Mapping PFAS contaminant pathways across industries and environments

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) contamination arises from a complex network of industrial, commercial, and environmental pathways that extend far beyond their original point of manufacture or use. Widely applied in sectors such as chemical manufacturing, textiles, electronics, food packaging, firefighting foams, and metal plating, PFAS are released into wastewater, industrial effluents, air emissions, and solid waste streams, where they persist and migrate through interconnected environmental systems.

Once released, PFAS can travel through wastewater treatment plants, biosolids, landfills, surface water, groundwater, and drinking water supplies, as well as accumulate in soils, sediments, and biota. These pathways complicate source identification, exposure assessment, and remediation efforts, particularly as PFAS move across industrial supply chains and geographic boundaries. As part of our wider Accelerating Science in PFAS feature, this topic explores how analytical science, environmental monitoring, and cross-sector data are being used to trace PFAS contaminant pathways, support source attribution, and inform targeted strategies for risk management and environmental protection.