Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID FL_2024_Deliz

Effects of per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) on microbial community structure and function at the Indian River Lagoon: Implications on sediment biochemical cycles

Institute: Florida
Year Established: 2024 Start Date: 2024-09-01 End Date: 2025-08-31
Total Federal Funds: $28,068 Total Non-Federal Funds: $12,827

Principal Investigators: Katherine Deliz Quinones

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, 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.