September 15, 2021. On September 2, 2021, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced the availability of the EPA 1633 Draft PFAS method for the measurement of PFAS in wastewater, surface water, groundwater, soils, and tissue.
For all matrices, EPA 1633 provides a standardized and validated approach for PFAS monitoring. Whether it is tissue, or landfill leachate, or sediment, EPA 1633 can now be used to provide high-quality data consistent with PFAS monitoring best practices. SGS AXYS is pleased to offer Method 1633 (SGS AXYS MLA-110) routinely for analysis of all samples.
SGS AXYS developed the method based on internal method MLA-110 and performed the single laboratory validation to enable this “first EPA-validated laboratory analytical method to test for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in eight different environmental media,” according to the EPA’s news release.
“Having the EPA announce the availability of the EPA 1633 Draft PFAS method that was developed by SGS AXYS is a real feather in our cap,” said Marcus Maguire, Vice-President, EHS NAM. “Continuing to develop methods, ways, and ideas to keep the world a little safer via the EPA couldn’t be more important to me or fill me with more pride.”
EPA 1633 draft is an isotope dilution LC-MS/MS method for PFAS that incorporates current best practices for PFAS analysis. The method tests for 40 PFAS in wastewater, surface water, groundwater, soil, biosolids, sediment, landfill leachate, and tissue. EPA 1633 is intended to eventually eliminate the use of “modified” drinking water methods and non-standard in-house laboratory standard operating procedures. While broadly conforming to the DoD QSM 5.3 Table B 15 quality framework for PFAS analysis, EPA 1633 standardizes the procedures and extends them to more complex matrices such as wastewater, biosolids, leachate and tissue.
The list of PFAS in EPA 1633 draft (and MLA-110) is summarized in Table 1 and includes all PFAS in existing EPA drinking water methods 533, 537.1 and screening method 8327.
Table 1: List of PFAS Iincluded in EPA 1633 Draft Scope
| Analyte | EPA 1633A | EPA 537.1 | EPA 533 | EPA 8327 |
| Perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA) | Y | Y | Y | |
| Perfluoropentanoic acid (PFPeA) | Y | Y | Y | |
| Perfluorohexanoic acid (PFHxA) | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Perfluoroheptanoic acid (PFHpA) | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA) | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA) | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA) | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoA) | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Perfluorotridecanoic acid (PFTrDA) | Y | Y | Y | |
| Perfluorotetradecanoic acid (PFTeDA) | Y | Y | Y | |
| Perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS) | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Perfluoropentanesulfonic acid (PFPeS) | Y | Y | Y | |
| Perfluorohexanesulfonic acid (PFHxS) | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS) | Y | Y | Y | |
| Perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) | Y | Y | Y | Y |
| Perfluorononanesulfonic acid (PFNS) | Y | Y | ||
| Perfluorodecanesulfonic acid (PFDS) | Y | Y | ||
| Perfluorododecanesulfonic acid (PFDoS) | Y | |||
| 4:2 fluorotelomersulfonic acid (4:2 FTS) | Y | Y | Y | |
| 6:2 fluorotelomersulfonic acid (6:2 FTS) | Y | Y | Y | |
| 8:2 fluorotelomersulfonic acid (8:2 FTS) | Y | Y | Y | |
| 3-Perfluoropropyl propanoic acid (3:3 FTCA) | Y | |||
| 3-Perfluoropentyl propanoic acid (5:3 FTCA) | Y | |||
| 3-Perfluoroheptyl propanoic acid (7:3 FTCA) | Y | |||
| N-Methylperfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (N-MeFOSAA) | Y | Y | Y | |
| N-Ethylperfluorooctanesulfonamidoacetic acid (N-EtFOSAA) | Y | Y | Y | |
| Perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA), a.k.a FOSA | Y | Y | ||
| N-Methylperfluorooctanesulfonamide (N-MeFOSA) | Y | |||
| N-Ethylperfluorooctanesulfonamide (N-EtFOSA) | Y | |||
| N-Methylperfluorooctanesulfonamidoethanol (N-MeFOSE) | Y | |||
| N-Ethylperfluorooctanesulfonamidoethanol (N-EtFOSE) | Y | |||
| Perfluoro-2-propoxypropanoic acid (HFPO-DA) | Y | Y | Y | |
| 4-dioxa-3H-perfluorononanoic acid (ADONA) | Y | Y | Y | |
| Perfluoro-4-methoxybutanoic acid (PFMBA) | Y | Y | ||
| Perfluoro-3-methoxypropanoic acid (PFMPA) | Y | Y | ||
| Perfluoro-3,6-dioxaheptanoic acid (NFDHA) | Y | Y | ||
| 9-chlorohexadecafluoro-3-oxanonane-1-sulfonic acid (9Cl-PF3ONS) | Y | Y | Y | |
| 11-chloroeicosafluoro-3-oxaundecane-1-sulfonic acid (11Cl-PF3OUdS) | Y | Y | Y | |
| Perfluoro(2-ethoxyethane)sulfonic acid (PFEESA) | Y | Y | ||
Note:
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Figure 1 shows a schematic representation of the method and its characteristics.
The EPA states that “While the method is not nationally required for CWA (Clean Water Act) compliance monitoring until EPA has promulgated it through rulemaking, it is recommended now for use in individual permits” The method can be used in other multiple PFAS monitoring applications, for example, in National Pollutant Discharge Elimination Permits (NPDES).
SGS AXYS currently offers PFAS analysis by EPA 1633 draft in non-potable water, solids, and tissue, and are in the process of updating their MLA-110 method documentation and accreditation to incorporate the public release of the EPA method number. For all matrices, EPA 1633 provides a standardized and validated approach for PFAS monitoring. Whether it is tissue, or landfill leachate, or sediment, EPA 1633 can now be used to provide high-quality data consistent with PFAS monitoring best practices.
The recent EPA announcement of availability of the EPA 1633 Draft PFAS method developed by SGS AXYS for the measurement of PFAS is just another example of the value SGS places on ground breaking innovation.
