Table 1.
Current Publicly Available Measured Perfluorooctane Sulfonate (PFOS) Concentrations in Surface Waters Across the United States (U.S.). Additional details, including study specific sampling dates, number of measurements, and limits of detection and quantification, provided in Supplemental Data, Table S2.
| State | Waterbody1 | Arithmetic Mean PFOS Concentration (ng/L)2 | Median PFOS Concentration (ng/L)2 | Range of PFOS Concentration (ng/L) | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
| |||||
| Lake Erie | 3.77 | 3 | 2.8 – 5.5 | Sinclair et al. (2006) | |
| 31.3 | 32.5 | 21.5 – 38.5 | Boulanger et al. (2004) | ||
| 2.84 | 2.63 | 2.49 – 3.41 | De Silva et al. (2011) | ||
| 4.5 | 4.2 | 4.0 – 5.3 | Furdui et al. (2008) | ||
| Lake Huron | 2.25 | 1.96 | 0.239 – 5.46 | De Silva et al.(2011) | |
| 1.73 | 1.5 | 1.2 – 2.7 | Furdui et al. (2007) | ||
| Lake Michigan | 2.03 | 2.03 | 0.93 – 3.13 | Simcik and Dorweiler (2005) | |
| 2.00 | 1.96 | 1.73 – 2.36 | De Silva et al. (2011) | ||
| not provided | 4.9 | 2.9 – 30 | (Sinclair et al.2006) | ||
| 55.4 | 59.8 | 16.5 – 85.5 | Boulanger et al. (2004) | ||
| Lake Ontario | 5.96 | 5.63 | 2.60 – 9.48 | De Silva et al. (2011) | |
| 8.69 | 6.6 | 3.6 – 37.6 | Furdui et al. (2008) | ||
| 2.20 | not provided | not provided | Houde et al. 2008 | ||
| 0.255 | 0.236 | 0.095 – 0.395 | De Silva et al. (2011) | ||
| Lake Superior | 0.233 | 0.3 | 0.1 – 0.3 | Furdui et al. (2008) | |
| 0.246 | 0.124 | 0.074 – 0.996 | Scott et al. (2010) | ||
| Alabama | Waterbody near Decatur | 58,016 | 41,027 | 9 – 150,000 | OECD (2002) |
| Waterbody in Decatur | 2.5 < x < 25 | 2.5 < x < 25 | 2.5 < x < 25 | 3MCompan y (2001) | |
| Pond in Decatur | 111 | 111 | 111 | ||
| Waterbody in Mobile | 30.3 | 35.5 | < 25 – 41.5 | 3MCompan y (2001) | |
| Pond in Mobile | 32.5 | 32.5 | 32.5 | ||
| Tennessee River (upstream of Baker’s Creek) | 30.85 | 29.80 | 16.0 – 52.6 | Hansen et al. (2002) | |
| Tennessee River (downstream of Baker’s Creek) | 103.9 | 107.0 | 30.3 – 144 | Hansen et al. (2002) | |
| California | Upper Silver Creek | not provided | not provided | 27 – 56 | Plumlee et al. (2008) |
| Coyote Creek | not provided | not provided | 4.8 – 25 | ||
| Animas River | < 0.48 | < 0.48 | < 0.48 | ||
| Arkansas River | 1.96 | 0.62 | 0.23 – 5.00 | ||
| Arvada Blunn Reservoir | 0.77 | 0.77 | 0.77 | ||
| Colorado | Barker Reservoir | < 0.49 | < 0.49 | < 0.49 | Colorado Department of Public Health and the Environment 2020 |
| Bessemer Ditch | 14.0 | 14.0 | 14.0 | ||
| Big Thompson River | 3.90 | 3.90 | 3.90 | ||
| Blue River | 1.20 | 1.20 | 1.20 | ||
| Boulder Feeder Canal | < 0.45 | < 0.45 | < 0.45 | ||
| Boyd Lake | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Cache la Poudre River | 5.61 | 5.61 | < 0.45 – 11.0 | ||
| Clear Creek | 7.95 | 7.95 | 7.20 – 8.70 | ||
| Colorado River | 0.67 | 0.66 | 0.65 – 0.69 | ||
| Coon Creek | < 0.48 | < 0.48 | < 0.48 | ||
| Eagle River | 0.68 | 0.68 | 0.68 | ||
