State-certified services paired with expert scientific context

Bigelow Laboratory is an independent, nonprofit research institute that specializes in challenging analyses — particularly those related to marine and freshwater environments, seafood, and ocean life.

Our PFAS testing program is led by Senior Research Scientist Christoph Aeppli, an expert on PFAS water contamination. He and his team produce critically needed data on PFAS prevalence and how it behaves and travels in our environment.

But we offer far more than a mail-in testing service. Our scientists can provide results with important context, guidance, and next steps — so you’re never on your own.

PFAS Pollutants

A brief intro to “forever chemicals”

Though often referred to in the singular, PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, refers to a family of over 10,000 synthetic chemicals that have been widely used in consumer products since the 1950s and are of growing public concern and regulatory interest around the world.

Key sources of contamination:

• Manufacturing: Discharge from PFAS plants or other plants working with PFAS
• Wastewater treatment plants: Sludge to landfill or biosolids to agriculture, then into groundwater
• Landfill: Leachate to wastewater treatment plants or direct to soil if a landfill is unlined
• Firefighting foams: Via various water systems

Sources of human exposure:

• Drinking water and other water supplies
• Food, including crops, livestock, wild game, and packaging
• Consumer and workplace products
• Air from manufacturing emissions

Learn about the August 2024 PFAS spill in Brunswick.

Clients

Services available to the public, private sector, and peers

Bigelow Laboratory offers PFAS testing to a wide range of public and private clients whose needs span from regulatory requirements to research support.

Clients include:

• Indigenous community members
• State, county, and municipal governments
• Public and private institutions and interest groups
• Scientific peers seeking specialized equipment, knowledge, and capabilities

Related Offerings

In addition to PFAS testing, Bigelow Laboratory provides a broad array of analytical services. Learn more about Bigelow Analytical Services.

PFAS testing is one step toward identifying issues and promoting healthy water conditions. To better understand other parameters to track and craft an effective strategy, contact Bigelow Laboratory’s Water Health and Humans Initiative team.