<div><div>Developed during the 1940s, per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS, have an enduring chemical structure—the result of a near unbreakable bond between two main ingredients: carbon and fluorine. The combination is considered strongest single bond in organic chemistry as defined in every general chemistry textbook.By the 1950s, PFAS were widely used in manufacturing and commercial production, according to the Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council. But the compounds’ real claim to fame came when they were used in Teflon, a nonstick coating applied to cookware made with a type of PFAS called polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE).By the 1970s, the council noted, studies “found some PFAS in the blood of exposed workers and further studies in the 1990s ... reported detections in the blood of the general human population.”<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_The_Forever_Problem_Part_2_How_We_Got_Here_cover_image_c1b7321932.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame: The Forever Problem - Part 2: How We Got Here " srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_The_Forever_Problem_Part_2_How_We_Got_Here_cover_image_c1b7321932.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1681" height="1027"><div>Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports PFAS is likely in the blood of more than 97 percent of Americans. The chemicals’ ubiquitous use and everlasting nature, as well as their ability to migrate off treated materials, and, like other pollutants, dissolve readily into water or turn into aerosols, have resulted in researchers finding the chemicals in some of the most remote places on Earth. Due to their extreme persistence in the environment, PFAS have migrated over decades to the north and south poles, where they have been found in tissue samples of polar bears, minke whales, and ringed seals.Graham Peaslee, a professor in Notre Dame’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, first learned about PFAS in 2011 while teaching at Hope College in Holland, Michigan.He had a particular interest in using science to impact society—a considerable ambition for an experimental nuclear physicist. Peaslee developed a novel method to measure the nuclear and atomic content of various materials. The process included particle-induced gamma-ray emission (PIGE) ion beam analysis. PIGE uses a proton beam to bombard the surface of any solid material, causing fluorine nuclei to emit gamma-rays, a type of high-energy light, which can be detected and measured to determine the total fluorine content of the material.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Peter_Ringenberg_The_Forever_Problem_Part_2_How_We_Got_Here_Professor_Graham_Peaslee_532eb5736a.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Peter Ringenberg: Professor Graham Peaslee." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Peter_Ringenberg_The_Forever_Problem_Part_2_How_We_Got_Here_Professor_Graham_Peaslee_532eb5736a.jpg 156w," sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="1200">When struck by protons, all light nuclei emit gamma-rays on a variety of wavelengths, but “fluorine has two very distinctive wavelengths, so we know when we see those, that material contains fluorinated substances,” Peaslee said. After measuring the elemental content and distribution within the sample, Peaslee then uses liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry to analyze each sample’s chemical structure, separating the compounds in each sample.Peaslee knew his method could efficiently and cost-effectively detect fluorine content in consumer goods. Since he joined Notre Dame in 2016, he and his students have published a steady stream of studies detecting PFAS in everything from textiles, child car seats, face masks, and feminine hygiene products, to plastic containers, eye drops, school uniforms, dental floss, artificial turf, and cosmetics.Virtually every product type tested in Peaslee’s lab has had some samples that contained PFAS.In 2017, Peaslee’s lab published a study in the journal Environmental Science and Technology Letters that found PFAS in fast-food wrappers, which went viral. The research included more than 400 samples collected from fast-food restaurant chains including McDonald’s, Burger King, Chipotle, Starbucks, Jimmy John’s, Panera, and Chick-fil-A. The publication has been viewed more than 48,000 times, and the research garnered coverage by hundreds of news outlets.The study would change the trajectory of Peaslee’s career.Shortly after, Peaslee said, two US senators issued a letter to those fast-food companies who had been using products treated with the perfluorinated chemicals. They wanted to know what steps were being taken to remove those products from use and replace them with PFAS-free alternatives.The response was relatively swift, with most if not all of those companies switching to PFAS-free wrappers and paperboard containers in the following 18 months.“The central focus of my research changed after that paper,” Peaslee said. “I saw that I had an obligation to publish this applied science because it had the power to change policy. That was a real eye-opener for me and I thought, ‘I can do this, I can do it successfully.’ Being at Notre Dame, I can do it with a louder voice. We have a social responsibility to tell people about the dangers of these chemicals. That is why there is so much interest in PFAS from graduate students, faculty, and experts alike. We can make a contribution.”He has been relentless in his pursuit of that mission ever since.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Peter_Ringenberg_The_Forever_Problem_Part_2_How_We_Got_Here_Notre_Dame_s_St_Andre_accelerator_is_used_to_perform_particle_induced_gamma_ray_emission_72620445ca.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Peter Ringenberg:Notre Dame’s St. Andre accelerator is used to perform particle-induced gamma-ray emission (PIGE) ion beam analysis which can detect, measure and determine the total fluorine content of various materials efficiently and cost-effectively." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Peter_Ringenberg_The_Forever_Problem_Part_2_How_We_Got_Here_Notre_Dame_s_St_Andre_accelerator_is_used_to_perform_particle_induced_gamma_ray_emission_72620445ca.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="800" height="450">In 2018 Peaslee initiated his first study on PFAS in firefighter turnout and personal protective gear. His lab detected forever chemicals in both the inner and outer layers of jackets and pants. He received emails and gear samples from firefighters across the country and around the world and has been a returning speaker at the International Association of Fire Fighters’ biennial conference, educating the firefighting community about the use and dangers of PFAS, how the chemicals can migrate from the gear, coming in contact with and absorbing through the pores of the skin.Peaslee said some manufacturers of personal protective equipment made for firefighters have started swapping out gear treated with PFAS for PFAS-free alternatives. “It’s up to individual fire services to buy it—but it’s now being offered everywhere,” Peaslee said. “The big thing that’s changed is the union has switched 180 degrees from its previous stance and they are leading the charge.”<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Peter_Ringenberg_The_Forever_Problem_Part_2_How_We_Got_Here_Samples_of_different_materials_including_textiles_and_paper_products_are_affixed_to_a_testing_wheel_a8dc65f189.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Peter Ringenberg: Samples of different materials including textiles and paper products are affixed to a testing wheel. PIGE uses a proton beam to bombard the surface of any solid material, causing fluorine nuclei to emit gamma-rays which are then measured to detect the presence of PFAS." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Peter_Ringenberg_The_Forever_Problem_Part_2_How_We_Got_Here_Samples_of_different_materials_including_textiles_and_paper_products_are_affixed_to_a_testing_wheel_a8dc65f189.jpg 235w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1067">At home, Peaslee has worked closely with Indiana State Rep. Maureen Bauer, supporting her bill to start a biomonitoring program to measure PFAS concentrations in blood samples from current and former firefighters.In 2021, he published another viral paper on PFAS in cosmetics—viewed more than 128,000 times and covered by more than 400 news outlets.Then, in 2022, Peaslee came to another turning point. He developed a new method for quick, accurate, and cost-effective screening for the presence of PFAS in drinking water.There are a number of ways PFAS seep into groundwater systems—through industrial runoff, in contaminated biosolids used as fertilizer, and by slipping through wastewater treatment processes. But the use of PFAS in aqueous film-forming foams (AFFFs), firefighting foams used to put out flammable liquid fires such as jet fuel fires, is one of the most notorious sources of PFAS contamination in the world.In 2023, the Department of Defense announced a phaseout of all AFFFs containing PFAS, requiring use of PFAS-free foams as of October 2024. While a relief to those who knew the dangers of PFAS, the regulations underscore a bigger problem.The foams had been used at military installations, airports, and fire departments in every state and city in the country, for more than 60 years in many cases. With every use, be it an actual fire or a training exercise, every spill and every leak resulted in PFAS being absorbed into the pavement and leaching into the ground and into groundwater systems.“There are 2,300 military installations in the United States,” Peaslee said. “Most of them have been using PFAS on their runways for more than 50 years. Only 637 locations have had their groundwater tested for PFAS so far—and those are military installations only. There are more than 100,000 fire stations where this stuff is either still being used, or has been used. And there are buckets of AFFF sitting around because nobody knows what to do with it.”Between industrial facilities, major airports, military sites, and wastewater treatment plants, an estimated 57,000 sites are believed to be a source of environmental PFAS contamination.“It’s the most costly cleanup the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/companies/310">EPA</a> has ever faced,” Peaslee said.Peaslee’s method to detect PFAS in water samples uses activated carbon felt and gravity filtration with PIGE spectroscopy to measure fluorine content in drinking water. He plans to make it mobile.With funding from the Department of Defense, he has developed a portable PIGE unit for on-site PFAS screening at hotspots and other impacted sites. Each PIGE particle accelerator will rest on a motorized cart housed in a small box truck for easy transport and is designed to run more than 100,000 samples per year quickly and cost-effectively.The mobile units won’t be limited to military bases. Peaslee is launching his own company to manufacture and offer portable PIGE devices domestically and internationally.“We don’t know how widespread the contamination is unless we test,” Peaslee said. “Right now, the goal is to manufacture benchtop and mobile units and get them in the hands of companies and local municipalities, and ultimately to see them used to test water supplies everywhere.”Each mobile PIGE unit can run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Peaslee said, “and fast.”But, he added, there’s no easy way to eliminate PFAS from water. Instead, officials must manage concentrations. This involves testing levels on a regular basis and shutting down overly contaminated wells until rainwater has had a chance to dilute concentrations below proposed federal limits.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Peter_Ringenberg_The_Forever_Problem_Part_2_How_We_Got_Here_In_2018_Peaslee_s_lab_detected_PFAS_in_firefighter_turnout_gear_prompting_firefighters_across_the_23f8a4fffd.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Peter Ringenberg: In 2018, Peaslee’s lab detected PFAS in firefighter turnout gear, prompting firefighters across the country and around the world to send in samples for testing." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Peter_Ringenberg_The_Forever_Problem_Part_2_How_We_Got_Here_In_2018_Peaslee_s_lab_detected_PFAS_in_firefighter_turnout_gear_prompting_firefighters_across_the_23f8a4fffd.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="800" height="450">Nearly 80 years after PFAS were developed, and more than 60 years after animal studies first revealed the forever chemicals to be toxic, the EPA proposed new standards limiting levels of six different PFAS in drinking water.The new regulatory standards were proposed in March 2023 and were passed into law in April 2024, becoming the EPA’s first-ever national drinking water standard for PFAS.With PIGE in the hands of people who need it, Peaslee said, “I see an opportunity to make real change.”Forever chemicals have saturated pavements at military bases, fire stations, and airports, seeping into the surrounding environment and contaminating rivers, lakes, farmland, and backyard gardens.Change on that kind of scale requires persistence, commitment, creative thinking—and chemistry.Kyle Doudrick, associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences, knows a little something about that.<nav><blockquote><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/article/4643">Part 1: The Forever Problem</a></li><li>Part 2: How We Got Here</li><li>Part 3: A Real Mess</li><li>Part 4: We Have A Responsibility</li></ul></blockquote></nav><div>Produced by the Office of Public Affairs and Communications<ul><li>Writer: Jessica Sieff</li><li>Photographer: Peter Ringenberg</li><li>Videographer: Josh Long</li></ul></div></div></div></div>

