PFAS detection in New Hampshire soils

A map of preliminary results of a survey of 100 soil samples shows levels of PFAS ranging from under 2 (light yellow) to more than 8 parts (red) per billion.

 U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

Scientists detected the PFAS “forever chemical” in every one of 100 soil samples they recently gathered across New Hampshire, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The shallow soil samples were taken at depths up to six inches from a variety of locations — forests, shrubland, grassland, wetlands and barren lands. The sites were randomly generated by computer, but collectors skirted sites already known to be contaminated with PFAS.