Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID IL_2025_Konar

Groundwater depletion in full US supply chains

Institute: Illinois
Year Established: 2025 Start Date: 2026-01-01 End Date: 2026-12-31
Total Federal Funds: $20,000 Total Non-Federal Funds: $20,000

Principal Investigators: Megan Konar

Project Summary: Application of biosolids in agricultural fields is a win-win practice for providing nutrients and organic matter to improve soil health and reducing chemical fertilizer use. However, biosolids often contain PFAS?also known as ?Forever Chemicals??that do not break down in the environment. When these biosolids are spread on fields, PFAS can move into the soil and potentially reach groundwater and surface water through leaching and runoff, posing a risk to water quality. This proposal aims to generate an innovative material that can capture and hold PFAS in biosolids, reducing their movement into watersheds. Successful completion of this project will provide a practical and cost-effective solution to mitigate PFAS pollution from biosolids, helping to protect valuable water resources.