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Quantifying PFAS distribution in coastal Lake Michigan tributaries

Principal Investigator: Gary Lamberti, Daniele de Almeida Miranda
Affiliation: University of Notre Dame
Initiation Date: 2024

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are broadly recognized to pose a serious threat to environmental and public health, are now ubiquitous and persistent in the environment, and aquatic systems are particularly susceptible to contamination from multiple sources. Scientists recognize a critical need to better understand the fate and transport of PFAS into aquatic ecosystems and their movement within these systems once present. Understanding PFAS contamination pathways into aquatic ecosystems will allow managers and public officials to better protect food webs and top fish predators that are consumed as a protein source, ultimately protecting public health. Our main objective is to determine the sources, sinks, and cycling of PFAS in stream ecosystems of coastal southern Lake Michigan watersheds as potential routes to human exposure. Our specific objectives are to quantify the PFAS spatial distribution in these biotic matrices, estimate the flows of PFAS among ecosystem compartments, and determine if any compartments act as a persistent reservoir of contamination. We are well positioned to fulfill these objectives by leveraging a recently approved grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) – Lake Michigan Coastal Program (LMCP, funded by NOAA) which will provide support for analysis of complementary abiotic samples (i.e., water and sediment).


A web-based tool for prioritizing pollution mitigation efforts in Lake Michigan tributaries: Harnessing three decades of water quality and biomonitoring data

Principal Investigator: Jason Rohr
Affiliation: University of Notre Dame
Initiation Date: 2024

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.


From Awareness to Action: Assessing PFAS exposure in communities and evaluating the effectiveness of its mitigation strategies

Principal Investigator: Ruohao Zhang
Affiliation: Pennsylvania State University
Initiation Date: 2023

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

The objectives of this study are: i) to advance the understanding of community risks of PFAS pollution exposure in MI, NY, and PA; and ii) to examine the effectiveness of the local regulations in the three states on motivating public awareness and avoidance behaviors.

New York Sea Grant is supporting outreach efforts for this proposal.


Fostering efficacy and understanding in communicating the threat of PFAS and actions for PFAS risk reduction

Principal Investigator: Lyn van Swol
Affiliation: University of Wisconsin-Madison
Initiation Date: 2023

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

The main objective of our proposal is how to communicate risk to focus on factors that could increase compliance with PFAS recommendations (e.g., using water filtration systems) and avoid unintended consequences, such as dismissing a complex message due to lack of understanding or generating fear and threat perception without a means to alleviate the threat. We have three studies where we focus specifically on: 1.) What types of information people look for online about PFAS; 2.) what type of messaging is most effective for communicating about the health risk of PFAS in an experiment with a focus on the variables of efficacy to enact recommendations, level of fear and threat conveyed by the message, and complexity of the message, and, 3.) What PFAS-related messages are most engaging in a real-world paid message test conducted on social media to residents who rely on municipal water supplies, including tests targeting both English and Spanish-speakers.

Wisconsin Sea Grant will support outreach efforts for this project.


Comparative Analysis of State Regulation of PFAS in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain Regions

Principal Investigator: Stephanie Otts
Affiliation: National Sea Grant Law Center
Initiation Date: 2023

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.


Fish consumption and knowledge of PFAS among communities of color in the Lake Michigan region

Principal Investigator: Susan Buchanan
Affiliation: University of Illinois Chicago
Initiation Date: 2023

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

  • To characterize fish consumption behavior among recreational fishers in two predominantly African American populations in the Lake Michigan area by holding a listening session and conducting surveys at fishing sites.
  • To explore these two communities’ familiarity with contaminants in fish including PFAS, their understanding of fish advisories and the potential health risks of eating recreationally-caught fish, preferred sources of health information, and behavior change domains.

Michigan Sea Grant will support outreach efforts for this project. 


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