Have PFAS infiltrated Florida's freshwater springs?
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Undergraduate researcher (Mackenzie Holden) collecting a vent water sample
The state of Florida contains over 1000 freshwater springs, fed by groundwater that provides 90 % of the drinking water for inhabitants. Freshwater springs are regarded as some of the cleanest water sources left on Earth, but recent studies regarding the extreme pervasiveness of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) across the globe have called into question whether PFAS have infiltrated these vital water sources. In this study, 90 water samples (43 vents/40 runs/plus 7 additional surface samples) from 50 freshwater Florida springs were analyzed for the presence of 29 PFAS via ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. PFAS were detected in 63 % of the vent samples and 68 % of the run samples, with a total of 13 different quantifiable PFAS (>LOQ) present in at least one sample. Concentrations across samples ranged from 0.205 to 64.6 ng/L, with the most detected PFAS being perfluorobutanesulfonic acid (PFBS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS). This data highlights the presence of PFAS in Florida springs, representing a potential health concern for spring water users and drinking water consumers, and suggests the need for further research regarding the possible contamination pathways of Florida's freshwater springs.

Table below is a summary table of PFAS found in Florida springs samples (vents and runs).
Figure below shows the sum PFAS concentrations of vent and run samples for sites in which both samples had quantifiable PFAS. A: Gainer Spring B: Blue Hole Spring C: Ginnie Spring D: Devil's Eye Spring (Near Ginnie) E: Devil's Eye Spring (Ichetucknee) F: Gilchrist Main Spring G: Naked Spring H: DeLeon Spring I: Poe Spring J: Weeki Wachee Spring K: Gemini Spring L: Volusia Blue Spring M: Green Spring.