WATER QUALITY ANALYSIS FOR PFAS OF THE RED RIVER VALLEY’S MUNICIPAL, SURFACE, AND WELL WATER SUPPLY

The Red River Valley is nationally recognized for exceptional water quality. It is important to stay vigilant and protect local natural resources, like water, as world-wide pollution concerns grow. One group of chemicals that has been a growing concern throughout the world are per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) also known as forever chemicals. PFAS are commonly used in consumer and commercial products, including: oil- and water-resistant fabrics, firefighting foam, and non-stick materials.

As the presence of PFAS continues to become a concern in water quality, our research unit decided to test 12 various locations from different water sources (tap water, surface water, and well water) in our community. We sampled the water using PFAS detection kits from Cyclopure (a PFAS testing lab) purchased with a student research grant used in the collection/sampling. The goal of this research is the detection and quantization of polyfluoroalkyl derivatives within local water supplies. Keeping an eye out for the pending results of where PFAS was detected and found in high concentrations will give context as to how PFAS contamination could be affecting the area. A map of the sample locations will assist with locating possible pollution sources.