Study finds foam on Wisconsin rivers and lakes has higher PFAS levels than waters below

By Danielle Kaeding | Wisconsin Public Radio | July 22, 2024

Read the full article by Danielle Kaeding (Wisconsin Public Radio)

"Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have found that naturally occurring foams on state waterways have PFAS levels as much as thousands of times higher than waters that lie below.

The findings are part of a new study published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology. Researchers studied 36 different types of PFAS in samples collected from foams and the very top layer of the water column across 43 rivers and lakes in Wisconsin.

Christina Remucal is a co-author of the study and a professor of civil and environmental engineering at UW-Madison. She said the PFAS concentrations in foam were “jaw-dropping.” Samples of foam collected from Lake Monona showed PFAS levels up to roughly 328,000 parts per trillion."

Location:

• North AmericaUS
• North AmericaUSWisconsin

Topics:

• ChemicalsPFAS
• Environment
• Affected community
• Health