This article authored by Rachel J. Maxwell, Lydia R. Dorrance, and Adam H. Love, along with Krista Stevenson and Anita Thapalia, discusses the challenges in identifying chemical fingerprints of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) related to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The difficulties arise from limited chemical characterizations of AFFF, the presence of undetectable PFAS, and the degradation of PFAS after release into the environment. To address these issues, the study analyzes AFFF samples from different manufacturers before and after applying the total oxidizable precursor (TOP) assay, which oxidizes PFAS to their terminal end products. 

This research was published in Environmental Forensics in February 2026, and a complimentary copy of the full article can be requested via completing the provided form.