Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a specific group or category of man-made chemicals that includes PFOA, PFOS, GenX, and a bunch of other chemicals. The US EPA has a website with information on PFAS. Two members of the group, PFOA and PFOS, are persistent (take a long, long time to break down in the environment) and can accumulate over time.

North Carolina has a PFAS testing network that provides information about PFAS, current research, and upcoming events. This is a group effort by NC State University, N.C. A&T State University, UNC-CH, UNC-C, UNC-W, Duke, and ECU.

There are two upcoming webinars that may be of interest to you:

• Seminar #2 on “PFAS and Contamination Reduction” is scheduled for October 9, 2020, at 10 a.m. More information
• Seminar #3 on “PFAS in Plants and Fish” is scheduled for October 23, 2020, at 10 a.m. More information

So if you have been concerned – or are curious – here are two opportunities to learn more about this group of chemicals.