Concentrations of a group of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) were measured in coastal waters around the island of Oahu, Hawai'i in 2019 and 2020 to provide a measure of exposure to resident fish species commonly harvested for human consumption. These contaminants were sampled using the polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) which allows for the determination of the average contaminant concentrations over a month-long study period. The estimation of water concentrations requires knowledge of chemical-specific sampling rates which are not available for all targeted PFAS. Therefore, data is presented as both the concentration of each PFAS in a POCIS extract and as time-weighted average water concentrations were possible. Sites were selected based on varied point sources including urban, wastewater effluents, military bases, airports, and low impact (reference) areas.

This data release contains the analytical results of three contaminant classes in water using two types of passive sampling devices. Samples were collected at eight sites in the lower Columbia River and two sites in the lower Willamette River in Oregon and Washington. A Polar Organic Compound Integrating Sampler (POCIS) and a Solid-Phase Adsorption Toxin Tracker (SPATT) sampler were deployed at the ten sites in three separate seasons in 2023 to capture a range of environmental conditions. The POCIS samplers were used to detect the presence of both per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS, n=75) and waste indicator compounds (WI, n=39). The SPATT samplers were used to detect four cyanotoxins present in the water: microcystins/nodularins (ADDA), cylindrospermopsins, anatoxins, and saxitoxins. Both sampler types were deployed over various lengths of time to concentrate chemicals and toxins and allow for the detection of chemical and toxin concentrations at low levels.

This data release contains concentration and isotope-dilution standard (IDS) recovery data from individual samples that are summarized and interpreted in the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Techniques and Methods (T&M) Report "Determination of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Water by Direct Injection of Matrix-Modified Centrifuge Supernatant and Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry with Isotope Dilution". This includes results from method validation experiments and quality control data collected in conjunction with custom sample analysis for customers using USGS National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) Laboratory Code 9660 between December 15, 2020 and March 2, 2022. Results in the T&M Report are presented as statistical summaries of data from multiple related samples, the individual sample data that underlie those summaries are presented here.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are chemicals of emerging concern that potentially pose risks to human and environmental health. In May–Oct 2018, sediment and passively collected surface water samples were collected from 62 tributary sites of the Laurentian Great Lakes with site catchments spanning gradients in land cover. Discrete samples of sediment and time-integrated surface water samples collected with polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS) were analyzed for 23 and 34 PFAS, respectively. Concentrations of individual PFAS in sediment and surface water varied substantially among sites from below detection to 20,800 ng kg-1 and 247 ng L-1, respectively. Elevated PFAS concentrations occurred in urban watersheds and downstream of airports and wastewater treatment plants (WWTP). Of all target compounds, PFOS was the most frequently detected in sediment (56 of 62 sites) and had the highest median concentration (132 ng kg-1). PFOA, PFHxS, PFOS, PFHpA, and PFNA were detected in all 60 surface water sites, with median concentrations of 5.9, 5.2, 4.6, 3.7, and 1.3 ng L-1, respectively. Compounds with 8–14 fluorocarbons comprised a larger proportion of sediment PFAS than compounds with 4–7 fluorocarbons, whereas compounds with 4–7 fluorocarbons were dominant in surface waters. Watershed attributes, including urban land cover and WWTP flow fraction were positively related with PFAS sum concentrations in sediment and surface water. Collectively, these results highlight the relation PFAS occurrence has with human activities and documents widespread low-level PFAS contamination across the Great Lakes basin. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Loken LC, Corsi SR, Alvarez DA, Pronschinske MA, Lenaker PL, Nott M, Zhang C, Mani E, Ankley GT. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in surface water and sediment in Great Lakes tributaries and relations with watershed attributes. In Review. This dataset is not publicly accessible because: It is inconsistent with established Federal practices for EPA to be the repository of data generated by the USGS. It can be accessed through the following means: All data will be completely accessible through the USGS and detailed instructions for its access will be described in the peer-reviewed journal article. Format: The data were generated by the US Geological Survey (USGS) who, like EPA, are required to make all their data publicly available through their open access website concurrent with publication of a paper. When this occurs, the data will be in a standard format, e.g., as spreadsheets with accompanying metadata. This dataset is associated with the following publication: Loken, L., S. Corsi, D. Alvarez, M. Pronschinske, P. Lenaker, M. Nott, C. Zhang, E. Mani, and G. Ankley. Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in surface water and sediment in Great Lakes tributaries and relations with watershed attributes. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Pensacola, FL, USA, 44(6): 1503-1524, (2025).

This dataset includes per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and pharmaceuticals monitored at 62 sampling sites in tributaries of the Laurentian Great Lakes. Chemicals were evaluated in a sediment sample (PFAS only) and water concentrations were estimated using polar organic chemical integrative samplers (POCIS). Sediment samples were collected from the 62 sites in June and July 2018, which were analyzed for 23 PFAS compounds using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS). Duplicate sediment samples were collected at 23 sites. Overall, 22 of the 23 sediment PFAS compounds analyzed were detected in samples from at least one site. Pharmaceuticals and PFAS samples were collected instream by deploying two POCIS at each site for approximately 30 days during the period of May through October 2018. POCIS were compromised at two sites, so POCIS data are only included for 60 of the 62 sites. POCIS blanks and replicates were also collected at six sites. Replicate POCIS were deployed within the same stream cross section. Blanks were collected by exposing prepared POCIS to the air during the time it took to deploy and retrieve the sampler. POCIS blank samples were extracted along with field samples at the end of the deployment period. POCIS extracts were analyzed for 107 pharmaceuticals (USGS National Water Quality Laboratory schedule 2440). A separate POCIS extract was analyzed for 34 PFAS using high-performance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (MS/MS). Of these compounds, 49 pharmaceuticals and 17 PFAS had POCIS uptake rates, allowing calculations of time-weighted mean concentration over the approximately 30-day deployment. Collectively, there were 69 pharmaceuticals and 21 PFAS detected in environmental POCIS samples.

Samples were collected for a comparison method development study with the University of Minnesota and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Laboratory (NWQL) in Lakewood, Colorado. Widely used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods fail to capture large fractions of total organofluorine in environmental samples confounding the assessment and remediation of fluorinated pollution. Fluorine nuclear magnetic resonance (19F-NMR) is an inclusive method for organofluorine analysis that preserves chemical information about chemical compound classes of organofluorine.