Statistical Analysis of PFAS and Catchment Characteristics in the UK

<p dir="ltr">Emerging contaminants are a major concern for water companies, as they pose a risk to human health through contamination of the water supply. One significant contaminant is per and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a large group of compounds used in a variety of commercial and industrial products. This study uses data from the Forever Pollution Project alongside more recent data from water companies to explore PFAS contamination within UK river catchments. Catchment mean rainfall, slope, land use, combined sewage overflows (CSOs), and soil data were compiled to explore their relationship with estimated PFAS flux. Preliminary results demonstrate non-linear trends between catchment characteristics and PFAS flux, illustrating the complexity of PFAS sources and transport mechanisms. Ongoing work will provide a better understanding of parameters that influence PFAS levels, which will allow identification of high-risk catchments in the UK, highlighting key locations where further sampling is required.</p><p dir="ltr">This paper was presented at the 21st Computing and Control in the Water Industry Conference (CCWI 2025) at the University of Sheffield (1st - 3rd September 2025).</p>