Spatiotemporal dynamics of PFAS contamination around industrial and military facilities in U.S. Regions

Abstract

Spatiotemporal dynamics of per and polyfluoroalkyl substances PFAS contamination around industrial and military facilities across United States regions present a complex environmental and public health challenge. This study synthesizes monitoring data, regulatory reports, and peer reviewed literature to characterize how PFAS concentrations vary across space and time in high risk operational landscapes. Emphasis is placed on legacy and active sources, including firefighting training areas, chemical manufacturing plants, metal plating sites, and logistics hubs, where repeated releases have created persistent soil, groundwater, and surface water plumes. Evidence shows that contamination patterns are strongly shaped by facility age, waste handling practices, hydrogeology, regulatory history, and remediation timing. Temporal trend analyses indicate that while some locations show gradual declines following intervention, others exhibit stable or expanding footprints due to ongoing inputs and subsurface migration. Seasonal variability is also observed, with precipitation, recharge, and hydrologic connectivity influencing PFAS transport and detection frequency. Advanced geospatial modeling and time series methods reveal clustered hotspots near discharge zones and downgradient communities, highlighting disproportionate exposure risks for nearby populations. Comparative regional assessment further suggests uneven monitoring coverage and data resolution, limiting early warning capacity in several jurisdictions. The integration of remote sensing, high resolution sampling, and predictive analytics improves plume tracking and supports risk informed decision making for site prioritization. Results underscore the need for standardized longitudinal surveillance, transparent reporting, and adaptive remediation strategies tailored to site specific transport pathways. Strengthening regulatory thresholds, infrastructure audits, and cross agency coordination will be critical for reducing long term exposure burdens and guiding equitable resource allocation. Overall, a spatiotemporal perspective provides a more accurate basis for intervention design, liability assessment, and community protection in PFAS affected U.S. regions. Future research should couple sensor based networks with biomonitoring and health outcome datasets to better link environmental gradients with human exposure patterns and disease indicators. Such integrated frameworks can enhance accountability, accelerate cleanup performance, and inform safer chemical substitution and procurement policies nationwide. Coordinated federal, state, and local data sharing platforms will be essential to sustain comparable long term spatiotemporal PFAS risk mapping and evidence based regulatory action. Across vulnerable industrial and defense adjacent communities nationwide today and into future planning cycles and protection strategies ahead overall nationally.

Keywords: PFAS, Spatiotemporal Analysis, Groundwater Contamination, Industrial Facilities, Military Sites, Environmental Monitoring, Geospatial Modeling, Public Health Risk.