FY 2019 STATEMENT OF NEED

Environmental Restoration (ER) Program Area 

The objective of this Statement of Need (SON) was to improve our understanding of bioavailability, bioaccumulation, and biomagnification of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the subsurface. Specifically, the goal was to address the following research areas of interest:

• Improved understanding of the uptake and excretion rates of PFASs by organisms throughout the food web to at least include competitive uptake and/or selective bioaccumulation at different trophic levels.
• Determine the rate and extent of PFAS uptake from soils and water by lower-trophic level organisms, along with the potential biotransformation of perfluoroalkyl acid (PFAA) precursors, in order to determine the relevant mixtures for further study with higher-trophic level organisms.
• Identification of physical and geochemical factors affecting bioavailability of PFAS in sediments and soils.
• Compare the potency of PFAS in relation to chain length, functional group, and varying levels of fluorination.
• Assess PFAS bioaccumulation/biomagnification throughout a food web.

The projects listed below were selected to address the objectives of this SON. Additional information on individual projects can be found by clicking the project title.

• Uptake and Bioaccumulation/Biomagnification of Subsurface-Derived PFAS by Lotic, Warm Water Food Webs 
  • Lead Investigator: Marie Kurz, Drexel University
• Determination of Biomagnification Potentials for PFAS in Terrestrial Food-webs
  • Lead Investigator: Roman Kuperman, U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command - Chemical Biological Center
• Physiological, Ecological and Environmental Determinants of PFAS Accumulation in Fish: Towards an Improved Bioaccumulation Model
  • Lead Investigator: Christopher Salice, Towson University
• Developing a Predictive Understanding of PFAS Bioaccumulation with Environmental Complexity: Application to the Model Benthic Invertebrate Hyalella azteca and the Common Fish Model Pimephales promelas
  • Lead Investigator: Matt Simcik, University of Minnesota

Research should lead to a better understanding of the environmental impact of AFFF-impacted sites and directly impact the DoD’s ability to manage these sites more cost effectively while being protective of human health and the environment.