Workshop: Assessing the Ecological Risks of Per-and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) at Aqueous Film Forming Foam Sites
March 10, 2020
Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) have been widely used in numerous applications since the 1950s, including aqueous film forming foams (AFFFs) used for fire suppression at airports and military sites, firefighting training facilities, and other industrial locations. Many sites host ecological habitat, or PFAS-impacted sites may affect nearby and downgradient areas due to the offsite transport potential for PFAS. Ecological Risk Assessments (ERAs) will likely be needed at PFAS-impacted sites to enable decision making related to investigation and remediation.
This 3-hour workshop will provide an overview of ERAs for PFAS, including a state-of-the-science overview of the fate, exposure, and toxicity of PFAS in ecosystems. The presentation will focus on our recently-released guidance document “Guidance for Assessing the Ecological Risks of PFAS to Threatened and Endangered Species at Aqueous Film Forming Foam Impacted Sites” for the United States Department of Defense’s Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program (SERDP), available for download at: https://www.serdp-estcp.org/Program-Areas/Environmental-Restoration/ER18-1614. This guidance provides pragmatic approaches for addressing PFAS ecological risks at AFFF-impacted sites, but is also applicable to sites impacted by other PFAS sources. Although a focus of the guidance is on evaluating risks to Threatened and Endangered (T&E) species, the guidance is applicable to non-T&E species as well.
In addition, the workshop will provide a hands-on demonstration of a customizable Microsoft Excel™ food web and wildlife exposure modeling tool to enable ecological risk assessors to apply the guidance and recommended exposure and effects models to site-specific ERAs. The ERA Model Tool (a multi-worksheet Excel™ file) will enable ecological risk assessors to enter site-specific data, such as concentrations of PFAS in sediment, water, soil, and/or biota, along with typical exposure factors for site-relevant wildlife species of interest and available toxicological information for common PFAS. Model outputs will consist of an evaluation of the potential for direct effects to aquatic or terrestrial communities and model-predicted concentrations in food webs and wildlife diet items, featuring tables that provide ERA effects characterization (i.e., hazard quotients) and other useful information to facilitate ERA-based decision making. The ERA Model Tool will be provided in advance of the workshop so that attendees can follow along with demonstrations on their own laptops (optional).
To register, email Jason Conder ([email protected]) by March 2 to request a spot in the workshop.
Please include your name and affiliation in the email request. Pending availability of space in the workshop, you will receive a confirmation email within approximately 1-2 business days.
When:
Monday - March 9, 2020
3-6 PM
Where:
Westminster, Colorado
The Westin Westminster
For more information contact [email protected]