PFAS - Practical Approaches for PFAS Fate & Transport Evaluation Training

This training will provide information on fate and transport of PFAS in the environment using a hypothetical AFFF release. It builds on the earlier topics covered in the PFAS 101 training. Resources and further details for the topics included in this training are available in the ITRC PFAS-1 guidance document.

Representative PFAS fate and transport pathways/processes will be illustrated, highlighting those that are unique to PFAS and different from other common contaminants. Available methods/approaches of field sampling, laboratory analysis, and data evaluation to characterize these fate and transport pathways/processes will be discussed. Data gaps due to limited available sampling/analysis and data evaluation methods will also be discussed.

The scenario of a hypothetical AFFF release site was chosen based on commonality with typical known environmental releases to present an illustrative framework for regulators and other environmental practitioners on the range of PFAS topics that may be applicable from discovery to closure. This training will be crafted for an audience with some basic understanding of PFAS and that has likely already attended the PFAS 101 training and the ITRC PFAS Beyond the Basics: Fate and Transport, Site Characterization, and Source ID training.

This training will be a site-based, application-oriented training that is built around a specific site narrative. We aim to connect the previous subject-oriented training courses to what practitioners need to think about at a site.

Learning Objectives:

• Understand the interrelationships between current ITRC PFAS knowledge topics in the context of a hypothetical scenario.
• Understand representative fate and transport processes at a typical AFFF release site; particular focus will be given to PFAS-specific considerations
• Understand currently available methods/approaches of field sampling, laboratory analysis, and data evaluation for PFAS site characterization, as well as limitations of these methods/approaches

Sarah LaRoe, Ph.D., Anchor QEA
Sarah LaRoe, Ph.D., is a Managing Environmental Scientist at Anchor QEA, LLC in Saratoga Springs, NY. She specializes in chemical fate and transport in contaminated systems, remedial dredge design, and the evaluation of remedial outcomes. She has worked on multiple Superfund cleanup projects, including the Hudson River Dredging Project, the Grasse River Superfund site, and developed CSMs for many PFAS sites. She has been a contributing member of the ITRC PFAS Team since its inception in 2017, focusing on the development of material on the physical and chemical properties of PFAS. Dr. LaRoe received her doctorate from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Environmental Engineering, focusing on microbial bioremediation of recalcitrant contaminants.

Dina Drennan, BEM Systems
Dina Drennan, PhD is a senior environmental scientist and PFAS practice lead at BEM Systems in Lakewood, CO. She specializes in CSM development, remedial investigations, and fate and transport of PFAS particularly in the vadose zone. She has worked on several PFAS remedial investigations in the Western United States and has experience performing treatability studies at the bench scale to inform full scale design. She has been a contributing member of ITRC since 2022 focusing on fate and transport of PFAS. Dr. Drennan received her doctorate from Colorado School of Mines in Civil and Environmental Engineering focusing on passive treatment of mining influenced water.

Matthew Machusick, PG, Leidos
Matthew Machusick is a professional geologist and water resources engineer with 25 years of experience across multiple aspects of environmental consulting and research. His specialties and areas of interest include: PFAS characterization and remediation, hydrogeology, CSM development, and contaminant fate and transport. Since 2015, he has conducted PFAS investigations at over 170 Federal facilities across 52 states and territories. Much of his recent PFAS efforts have focused on modeling the fate and transport of PFAS from the vadose zone to groundwater receptors.

Alex MacDonald, Emeritus
Alex MacDonald is a former senior engineer in the technical support section of the Cleanup Unit at the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board in Rancho Cordova, California. He worked at the Water Quality Control Board from 1984 - 2021. He primarily worked on cleanup of the Aerojet site in Rancho Cordova, California and on the cleanup at McClellan Air Force Base. Alex also worked on cleanup at underground and above ground storage tanks sites; permitting and inspection of landfill and waste disposal to land sites; regulating application of biosolids sites; regulating underground injection; regulating NPDES sites that include municipal wastewater treatment plants, power plants, industrial facilities, and groundwater treatment facilities; and permitting and inspecting dredging projects. Alex was a member of the Interstate Technical Regulatory Council (ITRCC) Perchlorate team, DNAPL and Fractured Rock Teams. He is currently a member of the ITRC PFAS, Microplastics and Risk Communication Teams. Alex earned a bachelor's degree in Civil/Environmental Engineering from Stanford University in Palo Alto, California in 1977 and a master's degree in Civil/Environmental Engineering from Sacramento State University in Sacramento, California in 1987. He is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of California.

Ted Campbell, NC DEQ
Ted Campbell is an Environmental Program Consultant and Regional Hydrogeologist for the Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ). Ted Campbell played a key part in the largest coal ash cleanup in the nation. His work in testing complex groundwater modeling from Duke Energy helped lead to the State of North Carolina's historic settlement agreement with Duke to clean up coal ash basins in the state. Campbell is DEQ's lead expert on the calculation of background values of groundwater contaminants. He is also the Co-Lead investigator for a PFAS fate and transport study in a multi-county watershed with high profile impacts to surface and groundwater drinking supplies of over 200,000 residents. Mr. Campbell is also developing an updated conceptual model of PFAS sources and basin wide characteristics that influence transport in space and time.

Moderator:

ITRC Training Program (itrc@itrcweb.org)

• These materials will be available by Thursday, March 26, 2026

Webinar Slides and References:

• These materials will be available by Thursday, March 26, 2026

Additional Resources:

• These materials will be available by Thursday, March 26, 2026

The feedback form for this webinar will be available starting on Thursday, March 26, 2026.

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Rehabilitation Act Notice for Reasonable Accommodation

It is EPA's policy to make reasonable accommodation to persons with disabilities wishing to participate in the agency's programs and activities, pursuant to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. 791. Any request for accommodation should be made to ITRC Training Program at 202-266-4932 or itrc@itrcweb.org, preferably one week or more in advance of the webinar, so that EPA will have sufficient time to process the request. EPA would welcome specific recommendations from requestors specifying the nature or type of accommodation needed. EPA welcomes specific recommendations from requestors specifying the nature or type of accommodation needed. Please note that CLU-IN provides both alternate phone call-in options and closed captioning for all webinars, and requests for these specific accommodations are not necessary.

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