University of Virginia study aims to reduce “forever chemicals.”
Brian Berger, an associate professor of chemical engineering at the University of Virginia, has received a $1.6 million grant from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to work on mitigating the harmful effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in rural communities. PFAS, also known as “forever chemicals,” are synthetic compounds that have been used in industrial and consumer products since the 1940s. These chemicals are difficult to break down and accumulate in soil, water, air, and even food, posing potential risks to human and environmental health.
The funding is part of a larger EPA effort to allocate more than $15 million to 10 agencies for PFAS reduction research, with a focus on improving on-farm viability and understanding how these substances accumulate in crops. Berger’s research team will work with growers, tribal communities and other stakeholders to study the impacts of PFAS on agricultural systems and develop solutions to mitigate those effects.
“PFAS negatively impact the health of farmers, animals and crops, threatening farmers’ livelihoods and ultimately harming the well-being of entire communities,” Berger explained in a UVA news release. “This collaboration with growers, tribal communities and researchers will help us understand the full extent of the problem on farms, identify and remove potential sources of contamination and find sustainable ways to mitigate it.”
The study will focus on how PFAS get into soil and crops through contaminated irrigation water and how other chemicals and environmental factors affect PFAS absorption. Berger’s team also plans to collect plant and animal tissue samples to assess the accumulation of PFAS in the food chain, particularly in plants that are culturally important to tribal communities.
The study aims to protect agricultural ecosystems and promote sustainable agricultural practices by providing farmers with tools to detect sources of PFAS. It also aims to protect vulnerable rural and tribal populations that are disproportionately affected by PFAS exposure. Additionally, the project will provide recommendations to farmers on how to reduce PFAS contamination.
Key collaborators on this project include Michael P. Timko, Lewis and Clark Professor of Biology at the University of Virginia, and other distinguished researchers. This effort builds on earlier experimental work funded by the Jefferson Trust, which supported the critical investigations leading to this groundbreaking work.
Berger’s research findings will be crucial in determining how agricultural communities, especially high-risk communities, can reduce exposure to PFAS and ensure safer, more sustainable agricultural practices.