| East Plum Creek | < 0.43 | < 0.43 | < 0.43 | ||
| Erie Lake | 3.70 | 3.70 | 3.70 | ||
| Fairmount Reservoir | < 2.50 | < 2.50 | < 2.50 | ||
| Fountain Creek | 16.9 | 20.0 | 3.50 −24.0 | ||
| Fraser River | 1.00 | 1.00 | 1.00 | ||
| Gore Creek | 0.98 | 0.98 | 0.98 | ||
| Gunnison River | 0.71 | 0.71 | 0.71 | ||
| Horsetooth Reservoir | 0.51 | 0.51 | 0.51 | ||
| Jackson Creek | < 0.44 | < 0.44 | < 0.44 | ||
| Jerry Creek | < 0.485 | < 0.485 | < 0.48 - < 0.49 | ||
| Kannah Creek Flowline | < 0.49 | < 0.49 | < 0.49 | ||
| Lakewood Reservoir | < 0.45 | < 0.45 | < 0.45 | ||
| Little Fountain Creek | < 0.46 | < 0.46 | < 0.46 | ||
| Maple Grove Reservoir | 10.0 | 10.0 | 10.0 | ||
| Marstron Reservoir | 0.48 | 0.48 | 0.48 | ||
| McBroom Ditch | 4.90 | 4.90 | 4.90 | ||
| Mclellen Reservoir | 1.30 | 1.30 | 1.30 | ||
| Mesa Creek | < 0.49 | < 0.49 | < 0.49 | ||
| Michigan River | < 0.46 | < 0.46 | < 0.46 | ||
| Molina Power Plant Tail | < 0.50 | < 0.50 | < 0.50 | ||
| North Fork Gunnison River | < 0.47 | < 0.47 | < 0.47 | ||
| Purdy Mesa Flowline | < 0.49 | < 0.49 | < 0.49 | ||
| Purgatoire River | 0.47 | 0.47 | 0.47 | ||
| Ralston Reservoir | < 0.46 | < 0.46 | < 0.46 | ||
| Rio Grande | < 0.47 | < 0.47 | < 0.47 | ||
| Roaring Fork River | < 0.50 | < 0.50 | < 0.50 | ||
| San Juan River | < 0.44 | < 0.44 | < 0.44 | ||
| Sand Creek | 30.3 | 30.3 | 6.50 – 54.0 | ||
| Severy Creek | < 0.47 | < 0.47 | < 0.47 | ||
| Somerville Flowline | < 0.48 | < 0.48 | < 0.48 | ||
| South Boulder Creek | 0.50 | 0.50 | 0.50 | ||
| South Platte River | 10.5 | 11.5 | 3.80 – 16.0 | ||
| St. Vrain River | 3.90 | 3.90 | 3.90 | ||
| Strontia Springs | < 0.51 | < 0.51 | < 0.51 | ||
| Taylor River | < 0.45 | < 0.45 | < 0.45 | ||
| Uncompahgr e River (delta) | 0.54 | 0.54 | 0.54 | ||
| Welton Reservoir | 2.60 | 2.60 | 2.60 | ||
| White River | < 0.46 | < 0.46 | < 0.46 | ||
| Yampa River | < 0.47 | < 0.47 | < 0.47 | ||
| Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvani a | Delaware River | 3.98 | 3.5 | 0.97 – 6.92 | Pan et al. (2018) |
| Waterbody in Pensacola | 16.29 | 2.5 < x < 25 | <25 – 29 | ||
| Pond in Pensacola | 2.5 < x < 25 | 2.5 < x < 25 | 2.5 < x < 25 | ||
| Florida | Waterbody in Port St. | 50.83 | 2.5 < x < 25 | < 2.5 – 137.5 | 3MCompan y (2001) |
| Lucie Small pond in Port St. Lucie3 | 9,784 | 1,945 | 1,830 – 48,200 | ||
| Sarasota Bay | 0.90 | not provided | not provided | Houde et al. 2006 | |
| Waterbody in Columbus | 59.9 | 55 | 44.6 – 80 | 3Mcompan y (2001) | |
| Pond in Columbus | < 2.5 | < 2.5 | < 2.5 | ||
| Conasauga River | 162.1 | 192 | < 1.5 – 321 | ||
| Georgia | Altamaha River | 2.63 | 2.6 | 2.6 – 2.7 | Konwick et al. (2008) |
| Streams and ponds in Dalton | 70.36 | 70.73 | 10.5–119.5 | ||
| Oostanaula River | 150.3 | 151 | 148 – 152 | Lasier et al. (2011) | |
| Louisiana | Waterbodies (locations of concern) near Barksdale A.F.B. | 776.7 | 195.0 | < 10 – 7,070 | Cochran (2015); Lanza et al. (2017) |
| Reference waterbodies near Barksdale A.F.B. | < 10 | < 10 | < 10 | ||
