New ASTM PFAS Sampling Guide Helps Ensure Reliable Results

When analyzing environmental media for PFAS, even one false positive caused by a sampling error can snowball into additional project costs. While there is plenty of PFAS sampling advice available—ours included—PFAS sampling has always lacked a true, consensus‑based standard. That is why I am pleased to share that ASTM International has just published ASTM E3511‑26, Standard Guide for Per‑ and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Sampling of Environmental Media, to help practitioners design PFAS sampling programs that produce reliable, defensible results across environmental media.

ASTM International (formerly the American Society for Testing and Materials) is a global, voluntary standards organization that develops consensus‑based technical standards for materials, products, systems, and services across many industries, including environmental assessment and laboratory testing. These standards are created and maintained by thousands of member experts from around the world and are widely recognized by regulators, industry, and laboratories as trusted benchmarks for quality, safety, and reliability.

The ASTM E3511‑26 guide is part of a coordinated series of PFAS guidance documents developed through ASTM’s environmental assessment, risk management, and corrective action committee (E50). ASTM E3302‑25, Standard Guide for PFAS Analytical Methods Selection, addresses how to choose appropriate test methods for specific project objectives and matrices, and ASTM E3439‑25, Standard Guide for PFAS Data Evaluation focuses on assessing data quality and fitness for use.

While the sampling guide is likely to provide the most immediately actionable field direction, together, the three documents support practitioners from sampling design through laboratory analysis and data interpretation. These files now round out ASTM E1527-21 and ASTM E3358- 23a Standard Guide for Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Site Screening and Initial Characterization as the standards for environmental site assessments for sites potentially contaminated with PFAS.

Need More than Just Guidance? Pace® Can Help

Pace® PFAS experts played a central role in developing the new PFAS sampling guide. Eileen Snyder from Pace® led the task group effort, coordinating input from regulators, laboratories, consultants, and other stakeholders. Nick Nigro from Pace® also served on the committee and contributed both technical expertise and writing to the project, drawing on his extensive experience with PFAS test methods across environmental matrices. Their leadership helped ensure the guidance remained practical for real‑world projects, covered the necessary environmental matrices, and aligned with current analytical capabilities.

Yet, even with good written guidance, PFAS sampling can be challenging to execute consistently, especially with today’s frequent workforce constraints. Pace® field sampling teams are available in over 40 select areas around the country primarily to provide services for drinking water and wastewater treatment plants, industrial dischargers, and solid waste facilities for routine regulatory compliance programs. Contact us to discuss how we can help ensure your PFAS sampling program meets your project goals and compliance requirements.