The PFAS measurement crisis: A roundtable discussion
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are now recognized as one of the most pervasive classes of environmental contaminants worldwide. Found in water, soil, air, and consumer products, their chemical diversity is vast and regulatory scrutiny is intensifying. As governments move from managing individual compounds to regulating PFAS as a class, the question is no longer whether PFAS are present, but whether we are measuring them accurately and comprehensively.
Current regulatory methods, such as EPA Method 1633, are robust and defensible for targeted compounds, but they only tell part of the story. Research increasingly shows that targeted PFAS testing can miss more than 80% of the total PFAS load in complex environmental and industrial samples. This gap creates significant blind spots, leaving analytical laboratories, manufacturers, and environmental compliance teams vulnerable to underestimating risk, mischaracterizing contamination, and falling behind emerging regulatory expectations.
At the same time, global regulations are evolving faster than analytical standards. Requirements under EU REACH, expanding US EPA guidance, and international drinking water and waste regulations are pushing toward broader PFAS accountability, often without clear consensus on how total PFAS should be measured, validated, or reported. This mismatch between regulatory intent and analytical capability is at the heart of the PFAS measurement crisis.
Join our expert roundtable discussion – held in partnership with Restek – to explore how next-generation analytical standards and Non-Targeted Analysis (NTA) approaches are helping to close the PFAS data gap, improve decision-making, and prepare organizations for the next phase of PFAS regulation.
Key learning outcomes
- Hidden contamination risks: why current PFAS monitoring techniques may overlook critical compounds and what is needed to close the data gap.
- Analytical strategies: proven approaches to overcome complex matrix challenges and ensure results are scientifically and legally defensible.
- Global regulatory landscape: Insights into evolving PFAS restrictions, including EU REACH, US EPA guidelines, and best practices for staying ahead of emerging compliance requirements.
- International harmonization: The path toward global PFAS standards for effective environmental management and reporting.
Who should attend?
- Laboratory managers and analytical chemists working with LC-MS/MS, GC-MS, and other advanced techniques.
- EHS (environmental, health, and safety) professionals and regulatory compliance officers managing PFAS risk.
- Environmental consultants validating remediation technologies and destruction methods.
Certificate of attendance
If you attend the live webinar, you will automatically receive a certificate of attendance, including a learning outcomes summary, for continuing education purposes. If you view the on-demand webinar, you can request a certificate of attendance by emailing [email protected].
Moderator: Lucy Lawrence (Science Editor, SelectScience)