| Raisin River | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Kannan et al. (2005) | |
| Michigan | St Clair River | 2.6 | 2 | 1.9 – 3.9 | |
| Siskiwit Lake | 0.283 | 0.283 | 0.277 – 0.289 | Scott et al. (2010) | |
| Upper Mississippi River | 528l.9 | < 2 | < 2 – 18,200 | Newsted et al. (2017) | |
| Lake of the Isles | 2.47 | 2.47 | 2.47 | ||
| Lake Calhoun | 50.4 | 50.4 | 50.4 | ||
| Lake Harriet | 22.1 | 22.1 | 22.1 | ||
| Minnesota | Minnesota River | 9.21 | 9.21 | 9.21 |
Simcik and Dorweiler (2005)
|
| Lake Tettegouche | 0.23 | 0.23 | 0.23 | ||
| Lake Nipisiquit | < 0.27 | < 0.27 | < 0.27 | ||
| Lake Loiten | < 0.27 | < 0.27 | < 0.27 | ||
| Little Trout Lake | 1.2 | 1.2 | 1.2 | ||
| Echo Lake Reservoir | < 2 | < 2 | < 2 | ||
| New Jersey | Passaic River | 13.1 | 13.1 | 13.0 – 13.2 | NJDEP (2019) |
| Raritan River | 6.9 | 6.9 | 6.9 | ||
| Metedeconk River | 1.65 | 1.65 | < 2 – 2.8 | ||
| Pine Lake | 102 | 102 | 102 | ||
| Horicon Lake | 10 | 10 | 10 | ||
| Little Pine Lake | 100 | 100 | 100 | ||
| Mirror Lake | 72.9 | 72.9 | 72.9 | ||
| Woodbury Creek | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.4 | ||
| Fenwick Creek | 3.1 | 3.1 | 3.1 | ||
| Cohansey River | < 2 | < 2 | < 2 | ||
| Harbortown Road | 1.93 | 1.93 | 1.93 | Zhang et al. (2016) | |
| Passaic River | 4.59 | 4.07 | 0.244 – 9.99 | ||
| Alamogordo Domestic Water Sys. | < 1 | < 1 | < 1 | ||
| Animas River | 0.799 | 0.625 | < 0.89 – 1.5 | ||
| Canadian River | 0.848 | 0.9 | < 0.89 – 1.2 | ||
| New Mexico | Cloud Country Estates WUA | < 0.93 | < 0.93 | < 0.93 | New Mexico Environment Department 2020–2021 |
| Gila River | < 0.93 | < 0.93 | < 0.93 | ||
| Holloman AFB Golf Course Pond 1 | 1,220 | 1,220 | 1,220 | ||
| Holloman AFB Golf Course Pond 2 | 878 | 878 | 878 | ||
| Holloman AFB Lagoon G | 310 | 310 | 310 | ||
| Holloman AFB Outfall | 951 | 951 | 951 | ||
| Holloman AFB Sewage Lagoon | 2,200 | 2,200 | 2,200 | ||
| Karr Canyon Estates | < 0.93 | < 0.93 | < 0.93 | ||
| La Luz MDWCA | < 1.3 | < 1.3 | < 1.3 | ||
| Lake Holloman | 4,033 | 4,500 | 1,700 – 5,900 | ||
| Mountain Orchard MDWCA | < 0.93 | < 0.93 | < 0.93 | ||
| Pecos River | 1.223 | 1.50 | <0.94 – 1.70 | ||
| Rio Chama | < 0.98 | < 0.98 | < 0.96 – < 1 | ||
| Rio Grande | 1.052 | 0.474 | < 0.465 – 2.90 | ||
| Rio Puerco | 4.35 | 4.35 | 3.10 – 5.60 | ||
| San Juan River | < 1.15 | < 1.15 | < 1.06 – < 1.24 | ||
| Tularosa Water System | 0.723 | 0.723 | < 0.89 – 1.0 | ||
| Washington Park Lake | 1.67 | 1.77 | < 0.25 – 2.88 | ||
| Rensselaer Lake | 7.11 | 6.58 | 5.85 – 9.3 | ||
| New York | Iroquois Lake | not provided | not provided | not provided | Kim and Kannan (2007) |
| Unnamed lake 1 outside Albany, NY | not provided | not provided | not provided | ||
| Unnamed lake 2 outside Albany, NY | not provided | not provided | not provided | ||
| Niagara River | 5.17 | 5.5 | 3.3 – 6.7 | ||
| Finger Lakes | not provided | 1.6 | 1.3 – 2.6 | ||
| Lake Onondaga | 681 | 756 | 198 – 1,090 | ||
