Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2023_IN_Miranda

Tracking PFAS accumulation and transfer in Lake Michigan using molecular tools

Institute: Indiana
USGS Grant Number:
Year Established: 2023 Start Date: 2024-01-01 End Date: 2025-12-31
Total Federal Funds: $278,999 Total Non-Federal Funds: $279,346

Principal Investigators: Daniele de Almeida Miranda

Project Summary: This study aims to understand how per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), which are widely used in industrial and consumer products, accumulate in fish tissues and their potential toxicity on fish in Lake Michigan. The researchers will used advanced mass spectroscopy, genomic and biochemical techniques to quantify PFAS in different fish tissues and to assess their distribution across fish species. They wil also investigate if molecular biomarkers can measure the impact of PFAS accumulation in fish tissues and study the genetic basis of PFAS accumulation in fish tissues and eggs. This research, conducted at the University of Notre Dame and Carleton University, aims to provide new insights into the distribution of PFAS in fish tissues in aquatic ecosystems like the Laurentian Great Lakes of North America.