Presentation Type
Poster
Faculty Mentor’s Full Name
Nancy Hinman
Faculty Mentor’s Department
Geoscience
Abstract / Artist's Statement
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are defined by the EPA as fluorinated synthetic chemicals that are commonly used in industry and household items. PFAS have been shown to cause a variety of health issues, ranging from decreased birth weights to an increased risk of cancer. PFAS have a persistent impact on the environment due to their decay rate of a few thousand years. PFAS are ideal substances for enhancing ski wax due to their hydrophobic properties and inherent ability to impregnate ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). PFAS-containing ski waxes are now banned from ski racing by the Federation of International Skiing (FIS), yet these regulations have been difficult to enforce. PFAS wax is still available to recreational skiers.
Waxes are periodically applied to the bases of skis to provide hydrophobic glide over snow. However, little is known about the fate of these chemicals once they are scraped onto the snow from a ski. In this study, the PFAS chemical composition in popular ski waxes are compared to the PFAS composition in snow near Missoula, Montana: Montana Snowbowl ski area, a less frequently skied area, Marshall Mountain, and Wallace Creek- a non-skied area.
I assessed the relationship between skier frequency and PFAS contamination in the local watershed by comparing areas where ski wax is prevalent to areas where there is less. PFAS composition in the snowpack and ski waxes were determined via liquid chromatography (LC) and mass spectrometry (MS). The composition of PFAS in the snow revealed if the PFAS from ski wax had contaminated local water supplies. PFAS compounds consistent with the ski wax samples were found in all three sample locations. However, there was no relationship between skier frequency and PFAS pollution discovered by this research. These results speak to the prevalence of PFAS pollution within the greater Missoula ecosystem.
Category
Physical Sciences
Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Contamination from Ski Wax in Western Montana Snowpack
UC South Ballroom
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are defined by the EPA as fluorinated synthetic chemicals that are commonly used in industry and household items. PFAS have been shown to cause a variety of health issues, ranging from decreased birth weights to an increased risk of cancer. PFAS have a persistent impact on the environment due to their decay rate of a few thousand years. PFAS are ideal substances for enhancing ski wax due to their hydrophobic properties and inherent ability to impregnate ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE). PFAS-containing ski waxes are now banned from ski racing by the Federation of International Skiing (FIS), yet these regulations have been difficult to enforce. PFAS wax is still available to recreational skiers.
Waxes are periodically applied to the bases of skis to provide hydrophobic glide over snow. However, little is known about the fate of these chemicals once they are scraped onto the snow from a ski. In this study, the PFAS chemical composition in popular ski waxes are compared to the PFAS composition in snow near Missoula, Montana: Montana Snowbowl ski area, a less frequently skied area, Marshall Mountain, and Wallace Creek- a non-skied area.
I assessed the relationship between skier frequency and PFAS contamination in the local watershed by comparing areas where ski wax is prevalent to areas where there is less. PFAS composition in the snowpack and ski waxes were determined via liquid chromatography (LC) and mass spectrometry (MS). The composition of PFAS in the snow revealed if the PFAS from ski wax had contaminated local water supplies. PFAS compounds consistent with the ski wax samples were found in all three sample locations. However, there was no relationship between skier frequency and PFAS pollution discovered by this research. These results speak to the prevalence of PFAS pollution within the greater Missoula ecosystem.