The objectives of this project focus on quantifying the potential ecotoxicity of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS)-free firefighting formulations (F3s). There is also an interest in comparative product toxicity with the new generation of short-chain-PFAS aqueous film forming foam (AFFF). The main objectives of this project are to:

• conduct multi-taxa ecotoxicity studies with F3s using acute and chronic exposure durations, 
• conduct multi-taxa ecotoxicity studies with new generation short-chain-PFAS AFFF using acute and chronic exposure durations,
• determine biodegradation potential of both F3s and a short-chain-PFAS AFFF to provide insight on the environmental persistence of the products, and
• synthesize data to rank products based on ecotoxicity and persistence.

Aquatic and Terrestrial Receptors Will be Tested

The project team plans to determine the ecotoxicity of in multiple taxa including aquatic and terrestrial receptors. Acute and chronic toxicity tests will be conducted on algae (Green Algae), an aquatic invertebrate (Chironomid), freshwater fish (Fathead Minnow), an avian species (Bobwhite Quail), and reptiles (Brown Anole). Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development guideline testing will be followed for all taxa except for reptiles, as a guideline is not available. 

To provide preliminary information on environmental concerns of persistence, biodegradation studies will be conducted on the products. Data will be synthesized into a clear ranking of products based on potential hazard and environmental concerns.

Given the high-profile nature of the legacy PFAS resulting from wide-spread use of AFFF, it is a necessary exercise to characterize environmental concerns on the replacement products for fire suppression needs. This project aims to provide a foundation for understanding the environmental and ecological concerns associated with F3s and the new generation, short-chain-PFAS AFFF currently in use. The expected outcomes of this research are to provide product ranking from least to highest concern based on data generated from toxicity and biodegradation testing. Furthermore, if products result in high toxicity, the project team will aim to identify the constituents that are potentially causing the toxicity allowing for re-formulation or re-evaluation of F3s. (Anticipated Project Completion - 2024)

Gharehveran, M.M., A.M. Walus, T.A. Anderson, S. Subbiah, J. Guelfo, M. Frigon, A. Longwell, J.G. Suski. 2022. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-free aqueous film forming foam formulations: Chemical composition and biodegradation in an aerobic environment. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, 10: 208953. doi.org/10.1016/j.jece.2022.108953

Jones, D.K., K.A. Quinlin, M.A. Wigren, Y.J. Choi, M.S. Sepúlveda, L.S. Lee, D.L. Haskins, G.R. Lotufo, A. Kennedy, L. May, A. Harmon, T. Biber, N. Melby, M.K. Chanov, M.L. Hudson, P.B. Key, K.W. Chung, D.W. Moore, J.G. Suski, E.F. Wirth, and J.T. Hoverman. 2022. Acute Toxicity of Eight Aqueous Film-Forming Foams to 14 Aquatic Species. Environmental Science & Technology, 56(10): 6078-6090. doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.1c03776