Migration of PFAS from Contaminated Soils to Surface and Groundwater

A postdoctoral research opportunity is available at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Center for Public Health and Environmental Assessment (CPHEA) in the Office of Research and Development (ORD). This appointment will be located in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

This was formally the National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory (NHEERL).

The overall goal of this research project is to help public health officials and regulatory authorities develop a more comprehensive understanding of the mobility of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), such as perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and hexafluoropropylene oxide dimer acid (HFPO-DA, also known by the trade name “GenX”) in the environment. The focus of this research will be to evaluate the migration of PFAS compounds from contaminated soils near a fluorochemical production facility to nearby surface and groundwater resources. The primary activities will involve the development and application of liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry techniques to assess the potential for human exposures to PFAS; collaboration with a large multidisciplinary group of PFAS scientists; and participation in multidisciplinary human exposure research.

The research participant will have the opportunity to play an important role by being involved in the development of analytical approaches to characterize PFAS in key contaminated media such as soils, surface and groundwater, and other exposure-related matrices. These media will be evaluated using established methods for legacy PFAS (e.g., PFOS, PFOA, GenX) while the identification of previously undescribed PFAS may require significant method development and research efforts. Analytical approaches will range from conventional triple quarupole mass spectrometry to more experimental high-resolution techniques involving time of flight (TOF) and Orbitrap Fusion type instruments. The research participant will participate in a multidisciplinary group of researchers that will include, analytical chemists, GIS specialists, state health and environmental personnel, and US EPA Regional Office staff, collaborating together to help characterize PFAS contamination in various media at various geographical scales. 

Learning objectives for the participant may include: developing a thorough understanding of PFAS chemistry and analytical approaches for the identification and quantitation of legacy and newly discovered PFAS in environmental media; participating as part of an integrated research team to map the occurrence of PFAS at various geographical scales; learning how to provide relevant analytical data to state and regional officials to provide the basis for protective policy measures that safeguard public health and the environment; interacting with team members to produce high quality reports, presentations, and publications that reflect various contributions from a large multidisciplinary research team.

This research opportunity is located within an established PFAS research program that is currently investigating the occurrence of PFAS in the environment; identifying previously undocumented compounds; characterizing transport, fate, and transformation issues; identifying sources of PFAS in the environment; examining key human exposure issues; mapping, and geospatial analysis. This research opportunity will offer significant opportunities to collaborate with all of the ongoing PFAS research at the USEPA and its collaborating institutions.

The mentor for this opportunity is Andrew Lindstrom (lindstrom.andrew@epa.gov).

The qualified candidate should have received a doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields, or be currently pursuing the degree and will reach completion by the appointment start date. Degree must have been received within five years of the appointment start date.

Preferred skills:

If you have questions, send an email to EPArpp@orau.org.  Please include the reference code for this opportunity (EPA-ORD-NHEERL-EPHD-2020-03) in your email.