The Forever Problem: Part 2 - How We Got Here

Food packaging contains a surprisingly high number of chemicals, and even more surprisingly many of them are hazardous. A large number of more than 11200 chemicals have been authorized for use in food packaging and other so-called food contact materials, for example conveyor belts. In addition, almost 3000 chemicals were found by chemical analysis to be mobile and move out of the food contact material when the material is in contact with food or so-called food simulants (water, oil etc.). Almost 2000 of those are not even contained in the list of 11200 chemicals authorized for use in food contact materials but are nevertheless found in the materials; some of them are so-called Non-Intentionally Added Substances - NIAS.Now a new study published by authors of the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://foodpackagingforum.org/">Food Packaging Forum Foundation</a> in Zürich, Switzerland, in the peer-reviewed Journal of Exposure Science and Environmental Epidemiology reveals the extent to which chemicals used in food packaging and other food contact articles have actually been found in human bodies (Geueke et al., <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-024-00718-2">https://doi.org/10.1038/s41370-024-00718-2</a>).<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/RECETOX_chemicals_in_food_packaging_11031059b6.jpg" alt="RECETOX: The study revealed a surprisingly large amount of hazardous chemicals in food packaging materials" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_RECETOX_chemicals_in_food_packaging_11031059b6.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="711" height="422">“3601 chemicals found in humans by human biomonitoring are either used in the manufacture of food contact materials or present in the final articles, such as packaging and kitchenware. This represents 25% of the more than 14,000 known food contact chemicals,” says Martin Scheringer, professor of environmental chemistry at RECETOX and one of the co-authors of the study.Much evidence exists for a few groups of chemicals, such as bisphenols, PFASs, phthalates, metals, and volatile organic compounds. They are regularly found in food contact materials and in human samples. Many of these chemicals have hazard properties of concern and have been linked to harming human health.“For other chemicals that move from the packaging into the food, such as synthetic antioxidants and oligomers, little is known about their presence and fate in humans. Potential hazards of many of these chemicals have not been sufficiently investigated,” explains professor Scheringer.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/RECETOX_Chemikalie_v_obalech_nalezy_6b9aa4f6be.jpg" alt="RECETOX: A 235 FCCs detected in FCMs and included in biomonitoring programs (step 1A). B 175 FCCs prioritized based on their detection in FCMs and their absence in step 1 (step 2). The yellow bar charts illustrate the evidence for the presence of FCC groups in FCMs, based on the sum of database entries from the FCCmigex that report the detection of FCCs in FCMs. The orange bar charts show the evidence of the presence of FCC groups in humans. In step 1A, this is based on the number of biomonitoring program" srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_RECETOX_Chemikalie_v_obalech_nalezy_6b9aa4f6be.jpg 140w," sizes="100vw" width="2075" height="2314">The Food Packaging Forum Foundation has developed an interactive dashboard containing all of the data in the new study known as the FCChumon database (<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://foodpackagingforum.org/fcchumon">https://foodpackagingforum.org/fcchumon, </a>pw: fcchumon2024). This free tool enables policymakers, public health researchers, food industry decision makers and all other stakeholders to browse and search through the data.While there still exist other sources for many food contact chemicals, the new findings underscore the urgent need to fill knowledge gaps regarding human exposure to food contact chemicals and their potential impacts on human health. The findings suggest a significant public health concern, necessitating prioritized action to reduce human exposure to hazardous chemicals from food contact materials.

