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Lab Standards Workgroup

A scientist in a lab wearing blue gloves holding a pipette and a test tube

Lab Standards Workgroup

Mission

 

To provide guidance and testing standards for laboratories performing PFAS analysis for the State of Michigan.

This workgroup consists of lab staff working on PFAS analyses within the Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) and Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy (EGLE).  With funding provided by the legislature, EGLE worked with MDHHS to develop capabilities at the EGLE lab, so that by September 2019, EGLE was able to analyze PFAS drinking water samples using United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Method 537.1.  

Contact

Kirby Shane

Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE)

Matt Geiger

Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS)

This workgroup also:

  • Developed a checklist of critical elements for a PFAS drinking water laboratory report.
  • Developed an example drinking water laboratory results report format.
  • Developed a public facing FAQ that is on the MPART Web site.
  • Conducted a method comparison review of EPA Method 537 Rev. 1.1 and Method 537.1.
  • Reviewed draft EPA Method SW-846 8327.
  • Workgroup members commented on all of the sampling guidance documents posted on the MPART Sampling Guidance page.

Recent Accomplishments

  • EGLE and MDHHS Laboratories tested 5,830 water samples; other matrices MDHHS tested include crop and home grown produce (166), serum (1,433), and fish tissue 1,700 samples. this past fiscal year ending September 30, 2021.
  • The EGLE Laboratory recently purchased a new Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometer (LC/MS) and is finishing development of EPA SW-846 Method 8327 for testing groundwater, surface water, and wastewater, to begin in early 2022.
  • The MDHHS Laboratory validated a method for testing the crop and home grown produce. This validation included the list of 39 PFAS analytes and 3 branched isomers for PFHxS, PFOS, and PFOA. The laboratory also completed a validation for tissue using the expanded list of analytes 39 PFA analytes and 3 branched isomers for PFHxS, PFOS, and PFOA.
  • The MDHHS Laboratory also purchased a new LC/MS system to expand testing capacity for testing PFAS analytes using dried blood spots (DBS). 
  • The Laboratory Standards Workgroup meets with MDHHS staff and EGLE staff to coordinate and determine testing needs for the State of Michigan and current or new capabilities of the laboratories, in order to assess available laboratory capacity and ensure both labs are fully utilized.

Next Steps

  • A guidance document will be created comparing the State of Michigan laboratories testing capabilities, including testing materials like sample containers, testing methods and analyte lists, and test results reporting.  Additional published testing methodologies will be evaluated as they are released to the public for use, including newly released EPA Draft Clean Water Act Method 1633.

Timeline of Accomplishments

  • November 2018:  The State of Michigan begins testing PFAS in ground and surface waters using Isotope Dilution testing methodology.
  • September 2019:  EGLE Drinking Water Laboratory begins offering PFAS residential test kits for $290/at competitive prices. 
  • October 2019:  The State of Michigan begins testing PFAS in drinking water by EPA Method 537.1.
  • April 2020:  EGLE finished two educational videos to support the EGLE drinking water residential test kits.
  • December 2020:  MDHHS started biomonitoring testing for PFAS in serum for 2 different studies.
  • December 2021:  EGLE completed development of EPA SW-846 Method 8327 for testing PFAS in groundwater, surface water, and wastewater.