Southeast Region Fluorochemical Network (SERFN)

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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.  

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The mission of SERFN is to:

1. Improve the understanding of the environmental fate and transport of PFAS and PFAS-related compounds (e.g., precursors and alternatives);
2. Foster interdisciplinary collaborations;
3. Increase the awareness of current PFAS research and capabilities in the SER;
4. Expand PFAS research opportunities on a regional scale;
5. Communicate the latest information on PFAS research;
6. 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

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Return to: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance Exposure and Effects Research at Columbia Environmental Research Center (CERC)