Dr. Ian Pepper, Director of The Water & Energy Sustainable Technology (WEST) Center at the University of Arizona, is spearheading a collaborative national study on the fate and transport of PFAS following long-term land application of biosolids.  The project scales up Dr. Pepper’s local research on behalf of Pima County, Arizona, following a land application ban there in (see NEBRA News article, dated 12/14/2020).  This new study is titled “Evaluation of Fate and Transport of PFAS Following Long-Term Land Application of Biosolids: A Collaborative National Study.”  The research questions are: 

1.     Does land application of biosolids result in significantly increased human exposure to PFAS?

2.     Will it lead to a national ban on land application?

In Year 1 of the study, the researchers aim to evaluate the incidence and mobility of PFAS in soil following long-term land application of Class B and/or Class A biosolids.  The national study will focus on numerous sites across the country with good records on land application of biosolids to evaluate whether or not land application of biosolids is a significant public health route of exposure.

Another University of Arizona researcher, Dr. Mark Brousseau is conducting research for the Department of Defense looking at PFAS transport through pristine soils.  Coordination between Dr. Pepper and Dr. Brousseau will provide data for an evaluation of the effects of biosolids on mobility, relative to non-biosolid PFAS transport and will aid in model development.

In year 2 of the study, researchers will evaluate the potential for crop uptake of PFAS following land application.  The total estimated project cost is about $1 million and fund-raising efforts recently began in earnest; $100,000 has already been pledged in a short time.  The work is being coordinated with other researchers working on similar studies.

If you are interested in donating to this important national study, please email ipepper@arizona.edu.