EPA Grant: Research on PFAS Uptake and Bioaccumulation in Agricultural, Rural, and Tribal Communities

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of manufactured chemicals that have been widely used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s. PFAS are resistant to environmental and metabolic degradation and can build up in the environment and the human body over time [1]. The substances may be found in soil, air, water, and food as well as in materials in homes or workplaces (e.g., fire extinguishing foam, food packaging, biosolids, personal care packaging, etc.) [2,3]. Due to their widespread use, most people in the United States have been exposed to some level of PFAS. Exposure to certain PFAS may lead to detrimental health impacts including reproductive effects, developmental effects, increased risks of cancers, weakening of the immune system, and endocrine system disruption [4,5]. Agriculture and PFAS chemicals can intersect through soil, air, and water. These resources may be contaminated through dust particles, application of biosolid residues, and leaching [6,7,8,9].

A large portion of current PFAS research has prioritized data generation and information collection through theoretical science instead of practical application. Identifying, characterizing, and understanding PFAS uptake within agricultural environments will provide vital information related to exposure pathways and will help inform the development of scalable solutions. Research is essential to increase knowledge related to biological uptake in agricultural and rural settings, improve farm viability, and to explore approaches to understand PFAS accumulation in plants and animals. Future research should build upon previous foundations and develop science that has the potential to guide scalable on-farm solutions. Further research is needed to explore the exposure mechanisms of PFAS, develop mitigation strategies, and increase the general knowledge of PFAS and its health risks.

EPA is soliciting novel research that proposes innovative and multidisciplinary approaches to better understand PFAS uptake in plants and animals in agricultural environments. PFAS mitigation and contamination prevention strategies should also be an aspect of the research.