Managing Risks with Forensic Expertise
Verdantas’ experts are leaders in evaluating legacy and emerging contaminants in the environment. With decades of experience, we have developed a deep understanding of the sources and fate of contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dioxins and furans (PCCD/Fs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pharmaceuticals, and personal hygiene products, mercury, and other metals across various ecosystems, including rivers, lakes, harbors, groundwater, and soils. Our experts are highly focused on emerging contaminants like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and 6PPD-quinone.
With decades of experience, Verdantas brings technical expertise to solve a wide range of issues related to legacy and emerging contaminants. We offer comprehensive support in identifying release pathways and performing forensic data analysis. Our methods are designed to identify, track, and understand contaminant behavior, helping clients resolve site challenges efficiently and with scientific rigor.
Our work spans a variety of contaminants:
- PFAS: Recognized as a significant liability for industries involved in its manufacture or disposal, PFAS have become a primary focus for regulators. Verdantas helps clients assess and manage potential PFAS liabilities, providing expertise that minimizes financial exposure.
- Dioxins and Furans (PCDD/Fs): These toxic substances are found in air, soil, sediment, and food, posing risks to human and ecological health. Verdantas’ experts have extensive experience working on major dioxin sites, using environmental fingerprinting and sediment analysis to trace contaminant sources.
- Mercury and Metals: Our experts evaluate mercury from both human and natural sources, conducting studies on its movement through ecosystems. We also apply isotopic fingerprinting techniques to trace sources of other metals, including lead, copper, and zinc.
- Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs): With a long history of evaluating PCB contamination at industrial and commercial sites, we use multiple lines of evidence—historical process operations, migration and weathering, sediment dating, and statistical analysis—to determine the most likely sources.
- Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs): PAHs can originate from both natural processes and human activities. Our team specializes in distinguishing between these sources, particularly at former manufactured gas plant sites, by identifying differences in PAH ratios and methylation patterns to distinguish pyrogenic and/or petrogenic sources.