The study revealed a surprisingly large amount of hazardous chemicals in food packaging materials.

<div>“I’ve been doing research on water quality and treatment for about 20 years now, so I’ve worked with several different emerging contaminants,” said Kyle Doudrick, an associate professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences. “There have been several urgent contaminant issues throughout our history, but I think it is safe to say that PFAS is the worst one we have had to deal with. It’s a real mess—and my lab has pretty much shifted all our time to dealing with it.”Doudrick specializes in physical-chemical treatment technologies of emerging contaminants including micro- and nanoplastics and per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances, or PFAS. His research focuses on identifying viable, cost-effective solutions to treat emerging contaminants and improve conventional water treatment processes.His lab is currently working on multiple PFAS-related projects with funding from the Department of Defense, including a study of the leaching of PFAS from contaminated pavements into the surrounding environment.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_The_Forever_Problem_Part_3_A_Real_Mess_Researchers_in_Doudrick_s_lab_analyze_how_much_PFAS_is_absorbed_into_concrete_b06f010159.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Matt Cashore: Researchers in Doudrick's lab analyze how much PFAS is absorbed into concrete." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_The_Forever_Problem_Part_3_A_Real_Mess_Researchers_in_Doudrick_s_lab_analyze_how_much_PFAS_is_absorbed_into_concrete_b06f010159.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="900"><div>“If you look at what happened at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/2019-pfas-crash-training-military-sites/map/">military installations</a> during firefighter training with aqueous film forming foams (AFFFs), the pavement acts like a sponge, but not a very good sponge,” Doudrick said. “It soaks up the PFAS and then, over time—when it rains, for example—the PFAS seeps out and runs off the pavement into the surrounding environment. Then more rain causes it to percolate down through the soil into the groundwater. The result is a massive, growing contaminated area.”Doudrick uses several analytical techniques to measure PFAS concentrations, including using PIGE for rapid and cost-effective identification of PFAS hotspots. One of his goals is to develop a predictive model to estimate the environmental load—or the amount and rate at which PFAS leaches into the surrounding environment—of contaminated pavements. He’s also testing how different sealants could reduce leaching into the environment.PFAS can enter the water supply from multiple sources. A significant contributor includes treated wastewaters, including those of municipalities, chemical manufacturing plants, paper and textile mills, and metal plating—a source Doudrick references often.Metal plating is a process used in automotive, aerospace, and defense industries, as well as in appliances, medical and dental products, and electronics. “The fumes are harmful,” Doudrick explained, “so a fume suppressant is mixed into the solution, and the active ingredient in that suppressant is PFAS. Metal plating companies have been using this stuff for decades and several have been directly discharging the waste into the municipal wastewater treatment facilities.”Doudrick and his lab are studying the use of adsorptive membranes as effective filters for PFAS in drinking water, which the EPA recently began regulating. This technology could also be used to manage PFAS contamination at wastewater treatment facilities, which produce one of Doudrick’s biggest concerns: biosolids.“In the process of treating wastewater, you create a sludge,” Doudrick said. That sludge—the solid waste that separates from liquids and settles to the bottom of sedimentation tanks at wastewater treatment facilities—becomes biosolids.Class A biosolids are considered “nutrient rich” and safe, because they are free of pathogens or hazardous contaminants. They’re packaged, sold, and marketed as organic fertilizer, Doudrick said.And they’re contaminated with PFAS.“We’re literally taking all of these sources of PFAS, concentrating it in biosolids, and then we’re spreading it everywhere,” Doudrick said. “These biosolids are considered a sustainable product and they’ve been offered for free to farmers, who go pick it up and put it all over their land, and I’m telling you, it’s the worst idea we’ve ever had. We’re going to regret it. It will be our mercury or lead.”Use of PFAS-laden biosolids in agriculture contaminates the soil, the produce grown within that soil, the feed grown from that soil and fed to farm animals, and the groundwater that is used to irrigate crops or serve as a source of drinking water for humans and animals. Farmers have begun educating themselves on the dangers of PFAS, but they aren’t the only consumers of biosolids.“You can go to Home Depot and buy a bag of it,” Doudrick said. “They market it as ‘green’ or organic fertilizer, which it is, but the problem is, it contains PFAS and you spread it all over your yard—and your kids go play in that yard.”Still, the question remains: If we could pull all the PFAS-laden biosolids from store shelves, extract it from pavement, remove it from the soil ... How would we dispose of these wastes?Doudrick is working on that too.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_The_Forever_Problem_Part_3_A_Real_Mess_Charbel_Abou_Khalil_a_postdoctoral_research_associate_in_Doudrick_s_lab_monitors_a_bench_scale_9e1b8d87e2.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Matt Cashore: Charbel Abou Khalil, a postdoctoral research associate in Doudrick’s lab, monitors a bench-scale incinerator used to simulate a full-scale hazardous waste incinerator. " srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_The_Forever_Problem_Part_3_A_Real_Mess_Charbel_Abou_Khalil_a_postdoctoral_research_associate_in_Doudrick_s_lab_monitors_a_bench_scale_9e1b8d87e2.jpg 235w," sizes="100vw" width="800" height="533"><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_The_Forever_Problem_Part_3_A_Real_Mess_Using_calcium_hydroxide_hydrated_lime_Doudrick_s_lab_is_able_to_incinerate_PFAS_in_waste_at_less_than_500_010cce8867.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Matt Cashore: Using calcium hydroxide (hydrated lime), Doudrick’s lab is able to incinerate PFAS in waste at less than 500 degrees Celsius." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_The_Forever_Problem_Part_3_A_Real_Mess_Using_calcium_hydroxide_hydrated_lime_Doudrick_s_lab_is_able_to_incinerate_PFAS_in_waste_at_less_than_500_010cce8867.jpg 235w," sizes="100vw" width="800" height="533"><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_The_Forever_Problem_Part_3_A_Real_Mess_Doudrick_s_lab_investigates_leaching_of_PFAS_from_pavements_that_occurs_during_precipitation_events_12add22553.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Matt Cashore: Doudrick’s lab investigates leaching of PFAS from pavements that occurs during precipitation events." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_The_Forever_Problem_Part_3_A_Real_Mess_Doudrick_s_lab_investigates_leaching_of_PFAS_from_pavements_that_occurs_during_precipitation_events_12add22553.jpg 235w," sizes="100vw" width="800" height="533"><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_The_Forever_Problem_Part_3_A_Real_Mess_Menglin_Mae_Jiang_a_Ph_D_student_in_Doudrick_s_lab_soaks_a_piece_of_concrete_in_a_solution_to_see_how_222ac70b50.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Matt Cashore: Menglin (Mae) Jiang, a Ph.D. student in Doudrick’s lab soaks a piece of concrete in a solution to see how much PFAS it has absorbed. " srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_The_Forever_Problem_Part_3_A_Real_Mess_Menglin_Mae_Jiang_a_Ph_D_student_in_Doudrick_s_lab_soaks_a_piece_of_concrete_in_a_solution_to_see_how_222ac70b50.jpg 235w," sizes="100vw" width="800" height="533">Incineration is a common, recommended method of hazardous waste disposal. Trash, soil, and even those chunks of pavement excavated from military installations and airports are fed into incinerators that break the material down at extremely high temperatures. Doudrick’s lab is studying how incineration can help treat contaminated pavement at its end-of-life.But the process has proven to be tricky when it comes to waste contaminated with PFAS.Even when incinerated at 1,000 degrees Celsius (1832 Fahrenheit)—or more—PFAS don’t always break down completely. Incinerators produce exhaust. Incomplete destruction means PFAS end up expelled into the atmosphere through that exhaust.In some cases where air quality measurements were taken near incinerators used to dispose of waste containing PFAS, “the results showed elevated levels of PFAS in the atmosphere and in soil deposits,” Doudrick said.His lab is taking a different approach.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_The_Forever_Problem_Part_3_A_Real_Mess_Menglin_Mae_Jiang_monitors_the_bench_scale_incinerator_in_Doudrick_s_lab_1661bd0658.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Matt Cashore: Menglin (Mae) Jiang monitors the bench-scale incinerator in Doudrick’s lab." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_The_Forever_Problem_Part_3_A_Real_Mess_Menglin_Mae_Jiang_monitors_the_bench_scale_incinerator_in_Doudrick_s_lab_1661bd0658.jpg 234w," sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="800">Doudrick mixes hydrated lime with waste containing PFAS before incineration. Lime enhances the incineration process, fully breaking down PFAS at lower temperatures—fewer than 450 degrees Celsius (842 degrees Fahrenheit). It also works as a scrubber to clean the exhaust before it’s released into the atmosphere.“We can completely destroy it at lower temperatures,” Doudrick said. “And with lime, what you end up with are harmless minerals. It works quick, and it scrubs any other byproducts produced during incineration as well, so there are multiple benefits to using it as an additive.”<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_The_Forever_Problem_Part_3_A_Real_Mess_Associate_Professor_Kyle_Doudrick_d2fb88a8ba.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Matt Cashore: Associate Professor Kyle Doudrick." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_The_Forever_Problem_Part_3_A_Real_Mess_Associate_Professor_Kyle_Doudrick_d2fb88a8ba.jpg 156w," sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="1200">Through the 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the federal government has pledged $10 billion toward addressing emerging contaminants, including PFAS, in water, and the Department of Defense recently requested $1.6 billion to clean up PFAS-contaminated sites. Interest in and funding for PFAS research has increased exponentially in recent years, creating a competition for graduate students and postdocs.There is plenty of work to do. Doudrick believes the range of expertise on campus, the capabilities of rapid PIGE analysis and mass spectrometry, and the use of specialized incineration techniques makes Notre Dame uniquely positioned to tackle the inherent challenges of PFAS now and in the future.“We are well-situated as a university with unique tools and expertise,” Doudrick said. “What we can do with PIGE is unique. We’ve developed all of the methods for it, and we’ve been able to build on it with new techniques and the ability to measure PFAS in a variety of ways. We have a lot of momentum now.”<nav><blockquote><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/article/4643">Part 1: The Forever Problem</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/article/4677">Part 2: How We Got Here</a></li><li>Part 3: A Real Mess</li><li>Part 4: We Have A Responsibility</li></ul></blockquote></nav><div>Produced by the Office of Public Affairs and Communications<ul><li>Writer: Jessica Sieff</li><li>Photographer: Matt Cashore</li><li>Videographer: Josh Long</li></ul></div></div></div>

