Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID VA 2024 Gray

An Integrated Approach to Assess Freshwater Mussel Response to Anti-Inflammatory Pharmaceuticals in Virginia, USA

Institute: Virginia
Year Established: 2024 Start Date: 2024-09-01 End Date: 2025-08-31
Total Federal Funds: $8,615 Total Non-Federal Funds: $8,615

Principal Investigators: Austin Gray

Project Summary: Pharmaceuticals have been increasingly detected in the environment. These chemicals move into aquatic environments through various pathways and pose a threat to organisms that live in these habitats. Freshwater mussels are a highly biodiverse population of organisms that live in aquatic habitats. This study examines chemical stress on mussels that may be contributing to their decline. Investigating stress and subsequent loss of mussels matters because this organism provides valuable ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling that supports ecological processes valued by Virginia communities.