Map shows state of ‘forever chemicals’ in Florida water

The Bowden research lab works on developing novel chemical measurement workflows to study the life cycle of chemicals of emerging concern. Photo courtesy of Bowden lab
GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Like diamonds, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are forever.
PFAS, the hardiest of man-made chemicals, are like gum on the bottom of your shoe, but far more sinister. Used in consumer and industry products since the 1940s, they can linger in the outdoors for decades, loiter in the human body for up to 35 years, and are linked to a growing list of negative health effects, including cancer.
Now, a team of researchers from the University of Florida are documenting just how many are found in the state’s surface water, including its prized freshwater springs, which provide 90% of the drinking water to its inhabitants.
John A. Bowden, Ph.D., an associate professor in the College of Veterinary Medicine, and a team of more than 100 UF undergraduates and citizen-scientist volunteers fanned out across 67 counties in Florida, conducting an in-depth analysis of chemicals in the state’s surface water, which included over 50 springs.
What they found was sobering.
In the initial study, published in November 2024, some 90 water samples from 50 freshwater Florida springs were analyzed for the presence of 29 PFAS.
The chemicals were detected in 63% of the spring vent samples, or the actual opening in the ground where water from an aquifer first emerges to the surface, and 68% of the spring run samples, or the flowing body of water that originates from the vent, with 13 quantifiable PFAS present across all samples. Green Spring, Blue Spring, and Gemini Spring held the highest PFAS concentrations.
“This issue isn’t something we can magically resolve,” Bowden said. “It will persist because, as a society, we demand the use of these chemicals for their practical benefits in thousands of everyday products, like preventing grease leakage, nonstick cookware, or clothes staining.”
For example, a new offender is the standard smart and fitness watch band, which is coated with PFAS to keep oils and sweat from staining the band, according to a recent study from the University of Notre Dame.
“Once objects with PFAS are disposed of, these chemicals can be released into the environment,” Bowden said. “Unfortunately, they retain the same properties that make them resistant to breakdown, which poses significant dangers.”
Notably, seven spring sites exceeded the EPA's Drinking Water Maximum Contaminant Level of 4 parts-per-trillion all within 10 miles of each other, on the east coast of Florida near Deltona.
Now, thanks to data collected from UF students scattered across the state, starting during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, followed by help from locals interested in the state’s natural resources, Bowden’s team has launched an interactive map to track PFAS in all Florida water systems, stemming from their other recent study measuring PFAS in various water systems across the state.
The map displays PFAS concentrations across all of Florida’s water bodies, including natural springs, the result of a collection of more than 2,300 samples. A user can navigate through the map to see every location where Bowden’s team has collected data as well as the PFAS concentrations found at every site.
“As I started learning about this, I realized that this was not just a temporary problem; it was one that would be around for a long time,” said Bowden, a chemist by training who applies novel techniques to solving environmental and wildlife problems. “What I found interesting, early on, was the juxtaposition of how long we've been using these chemicals, since the 1940s, and how little we knew about their behavior in the environment once they were released.”
Currently, most wastewater treatment facilities remove less than 10% of PFAS.
“Most of the contaminants in the processed material are dumped back into our waterways,” Bowden said. “If our drinking water comes from these sources, it will often contain PFAS. What should be alarming for all Floridians is that in the springs, which are often destined for use as drinking water, PFAS are present.”
Bowden’s work measures these emerging chemicals in different contexts, including wildlife tissues, human blood, and waste streams like landfills. It wasn’t surprising to find these chemicals in high levels across the state, especially in highly populated areas, Bowden said. What was surprising was how little people knew about them, considering there are thousands of distinct types of PFAS chemicals in use.
Recently, there has been more awareness, as the EPA has begun to set guidelines for drinking water limits, but many still view the chemical class as a buzzword without understanding its ubiquity, Bowden said.
“They’re in cosmetics, clothing, textiles and food packaging — places that most of us are exposed to daily,” he said. “Understanding their widespread presence can help people make better decisions to limit their exposure.”
Thanks to the groundwork Bowden and his research assistants laid for the data collection, his lab has created a crowdsourcing-based network of Floridians invested in environmental health and helping with ongoing studies, like another 2024 study where they measured PFAS in over 400 drinking water taps across the state of Florida. Ultimately, the data collection was made possible by those outside of the lab — not just in it.
“The sheer scale of this undertaking, and the effort involved, is something that we wouldn’t have been able to complete if it wasn’t for the amount of help that we got from those who weren’t even directly involved with the project,” said Camden Camacho, Ph.D., a chemist in the engineering and analysis division at the United States Environmental Protection Agency and former graduate student who spearheaded the study in the Bowden lab. “Many of the people who helped us obtain the data were concerned individuals who, at the end of the day, wanted to be a part of the science.”
To date, the citizen scientists and other stakeholders inform the lab about things happening in the community, like a sewage spill. In turn, the team shares data with the volunteers and explain its importance.
“Hopefully, in doing so, we can make a difference in the state,” Bowden said. “While you can’t avoid PFAS entirely, it's important to stay informed, think critically, and make good decisions when the opportunity arises.”
Bowden asks that anyone who wants to be part of future student- or citizen-based sampling projects or who want to donate to help fund future PFAS projects in Florida, contact him at john.bowden@ufl.edu.