat cardiovascular harm and harm to fetal growth.

EPA Maximum Contaminant
Level (MCL): 4 ppt

ppt = parts per trillion

All test results

Date Result
2021-03-089.95 ppt
2021-03-083.29 ppt
2021-03-085.89 ppt
2021-03-086.24 ppt
2021-03-088.92 ppt
2021-04-068.53 ppt
2021-04-067.96 ppt
2021-04-062.84 ppt
2021-04-060.609 ppt
2021-04-061.06 ppt
2021-04-062.91 ppt
2021-04-065.47 ppt
2021-05-128.08 ppt
2021-05-126.10 ppt
2021-05-122.96 ppt
2021-05-125.66 ppt
2021-05-127.68 ppt
2021-06-234.61 ppt
2021-06-235.17 ppt
2021-06-236.34 ppt
2021-06-234.34 ppt
2021-06-234.45 ppt
2021-07-221.14 ppt
2021-07-220.841 ppt
2021-07-221.19 ppt
2021-08-188.74 ppt
2021-08-189.29 ppt
2021-08-184.85 ppt
2021-08-184.94 ppt
2021-08-184.94 ppt
2021-09-224.80 ppt
2021-09-225.44 ppt
2021-09-225.29 ppt
2021-10-157.83 ppt
2021-10-154.61 ppt
2021-10-156.37 ppt
2021-10-151.59 ppt
2021-10-151.25 ppt
2021-10-155.97 ppt
2021-10-151.75 ppt
2021-11-177.81 ppt
2021-11-174.05 ppt
2021-11-173.18 ppt
2021-11-176.74 ppt
2021-12-202.29 ppt
2021-12-203.88 ppt
2021-12-203.60 ppt
2021-12-200.734 ppt
2022-01-131.81 ppt
2022-01-132.97 ppt
2022-01-130.910 ppt
2022-01-1312.4 ppt
2022-01-132.61 ppt
2022-02-154.05 ppt
2022-02-153.00 ppt
2022-02-152.29 ppt
2022-02-22ND
2022-03-171.89 ppt
2022-03-17ND
2022-03-173.83 ppt
2022-03-172.82 ppt
2022-04-191.28 ppt
2022-04-190.675 ppt
2022-04-285.70 ppt
2022-04-285.49 ppt
2022-05-0916.3 ppt
2022-05-127.86 ppt
2022-05-126.14 ppt
2022-05-126.07 ppt
2022-06-130.846 ppt
2022-06-135.03 ppt
2022-06-134.84 ppt
2022-06-135.66 ppt
2022-07-2610.8 ppt
2022-07-261.52 ppt
2022-07-267.35 ppt
2022-07-263.97 ppt
2022-07-263.70 ppt
2022-09-137.05 ppt
2022-09-136.69 ppt
2022-09-134.02 ppt
2022-09-136.84 ppt
2022-09-134.29 ppt
2022-09-137.76 ppt
2022-09-137.51 ppt
2022-10-046.19 ppt
2022-10-043.18 ppt
2022-10-046.75 ppt
2022-10-046.32 ppt
2022-10-051.26 ppt
2022-11-016.05 ppt
2022-11-013.19 ppt
2022-11-015.68 ppt
2022-11-016.84 ppt
2022-12-065.43 ppt
2022-12-062.68 ppt
2022-12-066.93 ppt
2022-12-065.82 ppt
2023-01-036.10 ppt
2023-01-035.23 ppt
2023-01-038.86 ppt
2023-01-033.28 ppt
2023-01-25ND
2023-01-250.860 ppt
2023-02-079.46 ppt
2023-02-074.48 ppt
2023-02-072.89 ppt
2023-02-075.18 ppt
2023-02-091.89 ppt
2023-03-066.16 ppt
2023-03-0611.1 ppt
2023-03-063.86 ppt
2023-03-066.12 ppt
2023-04-046.13 ppt
2023-04-044.69 ppt
2023-04-0410.8 ppt
2023-04-043.64 ppt
2023-05-025.30 ppt
2023-05-025.92 ppt
2023-05-024.29 ppt
2023-05-0311.8 ppt
2023-06-066.41 ppt
2023-06-0614.4 ppt
2023-06-065.69 ppt
2023-07-245.54 ppt
2023-07-248.85 ppt
2023-07-246.01 ppt
2023-07-24ND
2023-07-245.91 ppt
2023-08-086.50 ppt
2023-08-086.19 ppt
2023-08-087.14 ppt
2023-08-165.65 ppt
2023-09-125.46 ppt
2023-09-126.90 ppt
2023-09-125.87 ppt
2023-09-196.40 ppt
2023-09-19ND
2023-10-033.40 ppt
2023-10-033.97 ppt
2023-10-035.27 ppt
2023-11-074.70 ppt
2023-11-074.78 ppt
2023-11-075.29 ppt
2023-12-076.21 ppt
2023-12-077.43 ppt
2023-12-074.90 ppt