Reposted from the Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering.

Known as “forever chemicals,” per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic compounds that have been widely used in various industrial and consumer products, such as non-stick cookware, water-repellent clothing and firefighting foams. Their resistance to degradation combined with their potential to accumulate in living organisms has raised significant concerns about their impact on human health and the environment. While significant progress has been made in understanding PFAS, we are still unraveling the dangers they pose, including their environmental impact.

Research led by Ramesh Goel, a University of Utah professor of civil and environmental engineering, tackles this issue by examining the PFAS that accumulates in the biosolids that are spread on agricultural fields. The chemicals’ uptake into plants escalates risks to both environmental and public health. Goel has secured a $1.6 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, one of ten grants awarded nationwide to address the PFAS crisis in agricultural, rural and tribal communities.

PFAS in municipal wastewater has become a pressing environmental issue. Current treatment methods at wastewater treatment plants are largely ineffective at removing or fully degrading PFAS, leading to their presence in biosolids. Biosolids, the nutrient-rich organic material generated from sewage treatment, are commonly used as fertilizers in agriculture. It is estimated that 2,749 to 3,450 kilograms of total PFAS are present in the biosolids produced in the U.S., with half of these chemicals entering agricultural soils. In 2019, approximately 4.5 million dry tons of biosolids were generated by wastewater plants in the U.S., and around 2.44 million dry metric tons were applied to land.

This recent set of EPA grants are designed to understand “bioaccumulation,” or how pollutants like PFAS  concentrate in plants and animals that grow or graze on polluted ground.

Goel’s project brings together six researchers from different institutions, alongside industrial partners and agricultural stakeholders, to ensure a multidisciplinary approach to understanding this critical environmental issue. The project seeks to determine how PFAS chemicals behave during wastewater treatment and accumulate in biosolids. By understanding these processes, Goel’s research aims to develop effective strategies to minimize the risks associated with PFAS in agricultural environments, protecting both the food supply and the health of farming communities.

The research will employ a variety of methods, including full-scale sampling at wastewater treatment plants, field experiments to study PFAS uptake in plants under different cover crop scenarios, and lab-scale tests on plant uptake of toxic PFAS. Additionally, the project will explore the use of modified biochar as a potential mitigation strategy.

The project’s community engagement plan will share knowledge and findings with industrial partners, agricultural extension agents, utilities and the public, ensuring that the research has a broad impact.