The Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Research and Development awarded a $1,599,999 Science to Achieve Results (STAR) Program grant to the University of Virginia to understand how per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) can bioaccumulate in native plants and animals of cultural significance to tribal communities in Maine.
The project will: (1) quantify PFAS uptake into soil and crops from contaminated irrigation water, (2) develop on-farm tools to identify unexpected PFAS sources, (3) determine how PFAS can spread to culturally important plants, and (4) quantify PFAS bioaccumulation in animals and insects in food webs. The Central Aroostook Soil and Water Conservation District will provide equipment, supplies, and labor for crop cultivation and sample collection, while the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station will process field samples and perform PFAS analysis. The Mi'kmaq Environmental Laboratory will provide guidance on trial design and support field sample collection for native plants and animals. The outcomes include reports, publications, cultivation protocols, and technologies to reduce PFAS bioaccumulation in crops and understand PFAS exposure in tribal communities.
Generated 3/18/25, 2:05 AM