Per- & Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS, PFOA & PFOS)
‘Perfluoroalkylated substances (PFAS) are synthetic chemicals, the most common being perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). PFAS are used in a wide variety of industrial and consumer products such as adhesives, cosmetics, cleaning products, and in specialized chemical applications, such as fire-fighting foams. PFAS are also used in water-, stain-, and oil-repellent coatings for fabrics and paper. (Health Canada, 2019)’
Visit our online library’s main webpage to find more resources on topics related to drinking water.
Public Health Ontario
Canadian Drinking Water Draft Objective
United States Environmental Protection Agency Proposed Regulation
- Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Proposed PFAS National Primary Drinking Water Regulation *NEW*
Fact Sheets
- Aqueous Film-Forming Foam (AFFF)
- Basic Information on PFAS
- Drinking Water Health Advisories for PFAS: Fact Sheet for Communities
- Drinking Water Health Advisories for PFAS: Fact Sheet for Public Water Systems
- Environmental Fate and Transport for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
- History and Use of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
- Naming Conventions and Physical and Chemical Properties of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
- Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in Canadians
- Perfluoroalkylated Substances (PFAS): North Bay Parry Sound District Health Unit
- Perfluorinated chemicals in water
- PFAS Fact Sheets and Excel files for download
- PFAS in Water Systems: A Canadian Perspective
- PFAS/PFOS in Drinking Water: Per- and Polyfluoroalkylated Substances
- Questions and Answers: Drinking Water Health Advisories for PFOA, PFOS, GenX Chemicals and PFBS
- Technical Fact Sheet: Drinking Water Health Advisories for Four PFAS (PFOA, PFOS, GenX chemicals, and PFBS)
- Technologies for Reducing PFAS in Drinking Water fact sheet
- Water Talk – Perfluoroalkylated substances in drinking water
Guides
- Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality: Guideline Technical Document – Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA)
- Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality: Guideline Technical Document – Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS)
- Our Current Understanding of the Human Health and Environmental Risks of PFAS
- Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) in Drinking Water
- Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) in Drinking Water
- Perfluorooctane Sulfonic Acid (PFOS) Drinking Water Health Advisory
- Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) Drinking Water Health Advisory
- PFAS Explained: Meaningful and Achievable Steps You Can Take to Reduce Your Risk
- PFAS Innovative Treatment Team – Research Briefs
- PFAS – Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Guidance Document
- PFAS Strategic Roadmap: EPA’s Commitments to Action 2021-2024
- Research on Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)
- Talking to Customers and Communities About PFAS
- Technologies for Reducing PFAS in Drinking Water
Tools
- Drinking Water Treatability Database:
- PFAS Analytic Tools *NEW*
- PFAS Data and Tools
- PFAS Thermal Treatment Database
- CompTox Chemicals Dashboard
- ChemView
PFAS Training Module Videos
- PFAS Introduction
- PFAS Naming Conventions and Physical and Chemical Properties
- PFAS Physical & Chemical Properties
- PFAS Production, Uses, Sources and Site Characterization
- PFAS Sampling and Analysis
- PFAS Treatment Technologies
- PFAS Risk Communication
- PFAS Aqueous Film-Forming Foam
- PFAS Human and Ecological Effects
- PFAS Fate and Transport
- PFAS Risk Assessment and Regulations
Press Releases
- UBC engineers find permanent solution for removing ‘forever chemicals’ from drinking water *NEW*
- European Chemicals Agency publishes PFAS restriction proposal *NEW*
- Press Releases Related to PFAS
Sampling & Analysis
- Determination of Selected Perfluorinated Alkyl Acids in Drinking Water by Solid Phase Extraction and Liquid Chromatography/Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS/MS)
- EPA PFAS Drinking Water Laboratory Methods
- Clean Water Act Analytical Methods for Per- and Polyfluorinated Alkyl Substances (PFAS)
- PFAS Analytical Methods Development and Sampling Research
- PFAS methods and guidance for sampling and analyzing water and other environmental media (Technical Brief)
Source Protection
- Aqueous film-forming foam and the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations
- Canadian Environmental Protection Act: virtual elimination
- Ecological screening assessment report on perfluorooctane sulfonate, salts and precursors
- Perfluoroalkyl substances: Lake Simcoe Conservation Authority
- Perfluorooctane sulfonate in fish and water
- Perfluorooctane sulfonate in the environment
- Persistent organic pollutants: Stockholm Convention
- Risk management strategy for perfluorooctane sulfonate and its salts and precursors
- The new POPs under the Stockholm Convention
- Understanding PFAS in the Environment
Webinars
- EPA and NEHA Webinar: PFAS Research
- Methods and Guidance for Sampling and Analyzing for PFAS in Environmental Media Webinar
- New Drinking Water Health Advisories for PFAS Chemicals
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Small Systems Webinar
More Resources
View these similar posts on the WCWC online library for more information.
