Grantee Research Project Results
2019 Progress Report: PFAS UNITED: Poly - and Perfluoroalkyl Substances - U.S.National Investigation of Transport & Exposure from Drinking Water and Diet
EPA Grant Number: R839482Title: PFAS UNITED: Poly - and Perfluoroalkyl Substances - U.S.National Investigation of Transport & Exposure from Drinking Water and Diet
Investigators: Higgins, Christopher , Illangasekare, Tissa , Adgate, John L. , Stapleton, Heather , Knappe, Detlef , Hoppin, Jane , Carignan, Courtney , Duckworth, Owen
Current Investigators: Higgins, Christopher , Illangasekare, Tissa , Adgate, John L. , Stapleton, Heather , Knappe, Detlef , Hoppin, Jane , Carignan, Courtney
Institution: Colorado School of Mines , Duke University , Michigan State University , University of Colorado at Denver , North Carolina State University
EPA Project Officer: Packard, Benjamin H
Project Period: May 1, 2019 through April 30, 2022 (Extended to March 31, 2024)
Project Period Covered by this Report: May 1, 2019 through April 30,2020
Project Amount: $1,964,375
RFA: National Priorities: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (2018) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Ecological Indicators/Assessment/Restoration , Climate Change , Water , Water Quality
Objective:
The goal of this study is to develop a comprehensive set of data related to the fate, transport, and bioaccumulation of poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) and resultant human exposure. This study seeks to fill the data gaps on the fundamental environmental behavior of overlooked PFASs, the uptake into local food sources in impacted communities, and the relevance of that uptake for human exposure to PFASs.
Progress Summary:
At the one year point, we were able to hold one in-person team meeting with all collaborating institutions. We also held a virtual introductory Advisory Board meeting and plan to meet in person with the entire Advisory Board once travel resumes in light of COVID-19. Thus far in the research we have successfully achieved the following:
- Obtained and characterized groundwater, to be used in sorption and column experiments, for which we have constructed the columns and performed leak testing
- Developed experimental design for greenhouse experiments using collected groundwater
- Performed salt tracer analysis of breakthrough curve in preparation of performing PFAS transport column experiments under saturated and unsaturated conditions
- Initiated method development for overlooked PFAS extraction from plants and analysis in plant xylem
- Designed and tested transpiration stream concentration factor (TSCF) experiments using a plant pressure chamber and conducted preliminary experiments with tomato plants
- Initiated Michigan biomonitoring study
- Determined three viable receptor method options and a two-step statistical method, principal component analysis-multiple linear regression (PCA-MLR) and completed preliminary analyses with these three methods for the Colorado Cohort serum data
Future Activities:
Conduct experiments to determine kinetics, extent, and reversibility of PFAS sorption to a range of soils
- Develop a non-equilibrium solver to incorporate physical and chemical non-equilibrium equations and air-water interfacial sorption
- Continue PFAS column transport tests with variable saturation
- Complete PFAS extraction method for plants
- Conduct greenhouse and TSCF experiments to determine uptake of PFAS from water
- Complete PFAS analysis of fruits and vegetables collected in North Carolina and Michigan
- Begin recruitment, data, and sample collections for the Michigan biomonitoring study
- Compare the models for analyses of the Colorado Cohort water data to inform the results of the serum analyses
- Compare the results from differing sources of PFAS exposure (Colorado Cohort vs North Carolina Cohort)
- Finalize the food extraction and analysis methods and analyze samples collected in Michigan
- Collect ambient samples (indoor air, house dust and wrist bands) for analysis
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 17 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
PFAS, drinking water, food, contaminants, exposureRelevant Websites:
Progress and Final Reports:
Original AbstractThe perspectives, information and conclusions conveyed in research project abstracts, progress reports, final reports, journal abstracts and journal publications convey the viewpoints of the principal investigator and may not represent the views and policies of ORD and EPA. Conclusions drawn by the principal investigators have not been reviewed by the Agency.