Grantee Research Project Results
2023 Progress Report: Building Resilience to PFAS Exposure on Vulnerable Coastal Communities Prone to Extreme Weather Floods: Brevard County FL as a Case Study
EPA Grant Number: R840045Title: Building Resilience to PFAS Exposure on Vulnerable Coastal Communities Prone to Extreme Weather Floods: Brevard County FL as a Case Study
Investigators: Quiñones, Katherine Deliz
Institution: University of Florida
EPA Project Officer: Hahn, Intaek
Project Period: August 1, 2020 through July 31, 2023 (Extended to July 31, 2025)
Project Period Covered by this Report: August 1, 2022 through July 31,2023
Project Amount: $798,193
RFA: Contaminated Sites, Natural Disasters, Changing Environmental Conditions and Vulnerable Communities: Research to Build Resilience (2019) RFA Text | Recipients Lists
Research Category: Endocrine Disruptors , Safer Chemicals , Sustainable and Healthy Communities
Objective:
The main goal of this project is to work with vulnerable coastal communities and stakeholders in Florida to better understand the diversity, fate, transport, and exposure pathways of PFAS after flooding events, and follow a holistic approach that integrates Community-Engaged Research (CEnR), systematic environmental sampling, laboratory experiments, and a risk framework model to mitigate community exposure, and increase communities’ resilience.
Specific objectives are:
Objective 1 Identify exposure pathways for PFAS in Brevard County vulnerable communities.
Objective 2 Characterize diversity and concentration ranges of PFAS in environmental and biological media before and immediately after a flooding event.
Objective 3 Understand the effect of major flood events on the mobility and risk exposure of PFAS with the goal to build community resilience.
Progress Summary:
Community Engagement Activities: In the third year of the project our community engagement (CE) efforts were focused on expanding our second-year activities including (1) completing the second phase of the socio-environmental vulnerability mapping; (2) facilitation of virtual community meetings in collaboration with community partners; (3) expansion of the Citizen Science program in Brevard County. Outreach, training and CEnR activities increased participation and capacity of target communities. Outputs of this research has led to increased communication and potential collaboration with state agencies, and city officials to strategize and prioritize environmental monitoring and management of identified at-risk areas.
Field and Laboratory Activities: During the third year of this project, we completed tasks associated with Objectives 1, 2 and 3 of the proposed research. The U. of Florida team in collaboration with Fight for Zero (FFZ), Ocean Research & Conservation Association (ORCA) and Brevard County Citizen Scientists have collected over 1,500 environmental and biota samples (surface water, sediments, soil, fish, seagrass) as well as drinking water samples throughout Brevard County Florida. Physicochemical characterization has been completed for all surface water, sediment, and soil samples, including elemental analysis. All samples have been extracted, analyzed, integrated, and quantified for PFAS concentration. The team is currently performing data analysis to interpret results. Overall, result show a high diversity and concentration of PFAS in the environment and biota, which higher concentrations near site of suspected or known use of PFAS such as DoD sites and wastewater treatment sites.
Future Activities:
In year 4 of the project, we will continue/start tasks related to Objective 3-1 including batch and column desorption laboratory experiments. Future Community Engagement activities will be focused on data dissemination and addressing community questions, as well as identifying and engaging with stakeholders in Brevard and Jacksonville.
Journal Articles:
No journal articles submitted with this report: View all 10 publications for this projectSupplemental Keywords:
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), Community Engaged Research (CEnR), fate and transport, water quality, Brevard County Florida, flooding, pollutant exposure, public healthRelevant Websites:
UF Team PFAS Exit
Fight For Zero Exit
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.