• Determine the concentrations and speciation of PFAS in important Lake Michigan sportfish
• Evaluate dietary routes for PFAS exposure from prey to predator fish using δ15N and δ13C stable isotopes along with PFAS speciation
• Assess the relationship between total fluorine and PFAS concentrations to determine the full extent of the PFAS problem
• Compare observed PFAS concentrations in fish from Illinois-Indiana waters to other areas such as inland Michigan waterways where PFAS are known to be a problem

The objectives of this project are to assist in characterizing and managing pollution-related hazards to tributaries and adjacent communities along the southern half of Lake Michigan. We will accomplish this by 1) deriving a database of risk quotients (RQs; ratio of the environmental concentration of a chemical to a toxicity measurement) specific to this region by combining 30 years of contaminant monitoring data with standardized toxicity information, 2) using the RQs to estimate the effects of pollutants on regional fish and invertebrate populations, 3) highlighting local pollution-related environmental justice concerns by adding income and poverty data to the RQ database, and 4) creating an online tool for managers andstakeholders to search and visualize data from the RQ database and guide decision making.

• Enhance the NAPRA online web-based decision support tool and update the soil database using SSURGO soils data suitable for field and county level evaluation
• Assess the level of phosphorus reaching water with existing cropping management systems and assess the change in phosphorus level due to increases in biofeedstock production and intensive livestock production

This project aims to investigate the potential role of marine plastic debris as a vector for Perfluorinated Compounds (PFAS). Specific research questions are:

• To what extent do three common plastic types found in the environment act as a sink for select PFASs in Muskegon Lake?
• How important is the residence time of the materials present in these water bodies concerning the extent of PFAS accumulation?

The overarching goal of this graduate student scholars project is to better evaluate the effects of small dams and reservoirs on changing the flow of nutrients to downstream water bodies and water quality across Lake Michigan Watersheds. There are two primary objectives associated with this goal: (1). Small reservoir identification through a combination of remote-sensing and deep-learning approaches and reservoir dataset development with associated information (reservoir location, surface area, storage volume, catchment drainage area, and residence time). 2). Using hydrologic modelling and USGS water quality data collected above and below reservoirs to quantify the spatially and temporally varying effects of small reservoirs on water quality (nutrient runoff and retention). This proposed research is of pressing concern due to increased release of legacy contaminants to surface and groundwater around Lake Michigan.

The objectives of this study are to:

• Study the sources and contamination levels of enteric bacteria and viruses in Burns Ditch, one of the most polluted streams that flow into Lake Michigan in Northwest Indiana.
• Determine the impact of the pollution of Burns Ditch on the microbial quality of lake front water off West Beach, located three kilometers west of the water outfall.
• Use a molecular approach to detect viruses in stream and lake waters.
• Use a computer-based image analysis system to determine the quantity of viruses in water samples.

The widespread utilization of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has resulted in their appearance in soil, air, water, and biological tissues across the planet. One potential route of PFAS bioaccumulation into people is via consumption of contaminated fish. Previous research has demonstrated that low-level bioaccumulation of pollutants from contaminated sediments into benthic invertebrates is a key route of exposure into the food chain affecting human health. Contaminated sites are often located in areas populated by disadvantaged communities, and therefore consumption of fish by populations in areas of historic pollution is an important environmental justice consideration. PFAS accumulation in commercial fisheries is also an important consideration for the seafood industry and its workforce. This project will improve knowledge of bioaccumulation and other fate and transport processes in saturated media and develop new insight into public perceptions of risks of PFAS exposure through this pathway. The objectives are to: (1) understand the fate and transport processes, including competitive sorption, of complex PFAS mixtures from shallow groundwater to organisms in surface sediments, (2) identify key PFAS that are likely to drive bioaccumulation risk assessments for benthic invertebrates, (3) assess the potential for a passive sampling device to act as a biomimetic for PFAS bioaccumulation, and (4) understand public perceptions of risks posed by PFAS-contaminated fish tissue to inform public policymaking.

This project was funded through the “Social and Economic Impacts of PFAS in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain Regions” opportunity. 

The National Sea Grant Law Center seeks to build a foundation for advancing regional consensus regarding PFAS regulation by fulfilling the following project objectives: (1) conducting a legal scan of each state in the regions related to PFAS contamination to identify and compile relevant provisions; (2) conducting a comparative analysis of legal approaches adopted in the Great Lakes, as well as in other regions in the country, to illustrate the range and differences in policy tools; and (3) developing 2-3 case studies of state actions addressing PFAS contamination to explore policy challenges and legal risks.

Minnesota Sea Grant and Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant will support outreach efforts for this project.