{"id":473179,"date":"2023-08-01T10:01:57","date_gmt":"2023-08-01T14:01:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=473179"},"modified":"2023-08-01T12:03:21","modified_gmt":"2023-08-01T16:03:21","slug":"latest-information-on-pfas-studies-at-nasas-kennedy-space-center","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/kennedy\/latest-information-on-pfas-studies-at-nasas-kennedy-space-center\/","title":{"rendered":"Latest Information on PFAS Studies at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new.jpg\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1111\" height=\"666\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new.jpg?w=1111\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Within the last year, Kennedy Space Center increased groundwater sampling to better monitor and identify where PFAS may be in groundwater.\" style=\"transform: scale(1.2); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new.jpg 1111w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new.jpg?resize=300,180 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new.jpg?resize=768,460 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new.jpg?resize=1024,614 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new.jpg?resize=400,240 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new.jpg?resize=600,360 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new.jpg?resize=900,540 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1111px) 100vw, 1111px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">A technician holds a sample of water taken from the ground on July 7, 2023, at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. <\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA\/Ben Smegelsky<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p>Since 2015, NASA has been assessing the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and the agency\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida began center-wide sampling of ground and surface water in 2018. As the agency has learned more, the investigation at Kennedy began concentrating on certain areas, including one that was threatened by a wildfire in 1998.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The center\u2019s South Repeater Building area became a focus for PFAS sampling because firefighters used Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF) to prevent the fire from engulfing the building and spreading to nearby private homes. The common firefighting foam contained certain PFAS compounds, which resist breaking down and remain in the environment for many years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cNASA and Kennedy Space Center are committed to protecting human health and the environment in all its activities,\u201d said Rosaly Santos-Ebaugh, chief of Kennedy\u2019s Environmental Assurance Branch. \u201cWe have been working hard to understand where PFAS may be present on the center so we can take appropriate remedial action.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Within the last year, Kennedy increased groundwater sampling to better monitor and identify where PFAS may be in groundwater. Because the South Repeater Building is near the center\u2019s boundary, NASA has expanded its focus and is offering to sample the groundwater of about 40 property owners or occupants of an area outside Kennedy\u2019s southern fence line. NASA will use the information to help determine clean-up actions to take.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere are technologies known to remove PFAS from groundwater, such as granular activated carbon, ion exchange resin, and reverse osmosis,\u201d said Ryan O\u2019Meara, remediation project manager within the Environmental Assurance Branch. \u201cWe are preparing to initiate a pilot study of groundwater extraction and treatment methods to help us in considering clean-up options once we have more data from these studies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>AFFF is the primary source of PFAS on Kennedy. It was introduced in the 1980s for firefighting purposes and has never been used for launch operations. In 2020, NASA switched to a different version of the firefighting foam intended as an alternative to the previous formulation. The Kennedy fire department also retrofitted its fleet of trucks with collection and recycling equipment to limit the amount of AFFF released into the environment.<\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"hds-media hds-module wp-block-image\"><div class=\"margin-left-auto margin-right-auto nasa-block-align-inline\"><div class=\"hds-media-wrapper margin-left-auto margin-right-auto\"><figure class=\"hds-media-inner hds-cover-wrapper hds-media-ratio-cover \"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new-2.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"841\" height=\"1111\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new-2.jpg?w=841\" class=\"attachment-2048x2048 size-2048x2048\" alt=\"Within the last year, Kennedy Space Center increased groundwater sampling to better monitor and identify where PFAS may be in groundwater.\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new-2.jpg 841w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new-2.jpg?resize=227,300 227w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new-2.jpg?resize=768,1015 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new-2.jpg?resize=775,1024 775w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new-2.jpg?resize=303,400 303w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new-2.jpg?resize=454,600 454w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new-2.jpg?resize=681,900 681w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 841px) 100vw, 841px\" \/><\/a><\/figure><figcaption class=\"hds-caption padding-y-2\"><div class=\"hds-caption-text p-sm margin-0\">Two operators use specialized drilling equipment to sample water under ground on July 7, 2023, at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida.<\/div><div class=\"hds-credits\">NASA\/Ben Smegelsky<\/div><\/figcaption><\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n<p><strong><em>What is PFAS?