The Forever Problem: Part 3 - A Real Mess

<h3>Mnova 15.1 is Here!</h3>We’re excited to announce the release of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bit.ly/4evoo5H">Mnova 15.1</a>, packed with new tools, enhanced features, and powerful algorithms designed to enhance your analytical workflows.&nbsp;Whether you're focused on NMR, LC/GC-MS or Electronic &amp; Vibrational Spectroscopic techniques, Mnova 15.1 has something to boost your analytical data analyses and streamline your workflows.<h4>What’s New in Mnova 15.1?</h4>Get a glimpse of the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bit.ly/48InTUC">Top features in Mnova 15.1</a>Mnova 15.1 brings significant updates and improvements across our suite of plugins including Mnova NMR, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://gcms.labrulez.com/products/1077">MSChrom</a>, DB, Advanced Chemometrics, BioHOS, StereoFitter, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://icpms.labrulez.com/products/1128">qNMR</a>, Structure Elucidation, IUPAC Name, NMRPredict, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/products/1081">Mgears</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/products/1084">Affinity Screen</a>, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/products/1079">Chrom Best Method</a>, and <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/products/1085">Reaction Optimization</a>. These updates introduce new functionalities, performance enhancements, and essential bug fixes to optimize your analytical workflows.For a detailed overview of all new enhancements and improvements check out our complete <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bit.ly/3O1mGhF">Changelog</a>.<h4>Ready to Upgrade?</h4>Don’t miss out on these cutting-edge innovations. Visit our website to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bit.ly/4evoo5H">Download Mnova 15.1</a> and take your analytical workflows to the next level.<blockquote><h4>Watch showcase videos of a novel tool for Peak Purity Assessment</h4><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://youtu.be/FkJ43lQrMwI">Our solution for LCMS and GCMS included in Mnova MSChrom</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://youtu.be/nab8pR2RAbE">Our solution for chemometrics included in Mnova Advanced Chemometrics and Mnova BioHOS</a></li></ul></blockquote>

What's New in Mnova 15.1?

