UK PFAS CRM Market 2035: Water Surveillance, Food Testing and Emerging PFAS Standards

UK PFAS CRM Market Size and Overview

The UK Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances Certified Reference Materials (PFAS CRM) market is estimated at USD 11.2 million in 2025 and is projected to reach USD 23.6 million by 2035, growing at an assumed CAGR of 8.4% during 2026-2035. The UK PFAS Certified Reference Material market is driven by the expansion of drinking-water PFAS monitoring, government-led expansion of environmental monitoring, strengthening food safety and food-contact material analysis, tighter regulatory scrutiny of persistent chemical contaminants, and rising demand for sensitive analytical methods and reliable laboratory quality assurance.

Government-led environmental monitoring is expanding the scope of PFAS testing across the UK, supporting demand for specialised analytical standards and certified reference materials. For instance, in February 2026, the UK government published its cross-government PFAS Plan, and updated in August 2026, outlining annual monitoring of 2,400 PFAS samples in England, an increase in Scotland’s water-monitoring network from approximately 300 samples in 2025 to 500 in 2026, and soil-monitoring pilots at a minimum of five locations in England. The plan also includes an assessment of English estuaries and coastal environments by February 2028, broadening the potential need for reference materials suitable for different environmental matrices.

UK PFAS CRM Market Key Takeaways

• Water dominated the UK PFAS Certified Reference Materials (CRM) market by matrix in 2025, accounting for 37.8% market share. Demand is supported by drinking-water quality monitoring, source-water contamination assessment, and the need to validate analytical methods used to detect PFAS at trace concentrations. In 2025, water companies in England and Wales conducted more than 666,000 analyses for individual PFAS, while the Drinking Water Inspectorate (DWI) strengthened monitoring and reporting requirements.
• Fluorotelomer Compounds (FTs) are projected to be the fastest-growing chemical class in the UK PFAS CRM market, with a CAGR of 9.5%. Growth is supported by the need to monitor a broader range of PFAS compounds and improve analytical coverage of emerging contaminants. For instance, in 2025, the DWI reported that water-company monitoring had identified 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonamide alkylbetaine (6:2 FTAB) as a PFAS of potential concern and added it to the monitoring parameter list.
• The expansion of specialised PFAS reference-material portfolios is strengthening analytical capabilities for environmental monitoring and regulatory testing in the UK. For instance, in September 2025, LGC Standards expanded its PFAS reference-material portfolio with native and C-labelled standards supporting EPA Method 1633, including multi-analyte mixtures covering 24 and 7 PFAS compounds and individual labelled standards. These materials support accurate compound identification, quantitative analysis, and method validation, reinforcing demand for reliable reference materials in PFAS testing.

UK PFAS CRM Market Scope

UK PFAS CRM Market Disruption Analysis

Expansion of Food Testing to Emerging PFAS Compounds and Complex Matrices

The UK PFAS Certified Reference Material market faces disruption as analytical testing expands into food categories and PFAS compounds that require further method development and validation. CRM suppliers may need to broaden their portfolios to cover additional analytes and food matrices, while laboratories require suitable standards to establish method accuracy, recovery and detection limits. These requirements can increase product-development complexity and shift demand towards specialised reference materials.

In September 2026, the UK Food Standards Agency reported completing and publishing research on analytical methods for detecting 27 PFAS compounds in fruit and vegetables, including kale, potatoes, carrots, beetroot, blueberries and wheat flour. The research also identified the need for further validation work for emerging PFAS compounds because sample-preparation and contamination issues affected some results. In parallel, the FSA is developing a large-scale UK dietary survey, due to finish in spring 2028, to measure up to 40 PFAS chemicals across food categories including fish and dairy. These developments may increase demand for additional PFAS standards and matrix-appropriate reference materials, while placing greater technical demands on CRM producers.

UK PFAS CRM Market BCG Matrix: Company Evaluation

LGC Standards and Wellington Laboratories are positioned as Stars in the UK PFAS Certified Reference Materials (CRM) market due to their established PFAS reference-standard portfolios, including native and isotope-labelled compounds for environmental monitoring and analytical testing. Restek Corporation, AccuStandard and Cambridge Isotope Laboratories are classified as Potential Stars, supported by their multi-analyte PFAS standards, certified reference materials and isotope-labelled compounds used in quantitative analysis and regulatory testing.

Chiron AS is positioned as a Question Mark, supported by its specialised PFAS reference-material portfolio and potential to serve emerging analytical requirements. However, its relative market position depends on UK distribution and customer adoption.

UK PFAS CRM Market Segment Analysis 

The UK PFAS CRM market is segmented based on product type, PFAS chemical class, matrix, regulatory method, analytical technique, end-user industry, and region.

Water Matrix Dominance Driven by Drinking Water Monitoring and Utility-Led PFAS Testing

Water matrix holds the largest share of the UK PFAS certified reference material market, driven by extensive PFAS monitoring in drinking water and the need for reliable analytical quality control. In August 2024, the Drinking Water Inspectorate updated its PFAS reporting guidance, while water companies in England and Wales conducted over 770,000 analyses for individual PFAS during 2024 and more than 1.8 million cumulatively since 2012. This sustained testing activity supports demand for certified reference materials used in PFAS quantification, analytical method validation and laboratory quality assurance.