| Lake Oneida | 3.5 | 3.5 | 3.5 | Sinclair et al. (2006) | |
| Erie Canal | 8.37 | 6.4 | 5.7 – 13 | ||
| Hudson River | not provided | 1.7 | 1.5 – 3.4 | ||
| Lake Champlain | not provided | 2.7 | 0.8 – 7.7 | ||
| Lower NY Harbor | 0.755 | 0.755 | 0.755 | ||
| Staten Island | 1.66 | 1.66 | 1.66 | Zhang et al.(2016) | |
| Hudson River | 1.81 | 1.81 | 0.79 – 2.84 | ||
| North Carolina | Cape Fear River | 31.2 | 28.9 | < 1 – 132 | Nakayama et al. (2007) |
| Narragansett Bay | 2.2 | 2.2 | 2.2 | Benskin et al. (2012) | |
| Allen Cove Inflow | 1.20 | 1.20 | 1.20 | ||
| Bristol Harbor | 0.508 | 0.46 | 0.437 – 0.626 | ||
| Brook at Mill Cove | 9.80 | 9.80 | 9.80 | ||
| Rhode Island | Buckeye Brook | 4.13 | 4.13 | 4.13 | Zhang et al.(2016) |
| Chickasheen Brook | < 0.05 | < 0.05 | < 0.05 | ||
| EG Town Dock | 0.735 | 0.735 | 0.735 | ||
| Fall River | 0.238 | 0.238 | 0.238 | ||
| Green Falls River | 0.291 | 0.291 | 0.29 – 0.292 | ||
| Hunt River | 1.48 | 1.48 | 1.48 | ||
| Mill Brook | 3.94 | 3.94 | 3.94 | ||
| Narrow River | 0.298 | 0.264 | 0.176 – 0.488 | ||
| Pawcatuck River | 0.561 | 0.561 | 0.509 – 0.612 | ||
| Pawtuxet River | 2.19 | 2.19 | 2.19 | ||
| Queens River | 0.334 | 0.334 | 0.334 | ||
| Sand Hill Brook | 1.82 | 1.82 | 1.82 | ||
| Secret Lake - Oak Hill Brook | < 0.05 | < 0.05 | < 0.05 | ||
| Slack’s Tributary | 0.777 | 0.777 | 0.777 | ||
| South Ferry Road Pier | 0.161 | 0.161 | 0.161 | ||
| Southern Creek | 3.74 | 3.74 | 3.74 | ||
| Woonasquat ucket River | 14.6 | 14.6 | 5.87 – 23.2 | ||
| South Carolina | Charleston Harbor | 12.0 | not provided | not provided | Houde et al. 2006 |
| Tennessee | Waterbody near Cleveland | 2.5 < x < 25 | 2.5 < x < 25 | < 2.5 – < 25 | 3MCompan y (2001) |
| Conasauga River | <0.0094 | <0.0094 | <0.0094 | Laiser et al.2011 | |
| Texas | Rio Grande | 4.17 | 4.1 | 2.0 – 6.5 | New Mexico Environment Department 2020 |
| Puget Sound | 2.3 | 1.45 | 0.2 – 5.9 | ||
| Washington | Clayoquot Sound | 0.32 | 0.3 | 0.25 – 0.4 | Dinglasan- Panlilio et al. (2014) |
| Barkley Sound | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.7 | ||
| Multiple States (10 Air Force Bases across the continental U.S.) | Surface waters impacted by aqueous film forming foam use | not provided | 2,170 | 8,970,000 (maximum) | Anderson et al. (2016) |
Less than (<) values based on study specific LOD and LOQ values that the study authors reported, LOD = limit of detection and LOQ = limit of quantitation
1
Name of Waterbody Sampled for PFOS. Name or description of waterbody above is consistent with that provided in cited reference.
2
Calculation of arithmetic mean and median includes lower of ½ LOD or ½ LOQ, depending on information provided. See full occurrence table in Appendix N for waterbody-specific details.
3
. Study authors conducted additional sampling of this waterbody but were unable to detect the initial high PFOS concentrations in any of the additional samples.
4
. Reported as ng/g by the study authors.