She comes to work to play with glass plasticine. In fact, she already has several patents for different types of it, like for hydroponics or jewellery making. Marie Stará and the team from the Department of Glass Producing Machines and Robotics at the Technical University of Liberec are behind the discovery of how to give waste glass a chance that would otherwise end up in landfill.&nbsp;I open the door to Marie Stara's office and I am greeted by Barney the Boston Terrier. "I brought him into my office when he was a puppy so he wouldn't be alone. Just for fourteen days. Well, it's been two years. He's our pet,"&nbsp;explains Marie, whose office is full of glass specimens but has a homey feel.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_Sklenena_alchymie_Marie_Stare_Recyklat_ma_nova_vyuziti_1_c959b3ebd3.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: Glass alchemy of Marie Staré. The recyclate has new uses." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_Sklenena_alchymie_Marie_Stare_Recyklat_ma_nova_vyuziti_1_c959b3ebd3.jpg 117w," sizes="100vw" width="1500" height="2000"><h4>Glass as a fateful heritage</h4>Marie originally wanted to study nursing school, but she also liked to straighten screws with her dad as a child and was interested in technical things. In the end, she went to a technical high school and continued her studies at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of TUL. In her third year she decided to major in glassmaking and stayed at TUL. "I have to say that I was attracted to glass because my uncle painted on it and my grandfather worked in a glasswork in Desná. However, I didn't try painting or blowing glass. I am purely a technologist, but I think there is some genetic memory there," explains Marie that the path to glass was given to her perhaps before she was born.<h4>The cold suits the glass</h4>Marie describes herself as being quite cold emotionally. "Unless it involves my family, I can't empathize with other people's feelings. It's actually lucky I didn't become a nurse. My husband laughs at me that my care would often be impossible for patients to handle. Glass is also cold, and I have gotten comfortable with this material," adds Marie, who teaches at TUL.&nbsp;The students certainly don't feel the chill from her, as she is one of their favourite teachers. She even received an award from the rector for outstanding teaching achievement. She enjoys teaching, but it has to be within a tolerable level. "I want to engage the students first and foremost. I don't give them technical explanations; I use common sense and show them a lot of things. I simply don't want to have a theoretical exercise."<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_Sklenena_alchymie_Marie_Stare_Recyklat_ma_nova_vyuziti_2_58b623e4be.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: Glass alchemy of Marie Staré. The recyclate has new uses." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_Sklenena_alchymie_Marie_Stare_Recyklat_ma_nova_vyuziti_2_58b623e4be.jpg 117w," sizes="100vw" width="1536" height="2048"><h4>Plasticine was created by accident</h4>The story of the glass plasticine called Glassticine began by accident. "Over and over again, we've treated silica sand with a laser to make it melt. We couldn't keep the sand in shape, it was a disaster. Then I put the sand in a mould in the oven and it turned into this white plasticine. I wanted to throw it in the trash because we wanted a transparent product. But the boss liked it and started to test what properties the material had," recalls Marie, who also collaborated with the Institute of Nanomaterials, Advanced Technologies and Innovations at TUL.<h4>Each variant of plasticine has its own charm&nbsp;</h4>The glass plasticine is made of silica sand or glass recyclate. "We use sand because it has a snow-white colour after firing and it is still the same. However, with recyclate, I enjoy the fact that we create a new use for the waste product, even though each piece is unique,"&nbsp;Marie explains.Plasticine can have different properties depending on what other additives are added. "It's not that you mix everything together and burn it. It needs a certain process. We've managed to do that and we've also worked out the optimum additive ratios for the desired properties." explains Marie, who works in the department with her husband. "Until a few years ago, we also shared an office. It's good, we have a common interest. We have been together since our student days and I was the one who brought us both to the Department of Glass Machinery."<h4>The future is in space</h4>The final material is non-toxic and porous, very absorbent. This characteristic makes it suitable for hydroponics, for example, and maybe one day plants will be grown on it in space. The material is reusable and at the end of its life cycle the product can be put into a glass bottle container. Finally, the glass can be scented so that the scent is released gradually. In this way, jewellery can be produced that also smells. "I have no sense of aesthetics at all. A student from the Faculty of Textile Engineering created it for us," explains Marie, who clearly answers no to the question of whether she wears plasticine jewellery. "I don't wear any jewellery, but it's a great idea and I like it."<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_Sklenena_alchymie_Marie_Stare_Recyklat_ma_nova_vyuziti_3_3928bc3af6.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: Glass alchemy of Marie Staré. The recyclate has new uses." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_Sklenena_alchymie_Marie_Stare_Recyklat_ma_nova_vyuziti_3_3928bc3af6.jpg 117w," sizes="100vw" width="1536" height="2048"><h4>Nobody wants this glass. Except for Marie.</h4>Marie was given the opportunity to lecture&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://amia.cxi.tul.cz/">at AMIA</a>. This association brings science to industry while enabling scientists to listen to the needs of industrial partners. The aim is to provide a basis for collaboration on specific technical problems of individual companies. AMIA also organises technical workshops where Marie presents the results of her research. "After my lecture, I was contacted by Miroslav Ležák from Praktik system s.r.o. Their company deals with the recycling of electrical appliances. They also recycle washing machines and these have doors with glass panels. That's a problem because it's borosilicate glass, and you can't just throw that in the collection. By the way, not a lot of people address this, but the glass recycling bins don't include simax glass, like baking dishes or medicine bottles. It raises the melting point of the final product, and therefore the price, and is accordingly not suitable for recycling. No one wants this glass and neither did I, at first. But thanks to AMIA's financial support, I was able to do analyses and found that there is not so much borosilicate impurity. So, we ended up working with this glass. And we got a nice product out of it."<h4>Closer to the market</h4>Because plasticine has become popular, a few months ago scientists decided to start a spin-off at TUL called&nbsp;<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://glassiteca.eu/">Glassiteca</a>. "I was involved in the birth of plasticine, I'm on patents. I didn't go directly into the spin off because my husband is there. That would be a family business," laughs Marie. "My colleagues had to take the plunge. There's a lot of potential for commercialisation. They wanted to move away from the university environment a bit and be more flexible and faster. There are now two strands to the company, scented jewellery and hydroponics on glass plasticine. We are currently testing hydroponics trays for ForrestBit, a hydroponics company. They are also growing lettuce on the roof of TUL with this technology," concludes Marie, who plans to stay at TUL.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/CXI_TUL_Sklenena_alchymie_Marie_Stare_Recyklat_ma_nova_vyuziti_4_71e6c48ecc.jpg" alt="CXI TUL: Glass alchemy of Marie Staré. The recyclate has new uses." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_CXI_TUL_Sklenena_alchymie_Marie_Stare_Recyklat_ma_nova_vyuziti_4_71e6c48ecc.jpg 117w," sizes="100vw" width="3000" height="4000">

Glass alchemy of Marie Staré. The recyclate has new uses.

