Project Grant G23AP00043

This $500,000 project grant from the US Geological Survey under the Assistance to State Water Resources Research Institutes federal grant program (CFDA 15.805) will fund a multi-year study at the University of New Hampshire investigating per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in New Hampshire lake ecosystems. The study aims to determine concentrations and profiles of 40 PFAS compounds, including precursors and terminal compounds, in sediments, water, and benthic and pelagic organisms in six NH lakes. Researchers will assess PFAS levels in abiotic lake compartments, evaluate concentrations and profiles of PFAS in biota, and relate biota concentrations to local abiotic factors. Laboratory microcosm experiments and non-targeted PFAS analyses on field samples will elucidate the roles of bioconcentration, trophic transfer, and biotransformation in PFAS bioaccumulation. The University will collaborate with the USGS New England Water Science Center and NH Department of Environmental Services to increase understanding of PFAS exposure risks to humans and wildlife through aquatic food webs. A $50,000 subaward to Dartmouth College will support related research on PFAS bioaccumulation mechanisms in the selected lakes.