October 2020 | Volume 10 | Issue 6

To Grab or to Composite...That is the PFAS Question!

BY ALLISON MACKENZIE, CEO

The debate regarding the most appropriate method to collect non-potable liquids—specifically POTW influents and effluents—continues. Last month California State Water Quality Control Board (SWQCB) staff appeared to walk back parts of the original Phase III PFAS monitoring orders, directing the responsibility for making decisions regarding sampling techniques back to the agency and their laboratory. October is upon us and water treatment professionals are wondering which way to go. Here are a few facts and practical consideration to ponder as QAPPs and SLAPs are prepared.

July, 2020, WQ 2020-0015-DWQ

-Requires 24 hour composite sampling of influents, effluents, and RO concentrates.

-Requires the collection of equipment blanks should any autosampler parts contain fluoropolymers.

-Order states that samples must be representative of wastes and discharges.

-Requires POTW’s with existing monitoring wells to submit a monitoring plan for RWQCB approval.

-Requires monitoring wells to be sampled according to existing QAPP collection protocols, ie. grabs.

September, 2020, SWQCB, Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Sampling Guidelines for Non-drinking Water

-Recommends the creation of a Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP).

-Directs the POTW to “…consult with the laboratory performing the analysis” regarding sample collection, i.e. grab or composite.

PFAS by SPE and LCMSMS in accordance with DoD QSM Table B-15 of QSM

-Sub-sampling from the original collection vessel is not permitted.

-Requires the complete liquid sample extraction and rinsing of collection vessel onto the solid phase extraction media.

-Dilution is possible only via collection of separate containers containing smaller volumes.  read more.

Elementary California Water Basics - Getting an Education from the Foundation

Californians pride themselves on being water savvy—the Golden State’s vast infrastructure of reservoirs and aqueducts has supported its agricultural industry and booming population for decades. But as global climate change continues to bake the state, California needs massive changes to its water conservation models—starting with better water education.

The Water Education Foundation, a nonprofit established in 1977, instructs Californians about sustainability and conservation. The Foundation offers many resources including news articles and print magazines, a water encyclopedia, workshop and scholastic programs, educational content for K-12 teachers, maps and publications, and virtual water tours. Policymakers, stakeholders, and government agencies collaborate in Foundation workshops, conferences, and tours to address water management issues and solutions. The Foundation stresses a holistic and proactive approach towards water conservation. Experts predict California will grow increasingly hot and dry over the next couple of decades, and Californians need to take proactive steps towards mitigating our growing water crisis... read more.

Does La Niña Have Other Plans for So Cal's Typical Wet Winter?

Californians faced some of the worst fires in recorded history this year thanks to a lack of rain, and the upcoming storm season may not relieve the State’s unusually dry condition. NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, recently confirmed an ongoing La Niña event expected to last into the winter. The event, a part of the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, influences global oceanic temperatures and rainfall. A La Niña winter, combined with the effects of global climate change, threatens to push California into another year of drought.

ENSO phenomena are nothing new; the name comes from the 1600s when fishermen noticed that the Pacific Ocean became unusually warm around December. They dubbed the phenomenon “El Niño” which means both “the little boy” and “Christ child.” Scientists now define El Niño as a part of ENSO, a single ocean-atmosphere phenomenon with three phases: El Niño, La Niña, and neutral. . read more

In Case You Missed It:

From the Ashes: Wildfire Effects on Water Quality (read more)

From the TOP to Bottom: TOP Assay Not Likely to Close Mass Balance to Total PFAS (read more)

And the 2020 Survey Says... (read more)

Life in Plastic: Determining Microplastics in Drinking Water (read more)

Safe Recycled water in a Petri Dish? (read more)

The Path Out of Coronavirus Lockdown? Follow the Wastewater (read more)

Lab Accreditation: ELAP Publishes Proposed Regulations (read more)

EPA Announces New Method to Test for Additional PFAS in Drinking Water (read more)

Holiday Reminder

Babcock Labs will be closed Thursday, November 26th and Friday, November 27th in observance of Thanksgiving (Contact Project Manager)

Did you know?

Babcock Labs is CA ELAP accredited to perform all 18 analytes for EPA Method 537.1 and all 38 analytes under the DoD QSM 5.3. Also offered at Babcock Labs is EPA Method 533 for short-chain PFAs analytes. ( learn more)