On a virtually cloudless May morning, Daniele Miranda, assistant research professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, hops out of a white extended-cab pickup that’s parked at the east end of Turner Park in Hammond, Indiana.It’s a relatively minimal recreational space with a soccer field that’s been maintained, but not much else.Three of Miranda’s students hop out with her. They move quickly, stepping out of their casual shoes into tall rubber boots, slip-on reflective jackets, and nitrile gloves. They grab supplies from the back of the truck, water and sediment samplers, plastic bags and bottles, carrying them off in a storage tote toward the banks of the Grand Calumet River.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_Barbara_Johnston_The_Forever_Problem_Part_4_We_Have_A_Responsibility_Assistant_Research_Professor_Daniele_Miranda_f76142bafa.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Matt Cashore, Barbara Johnston: A portrait of Daniele Miranda wearing glasses and a white lab coat. Assistant Research Professor Daniele Miranda." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_Barbara_Johnston_The_Forever_Problem_Part_4_We_Have_A_Responsibility_Assistant_Research_Professor_Daniele_Miranda_f76142bafa.jpg 156w," sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="1200"><div>Miranda’s research focuses on tracking organic contaminants in the environment. She has managed several research projects through Gary Lamberti’s Stream and Wetland Ecology Laboratory studying PFAS in aquatic systems.With funding from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources’ Lake Michigan Coastal Program, a part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Sea Grant College Program, Miranda has been leading a team of researchers to the Indiana coastal zone region of Lake Michigan to study PFAS contamination along the lake’s southern corridor and the disproportionate burden on underserved communities in the area.“We are looking at the range of PFAS concentrations in different streams in northern Indiana,” Miranda said. “It’s an important area for us to investigate because we don’t have much data or information about the waterways in that region, and we know that there are several communities living there that could be exposed to those contaminants when fishing or in contact with those streams.”<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_Barbara_Johnston_The_Forever_Problem_Part_4_We_Have_A_Responsibility_Graduate_student_Anthony_Miller_lifts_a_sample_of_the_sediment_at_the_7f15d70a94.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Matt Cashore, Barbara Johnston: Graduate student Anthony Miller lifts a sample of the sediment at the bottom of the Lake George Canal, a section of the Grand Calumet River in East Chicago, Indiana. " srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_Barbara_Johnston_The_Forever_Problem_Part_4_We_Have_A_Responsibility_Graduate_student_Anthony_Miller_lifts_a_sample_of_the_sediment_at_the_7f15d70a94.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="800" height="450">The study will examine samples from approximately 60 different sites including the Grand Calumet River, the Deep River–Portage Burns watershed, Salt Creek watershed, Little Calumet River, Dunes Creek watershed, Trail Creek watershed, and the upper part of the White Ditch watershed.“We’re focusing on major tributaries that flow into Lake Michigan, through areas with underserved communities, and in areas of significant outdoor recreation and fishing,” Lamberti said. “We know from data that there is disproportionately more fishing and more consumption of fish by underserved communities in that area. If you have a specific community that’s disproportionately using that resource, putting it on the dinner table and eating it regularly, then you have the potential for some real inequities.“There are no current PFAS restrictions on fish consumption from the Great Lakes,” Lamberti said. “There are advisories, but no guidelines like what we see with the EPA’s recent development of drinking water standards when it comes to PFAS.”Stepping through a break in the fence at the edge of Turner Park, the group follows a rocky, overgrown path, littered with weeds, broken glass, plastic bottles, and even a semi-deflated volleyball, to the riverbank. Traffic moves steadily along the overpass nearby.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_Barbara_Johnston_The_Forever_Problem_Part_4_We_Have_A_Responsibility_Daniele_Miranda_and_her_graduate_students_take_water_samples_from_the_163fe68e84.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Matt Cashore, Barbara Johnston: Daniele Miranda and her graduate students take water samples from the Grand Calumet River in Hammond, Indiana." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_Barbara_Johnston_The_Forever_Problem_Part_4_We_Have_A_Responsibility_Daniele_Miranda_and_her_graduate_students_take_water_samples_from_the_163fe68e84.jpg 156w," sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="1200">There’s something poignant about watching Miranda and her students. Research takes many forms. Some days it’s firing proton beams from a nuclear accelerator, or watching materials break down in the deep orange glow of an incinerator. Other days, it’s meticulous, repetitive sampling, connecting plastic containers to a long pole, collecting countless amounts of river water, breaking up sediment with a PVC pipe and scooping it into containers.“A water sample is like a photograph of that moment,” Miranda said. “I can see what is being inserted into that system. And with sediment samples, we’re going to see what’s accumulated. The sediment acts as a sink for organic compounds like PFAS.”Before piling back into the truck and heading off to their next stop—where Miranda and her team will drop samplers from a bridge in East Chicago—the water from Turner Park is treated to remove any potential microbes. This will ensure accurate measurements of organic content that may compete for PFAS compounds in the chemical analysis.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_Barbara_Johnston_The_Forever_Problem_Part_4_We_Have_A_Responsibility_Daniele_Miranda_and_graduate_students_left_to_right_Alison_Zachritz_af1e717fd6.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Matt Cashore, Barbara Johnston: Daniele Miranda and graduate students (left to right) Alison Zachritz, Anthony Miller and Babita Bhatta prepare to take water samples from the Grand Calumet River in Hammond, Indiana." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_Barbara_Johnston_The_Forever_Problem_Part_4_We_Have_A_Responsibility_Daniele_Miranda_and_graduate_students_left_to_right_Alison_Zachritz_af1e717fd6.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="900">Miranda and Lamberti have already identified PFAS hotspots along the corridor based on water samples alone. The study will include samples from heavy industrial sites in East Chicago, as well as parks and residential areas.“This project will shed light on the risks underserved communities face from ‘invisible’ sources of PFAS in the environment,” Miranda said.The hope is studies like Miranda’s will result in more public education, making individuals aware of what they could be consuming when they bring home their daily catch.But there are still a lot of unanswered questions when it comes to how PFAS affects the biological systems of humans, fish, and wildlife. And that is the subject of yet another study on Lamberti’s plate, this one a collaboration with Michael Pfrender, professor of evolutionary and ecological genomics and director of Notre Dame's Genomics and Bioinformatics Core Facility.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_Barbara_Johnston_The_Forever_Problem_Part_4_We_Have_A_Responsibility_Working_with_Gary_Lamberti_Michael_Pfrender_pictured_director_of_Notre_4706f1d76d.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Matt Cashore, Barbara Johnston: Working with Gary Lamberti, Michael Pfrender (pictured), director of Notre Dame's Genomics and Bioinformatics Core Facility, is studying how PFAS impacts gene expression in Lake Michigan fish." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_Barbara_Johnston_The_Forever_Problem_Part_4_We_Have_A_Responsibility_Working_with_Gary_Lamberti_Michael_Pfrender_pictured_director_of_Notre_4706f1d76d.jpg 235w," sizes="100vw" width="800" height="533">Pfrender and Lamberti have begun an analysis of how PFAS impacts gene expression in Lake Michigan fish.“The overall idea is to see what genes turn on and off when fish are exposed to PFAS,” Lamberti said. “What’s unique about this study is we are analyzing samples from fish in the field—so you can measure varied levels of exposure to PFAS and look for molecular triggers to see what’s happening in actual, real-world environments to support controlled model experiments in the lab.”Pfrender is an expert in evolutionary and ecological genomics with a particular interest in the relationship between short-term organismal responses and environmental stresses. His research focuses on genomic structure, patterns of gene expression in response to stress, and the way that organisms adapt to changing environments.“With PFAS you’re talking about a huge group of related chemical compounds,” Pfrender said. “The pressing issues are how these chemicals are transported through the food web, and what are the effects on aquatic organisms. We know from previous research that exposure to PFAS affects a wide variety of different physiological and developmental pathways. Liver function, the pancreas, the nervous and sensory system, heart function, and the immune system can all be adversely affected. There is evidence growing from laboratory experiments that PFAS exposure can cause genes to behave in an abnormal way. This is referred to as genetic dysregulation and it can cause a wide variety of problems in affected organisms. Part of what we’re lacking is a relationship between studies based on model species in the laboratory and what’s happening to organisms out in the actual biological system.”<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_Barbara_Johnston_The_Forever_Problem_Part_4_We_Have_A_Responsibility_Samples_collected_for_study_in_Pfrender_s_lab_382350a58c.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Matt Cashore, Barbara Johnston: Working with Gary Lamberti, Michael Pfrender (pictured), director of Notre Dame's Genomics and Bioinformatics Core Facility, is studying how PFAS impacts gene expression in Lake Michigan fish." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_Barbara_Johnston_The_Forever_Problem_Part_4_We_Have_A_Responsibility_Samples_collected_for_study_in_Pfrender_s_lab_382350a58c.jpg 235w," sizes="100vw" width="800" height="533">To understand which genes are turning on and off, Pfrender will collect RNA sequence data from fish samples collected for Lamberti’s lab and compare results to existing models of genetic impacts of PFAS in other biological systems, such as the laboratory model zebrafish.“We can look at the signature we’re seeing from the Lake Michigan fish and compare it to what we have observed in zebrafish and other laboratory systems to analyze the overlap. There is a lot of information we can get from those comparisons,” Pfrender said. “It’s all really important if we’re going to think about the effects of these chemicals on real biological systems—and I’m optimistic that by doing this, we’ll be able to connect it to what is a rapidly expanding body of work that’s being done in labs and real-world systems.”The study reflects one of “the big outstanding questions about PFAS in the aquatic world,” Lamberti said.PFAS has forever impacted our environment, with an endless effect on fish, wildlife, and humans alike. The ruthless persistence and pervasive effects of fluorinated compounds have seeped into every aspect of life on this planet. It is a problem that scientists will be studying for years to come.But hope lies in the research and in the tireless efforts of faculty such as Miranda, Lamberti, Pfrender, Kyle Doudrick, and Graham Peaslee, who are working with policymakers, public health officials, and environmental organizations to find solutions and create change.“We have a huge responsibility,” Miranda said. “We need attention to this problem. We need action and we need education—because informed people can make a huge difference.”<nav><blockquote><ul><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/article/4643">Part 1: The Forever Problem</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/article/4677">Part 2: How We Got Here</a></li><li><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/article/4705">Part 3: A Real Mess</a></li><li>Part 4: We Have A Responsibility</li></ul></blockquote></nav><div>Produced by the Office of Public Affairs and Communications<ul><li>Writer: Jessica Sieff</li><li>Photographer: Matt Cashore and Barbara Johnston</li><li>Videographer: Tony Fuller</li></ul></div></div>