Case Studies in Chemical Contamination Course Resources
Emerging Issues: Cyanobacterial Toxins, Disinfection By-Products and Pathogens Course Resources
USEPA Water Research Webinar Series
Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality
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Walkerton Clean Water Centre Launches Virtual Training
The Walkerton Clean Water Centre (WCWC) is excited to launch live virtual delivery of four popular courses. Each of the courses will be delivered from 8:00 am to 12:00 p.m. over two days:
- Disinfection: Chlorine – June 23 & 24, 2020
This course will introduce basic concepts related to chlorine disinfection. It will cover chlorine chemistry, its application in various forms, and factors that affect chlorine reaction. Participants will examine breakpoint chlorination, CT concept and dechlorination. Hazards associated with the use of chlorine, safety precautions and safety equipment will also be discussed. This course will be most beneficial to newer drinking water treatment operators with a basic understanding of chlorination.
- Emerging Issues – June 29 & 30, 2020
This course will provide details on some of the most recent issues facing drinking water systems. The detection of toxins associated with cyanobacterial blooms will be discussed, as well as disinfection by-products and emerging pathogens. Participants will also learn about newly discovered routes of exposure to pathogens and recently discovered pathogens that pose a threat to drinking water. Discussions will include current and proposed regulatory information along with proposed treatment techniques. This course is designed for more senior drinking water treatment operators (Class II through IV), but will be of benefit to all water treatment professionals, engineers and inspectors.
- Prevention and Control of Nitrification – July 7 & 8, 2020
This course will examine chloraminated drinking water facilities and utilities with high concentrations of ammonia in their water source that could cause nitrification. Participants will learn the history of chloramination, the formation of chloramine and the basics of nitrification. The conditions that promote and impact nitrification control measures for water quality and treatment, distribution system operations and maintenance and distribution system design. This course is designed for experienced operators, supervisors, managers of water utilities and consultants.
- New Watermain Commissioning – July 9 & 10, 2020
This course will familiarize participants with the minimum disinfection and sampling requirements outlined in the Watermain Disinfection Procedure. Material will address the commissioning process from pre-project planning, construction, disinfection and final connections. This course is directed to new and experienced distribution operators and contractor personnel involved with new watermain commissioning.
WCWC offered a pilot session of its first virtual course and received positive feedback from participants,
“The instructor did an excellent job of setting the pace early in the course. Breaking it up into two half days is exactly the right amount of time to be glued to a computer.”
These live training sessions will provide opportunities for interaction between the instructor and participants. Participants will require access to a computer with internet connection, web camera and microphone, Zoom, YouTube and SurveyPlanet (links will be sent by chat during the Zoom session). A course manual will be couriered to each participant prior to the course. Each course has a Continuing Education Unit (CEU) value of 0.7. The cost to register is $245 + HST.
For further information, or to register, please visit wcwc.ca/registration or contact us at 866-515-0550 or training@wcwc.ca.
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Emerging Issues: Cyanobacterial Toxins, Disinfection By-Products and Pathogens Course Resources
This post provides resources for WCWC’s Emerging Issues: Cyanobacterial Toxins, Disinfection By-Products and Pathogens course.
Visit our course catalog to view all our training courses and the upcoming schedule.
To view the course overview and details, click here.
Supporting Documents
- Algae Identification field guide
- Algae identification lab guide
- Safe Drinking Water, Lessons from Recent Outbreaks in Affluent Nations
- Health Canada: Water Quality Reports and Publications
- USEPA Groundwater and Drinking Water
Videos
For more course information or assistance registering, contact training@wcwc.ca.
Visit our online library’s main webpage to find more resources on topics related to drinking water.
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