CHARACTERISTICS OF PFAS CONTAMINATED SITES IN MICHIGAN

Michigan is the most proactive state in the nation in studying PFAS contamination and establishing maximum contamination levels (MCLs) at parts per trillion concentrations for a total of seven compounds in drinking water. There are approximately 100 contaminated PFAS sites in Michigan at the time of this abstract, with at least another 100 sites that are currently being assessed by the Michigan PFAS Action Response Team (MPART), Michigan Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE). EGLE datasets from these sites provide a wealth of information on aspects of fate and transport that has not been systematically evaluated. This presentation will focus on preliminary findings associated with the transport of PFAS in groundwater including depths of contamination relative to source releases, effects of heterogeneity and geologic structures on PFAS plume delineation, and groundwater-surface water interaction. A subset of 20 sites including Wurtsmith AFB and House Street Dump site among others, has been identified for further examination. Numerical models of groundwater flow and solute transport will be used to test specific hypotheses developed from the data.