The Forever Problem: Part 4 - We Have A Responsibility

This year, Mestrelab turns 20, and to celebrate this milestone, we’re excited to announce a special 20% discount offer on new annual licenses purchased at the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bit.ly/4eUDVfX">Mestrelab Store</a>.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Mestrelab_Research_Celebrate_Mestrelab_s_Anniversary_with_Exclusive_Store_Offers_cover_image_72f6e1331a.jpg" alt="Mestrelab Research: Celebrate Mestrelab’s Anniversary with Exclusive Store Offers! " srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Mestrelab_Research_Celebrate_Mestrelab_s_Anniversary_with_Exclusive_Store_Offers_cover_image_72f6e1331a.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1920" height="1080">This exclusive offer is open to everyone - whether you're an industry professional, researcher, or part of an academic institution, it's the perfect opportunity to upgrade your toolkit with powerful solutions or begin your journey with our cutting-edge tools.But hurry - these anniversary offers won’t last long! Celebrate with us and take advantage of these deals before they end on November 30, 2024.Visit the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://bit.ly/4eUDVfX">Mestrelab Store</a> today and join us in making our 20th anniversary memorable.Stay tuned for more surprises and updates as we continue to innovate and grow together.<blockquote>About <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://lcms.labrulez.com/companies/298">Mestrelab Research</a>:For two decades, we have provided cutting-edge tools to enhance analytical data processing, analysis, and reporting experience. Today, our comprehensive range of products and solutions extends beyond NMR to include LC/GC-MS and other spectroscopies. These tools empower users to automate routine tasks, streamline workflows, and focus on what truly matters—extracting meaningful insights from their data.</blockquote>

Celebrate Mestrelab’s Anniversary with Exclusive Store Offers!

