Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2023_FL_Quinones

Fate, trophic uptake, and toxicity of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) Mixtures in a Florida Estuary

Institute: Florida
USGS Grant Number:
Year Established: 2023 Start Date: 2024-01-01 End Date: 2026-12-31
Total Federal Funds: $277,590 Total Non-Federal Funds: $277,609

Principal Investigators: Katherine Y. Deliz Quiñones

Project Summary: Critical knowledge gaps remain regarding ecosystem scale impacts of PFAS pollution. Suboptimal information on PFAS environmental transformation, transport and toxicity are hampering the development of management strategies and regulatory guidance to prevent PFAS hazards. We propose a study that incorporates field assessment and laboratory experiments of environmental and biological samples, to better understand PFAS distribution in the sediment-water interface, their trophic uptake and toxicity in aquatic systems. The study will be performed in the Indian River Lagoon. This Estuary of National Significance occupies 40% of Florida’s east coast, and in recent years, has experienced a substantial decline in fish, dolphins, manatees, and seagrass. Understanding the impacts PFAS have on the ecology of the IRL is key to preserve the lagoon’s water quality, and ecosystem homeostasis.