Extensive PFAS testing by UK water companies supports demand for certified reference materials for analytical validation and quality control. For instance, Severn Trent conducts PFAS testing through its in-house accredited Analysis Team across drinking water, wastewater and biosolid samples, while Yorkshire Water and Thames Water undertake PFAS sampling and testing as part of water quality monitoring and regulatory compliance activities. These programmes require reliable analytical standards to support accurate PFAS measurement across different sample matrices.

UK PFAS CRM Market Competitive Landscape

• PFAS CRM suppliers serving the UK market include LGC Standards, Wellington Laboratories Inc., AccuStandard, Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc., Restek Corporation, and Chiron AS. Their portfolios include PFAS reference standards, multi-component mixtures, isotope-labelled compounds and analytical standards for environmental monitoring, drinking-water testing and laboratory quality control.
• Key players in the UK PFAS CRM market include LGC Standards, Wellington Laboratories Inc., AccuStandard, Cambridge Isotope Laboratories, Inc., Restek Corporation, and Chiron AS.

Key Developments

• September 2025: LGC Standards expanded its PFAS reference-material portfolio with native and C-labelled standards supporting EPA Method 1633, including multi-analyte mixtures covering 24 and 7 PFAS compounds and individual labelled standards. The company also offers specialised standards for Capstone A and fluorotelomer carboxylic acids (FTCAs), strengthening its range of analytical materials for laboratories conducting PFAS testing in environmental samples.
• May 2026: AccuStandard expanded its PFAS CRM portfolio with emerging-compound standards. The company introduced single-component reference standards for PFMOAA, HFPA-TA and other emerging PFAS, alongside a PFAS set aligned with UK Drinking Water Inspectorate guidance. These additions broaden its reference-standard range beyond conventional PFAS compounds and support laboratories developing expanded analytical panels
• February 2026: Restek Corporation introduced EPA Method 533 and 537.1 PFAS certified reference-material mixes. Each mix combines the compounds required by its respective drinking-water method in a single ampul, simplifying calibration preparation and reducing handling steps. The standards are produced in ISO-accredited laboratories, with reported purity above 99%, expanding Restek's method-specific PFAS CRM portfolio.
• June 2025: Restek launched two multicomponent PFAS certified reference materials. Its PFAS 3 Standard contains PFOS, PFOA and PFHxS, while the PFAS 4 Standard adds PFNA. The products combine frequently analyzed compounds into ready-to-use mixtures for water, food and other sample matrices, reducing the need for laboratories to purchase and prepare individual standards separately.

Why Choose DataM?

• Technological Innovations: Examines advancements in PFAS certified reference materials, including stable isotope-labeled standards, multi-component PFAS mixtures, matrix-specific reference materials, and standards for emerging PFAS compounds, supporting accurate quantification and reliable laboratory testing.
• Product Performance & Market Positioning: Evaluates how PFAS CRM manufacturers differentiate their products through certified concentrations, measurement uncertainty, traceability, purity, stability, and compatibility with EPA analytical methods, particularly Methods 533, 537.1, and 1633A.
• Real-World Applications: Highlights the use of PFAS CRMs by UK laboratories in drinking-water compliance testing, contaminated-site investigations, groundwater monitoring, wastewater analysis, firefighting-foam contamination assessment, and food and biological sample testing.
• Market Updates & Industry Changes: Tracks developments during 2025-2026, including PFAS reference-standard launches, expanded compound coverage, new matrix-specific materials, supplier portfolio expansions, and changes in UK PFAS monitoring and analytical requirements.
• Pricing & Market Access: Assesses PFAS CRM pricing based on compound composition, isotope labeling, concentration, certification level, mixture size, and packaging. It also examines supplier availability, distribution channels, procurement requirements, and access to specialized standards for UK environmental, industrial, government, and research laboratories.
• Market Entry & Expansion: Identifies opportunities arising from drinking-water testing, environmental remediation, industrial contamination monitoring, and emerging PFAS analysis requirements. It evaluates strategies such as expanding isotope-labeled standard portfolios, developing matrix-specific CRMs, strengthening laboratory partnerships, and improving access to specialized reference materials across the United States.

Target Audience 2026

• PFAS Certified Reference Material Manufacturers and Producers
• Analytical and Environmental Testing Laboratories
• Government and Regulatory Agencies
• Pharmaceutical and Biotechnology Companies
• Food and Beverage Testing Organizations
• Environmental Monitoring and Water Quality Organizations
• Industrial Chemical and Manufacturing Companies
• Semiconductor and Electronics Manufacturers
• Wastewater Treatment and Remediation Companies
• Contract Research Organizations and Academic Research Institutes
• Reference Material Distributors and Laboratory Suppliers
• Mining, Metals and Critical Minerals Companies