The Environmental Protection Agency announced $3.2m in total research grant funding for Texas A&M University and Texas Tech University for research to reduce per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances exposure from food and protect our farmlands and farming communities. Both institutions will receive $1.6m each. The research teams will investigate topics including how PFAS accumulates in crops and livestock; the effects of biosolids, compost and irrigation water on PFAS plant uptake and accumulation; and strategies to reduce the risks of PFAS contamination in the food supply.
- Texas A&M University’s research aims to comprehensively understand PFAS uptake and bioaccumulation in plants and advance strategies to remediate PFAS in biosolids and biosolid-amended soils. Researchers will screen, design, and develop plant-based biosensors for PFAS detection in biosolids, soils, and water. They will also demonstrate the effectiveness of technologies in remediating PFAS in biosolids, reducing PFAS bioavailability to plants in biosolid-amended soils, and evaluating the sensitivity of developed biosensors in monitoring PFAS contamination. If successful, this research could empower agricultural communities, wastewater professionals, and decision makers to increase their ability to manage PFAS risk associated with the beneficial uses of biosolids and reclaimed water.
- Texas Tech University will investigate potential non-traditional PFAS sources in farming operations. Through lab and modeling studies, researchers will conduct a detailed survey and characterization of the impacts of manure and biosolid pre-application treatment or processing. They will also conduct plant cultivation studies to measure PFAS partitioning and bioavailability as a function of soil type and biosolid amendment and look at fish cultivation to measure PFAS uptake, partitioning, and elimination due to exposure to water and dietary sources, among other potential PFAS sources. The team will use data from lab studies to evaluate PFAS management strategies in agricultural settings.
More information about these research grants can be found here.