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The family of PFAS compounds has been manufactured and used since the 1940s in a variety of industries in the United States and around the world. Many consumer products contain PFAS, including some non-stick cookware, outdoor clothing, fabrics, carpets, and paper packaging for food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>PFAS-containing products repel water, stains, and oil. These characteristics that make PFAS compounds effective for so many uses also prevents them from breaking down in the environment. Because of the breadth of use and persistent nature of the chemicals, PFAS have been found throughout the United States and the world in surface water, groundwater, soil, and air in remote rural areas to densely-populated urban centers \u2013 and they can be transported distances from the source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the mid-2000s, the EPA and CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) began investigating these compounds further to learn more about the health effects of long-term exposure. Besides manufacturing or direct handling of PFAS, drinking water is the most common exposure route for people in the United States.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s important to note that Kennedy\u2019s potable water is supplied by the City of Cocoa, which has been screened for PFAS, and no known drinking water wells are located on or near Kennedy property.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Ongoing Actions at Kennedy<\/em><\/strong><strong><em><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re continuing to learn more and making decisions based on guidance from federal and state regulatory agencies to shape the PFAS response at Kennedy,\u201d said Anne Chrest, technical lead of Kennedy\u2019s Remediation Program. \u201cThis includes conducting center-wide PFAS assessments at suspected AFFF use areas, fire stations, sewage treatment plants, sludge disposal areas, and landfills.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Teams also are investigating to fully delineate PFAS impacts at Kennedy\u2019s former fire training area (Hydrocarbon Burn Facility, Solid Waste Management Unit #007).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>To better inform residents near the center\u2019s southern boundary about the proposed groundwater sampling on private property, NASA\u2019s environmental team organized two in-person information sessions for July 2023. The team also invited experts from Florida Department of Environmental Protection, the Florida Department of Health, and the U.S. Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry to assist in answering residents\u2019 questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThe data collected on- and off-center will help us determine where to initiate environmental cleanups,\u201d said Chris Adkison, senior remediation project manager. \u201cThe sampling efforts also will help improve models of how PFAS may be moving in the environment, identify potential exposure pathways, and gain a better understanding of groundwater\/surface water interactions.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NASA continues to share all sampling plans and results with state and local environmental and public health agencies and will provide updates on the agency\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/environmental.ksc.nasa.gov\/RemediationProgram\/PFAS\" rel=\"noopener\">website<\/a> as new information becomes available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For more information about what\u2019s known about the health effects of PFAS, see the Centers for Disease Control\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.atsdr.cdc.gov\/pfas\/index.html\" rel=\"noopener\">Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry<\/a>. For more information on NASA’s ongoing efforts, <a href=\"https:\/\/public.ksc.nasa.gov\/environmental\/pfas\/\" rel=\"noopener\">click here<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Click <a href=\"https:\/\/images.nasa.gov\/details\/KSC-20230710-MH-JBS01-0001-PFAS_Broll_Interview_Extra_Edit_With_Slate-3333850\" rel=\"noopener\">here<\/a> to watch a video.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Since 2015, NASA has been assessing the presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and the agency\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida began center-wide sampling of ground and surface water in 2018. As the agency has learned more, the investigation at Kennedy began concentrating on certain areas, including one that was threatened by a wildfire […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":37,"featured_media":473184,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2862,12690],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[10285,3917,6108],"coauthors":[11764],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Latest Information on PFAS Studies at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/kennedy\/latest-information-on-pfas-studies-at-nasas-kennedy-space-center\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/kennedy\/latest-information-on-pfas-studies-at-nasas-kennedy-space-center\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new.jpg"},"articleSection":"NASA Centers & Facilities","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"NASA Communications"}],"creator":["NASA Communications"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["NASA Centers & Facilities","Kennedy Space Center","Sustainability at Kennedy Space Center"],"dateCreated":"2023-08-01T14:01:57Z","datePublished":"2023-08-01T14:01:57Z","dateModified":"2023-08-01T16:03:21Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"Latest Information on PFAS Studies at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/centers-and-facilities\/kennedy\/latest-information-on-pfas-studies-at-nasas-kennedy-space-center\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2023-08-01T14:01:57Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA Centers & Facilities\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"NASA Centers & Facilities,Kennedy Space Center,Sustainability at Kennedy Space Center\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"NASA Communications\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":5,"time_ago":"11 months","featured_image":{"id":473184,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/07\/pfas-new.jpg","title":"PFAS Studies at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center","alt":"Within the last year, Kennedy Space Center increased groundwater sampling to better monitor and identify where PFAS may be in groundwater.","caption":"A technician holds a sample of water taken from the ground on July 7, 2023, at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. 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