Graham Cooks, the Henry B. Hass Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, recently achieved several research citation landmarks.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Purdue_University_Kaili_Mei_Yap_Professor_R_Graham_Cooks_achieves_research_milestones_cover_image_f7ba220d06.jpg" alt="Purdue University / Kaili Mei Yap: Professor R. Graham Cooks achieves research milestones ." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Purdue_University_Kaili_Mei_Yap_Professor_R_Graham_Cooks_achieves_research_milestones_cover_image_f7ba220d06.jpg 220w," sizes="100vw" width="900" height="638">One measure of the impact of a scientist is citation of their work. A ‘magic number’ in citations is 100,000, which Cooks recently surpassed.A second measure that combines numbers of citation and numbers of publications is the h-index - the number of publications that have been cited that number of times. Graham Cooks’ h-index is 150, meaning that 150 of his publications have been cited at least 150 times.His lab group recently celebrated these milestones.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Purdue_University_Kaili_Mei_Yap_Professor_R_Graham_Cooks_achieves_research_milestones_1_6bca79c097.jpg" alt="Purdue University / Kaili Mei Yap: Professor R. Graham Cooks achieves research milestones." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Purdue_University_Kaili_Mei_Yap_Professor_R_Graham_Cooks_achieves_research_milestones_1_6bca79c097.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="900" height="403"><img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/Purdue_University_Professor_R_Graham_Cooks_achieves_research_milestones_2_e8ac6a84d8.jpg" alt="Purdue University: Professor R. Graham Cooks achieves research milestones." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_Purdue_University_Professor_R_Graham_Cooks_achieves_research_milestones_2_e8ac6a84d8.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="2492" height="1332">

Professor R. Graham Cooks achieves research milestones

Firefighters face occupational hazards on a daily basis. Now, new research shows they face additional risk just by gearing up.Fabric used for firefighter turnout gear tested positive for the presence of per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS), according to the study published in <a rel="null noopener nofollow noreferrer">Environmental Science and Technology Letters</a>, led by <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://physics.nd.edu/people/graham-peaslee/">Graham Peaslee</a>, professor of physics at the University of Notre Dame. Peaslee embarked on a more extensive study, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://news.nd.edu/news/researchers-study-presence-of-fluorinated-chemicals-in-firefighter-clothing/">after initial tests</a> on gear samples showed significantly high levels of fluorine.<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img class="image_resized" style="aspect-ratio:687/375;" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_To_Protect_the_Protectors_Graham_Peaslee_professor_of_physics_e021134945.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Matt Cashore: Graham Peaslee, professor of physics." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_To_Protect_the_Protectors_Graham_Peaslee_professor_of_physics_e021134945.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="687" height="375"></figure>“When we ran our initial tests, the fluorine content was so high, there was little question as to whether or not we’d find PFAS in a larger sample of gear,” said Peaslee. “Our primary concern — as is always the case when it comes to these particular chemicals — became how much of it is coming off the gear and getting into the environment?”Peaslee’s team tested more than 30 samples of used and unused personal protective equipment (PPE) from six specialty textile manufacturers in the United States and found them to be treated extensively with PFAS or constructed with fluoropolymers, a type of PFAS used to make textiles oil and water resistant.Firefighter’s PPE or “turnout gear” is comprised of three layers — a thermal layer, worn closest to the skin, covered by a moisture barrier designed for water resistance and the outer shell. Peaslee and his team found high concentrations of fluorine on the moisture barrier and outer shell. Some of these chemicals have the ability to migrate off treated surfaces and materials, meaning the PFAS in the moisture barrier and outer shell PPE could potentially contaminate the thermal layer and come in direct contact with skin.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_To_Protect_the_Protectors_Peaslee_s_team_tested_more_than_30_samples_of_used_and_unused_personal_protective_equipment_PPE_from_six_specialty_617941aa10.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Matt Cashore: Peaslee’s team tested more than 30 samples of used and unused personal protective equipment (PPE) from six specialty textile manufacturers in the United States and found them to be treated extensively with PFAS." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_To_Protect_the_Protectors_Peaslee_s_team_tested_more_than_30_samples_of_used_and_unused_personal_protective_equipment_PPE_from_six_specialty_617941aa10.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="675">“If they touch the gear, it gets on their hands, and if they go fight a fire and they put the gear on and take it off and then go eat and don’t wash hands, it could transfer hand to mouth,” said Peaslee. “And if you’re sweating and you have sweat pores, could some of these chemicals come off on the thermal layer and get into the skin? The answer is probably.” Peaslee’s study is the first to identify this potential source of PFAS exposure in firefighting PPE and argues that more studies are needed.Known as “forever chemicals” PFAS have been found in <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://news.nd.edu/news/new-study-finds-extensive-use-of-fluorinated-chemicals-in-fast-food-wrappers/">fast food wrappers</a> and containers, nonstick cookware, child car seats and firefighting foams. The use of PFAS-based foam fire suppressants has been linked to the contamination of drinking water systems, leading the United States Department of Defense to switch to an environmentally safer alternative foam before 2023. In a previous study, co-authored by Peaslee, researchers found the chemicals accumulate in the body after entering the bloodstream, and PFAS have been linked to four of the top eight cancers which have been found more commonly in firefighters including testicular cancer, mesothelioma, non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and prostate cancer.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_To_Protect_the_Protectors_Firefighter_s_PPE_or_turnout_gear_is_comprised_of_three_layers_a_thermal_layer_worn_closest_to_the_skin_covered_by_a_9908c98849.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame / Matt Cashore: Firefighter’s PPE or “turnout gear” is comprised of three layers — a thermal layer, worn closest to the skin, covered by a moisture barrier designed for water resistance and the outer shell. Peaslee and his team found high concentrations of fluorine on the moisture barrier and outer shell." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_To_Protect_the_Protectors_Firefighter_s_PPE_or_turnout_gear_is_comprised_of_three_layers_a_thermal_layer_worn_closest_to_the_skin_covered_by_a_9908c98849.jpg 235w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1067">The study also presented evidence of the potential hazard of these chemicals in PPE in two other ways. Dust samples taken from a PPE distribution facility in one fire district also tested positive for fluorine, consistent with the ability of these chemicals to shed off the gear onto other surfaces. The team also observed fluorine transfer from the outer shell onto gloved hands upon handling, proving that this could be an exposure source from PFAS to firefighters.“Further work needs to be done to assess the extent of this risk to firefighters,” said Peaslee, an affiliated member of the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://globalhealth.nd.edu/">Eck Institute for Global Health</a> and the <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://environmentalchange.nd.edu/">Environmental Change Initiative</a>. “But until this risk is estimated, operational steps can be taken to minimize occupational exposure to these PFAS while still using the PPE to keep the firefighters safe on the job.” Peaslee suggests that the long-term solution would be to find a healthier alternative to PFAS which can provide equivalent water resistance to the gear.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_To_Protect_the_Protectors_4892ae919c.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame: To Protect the Protectors." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_To_Protect_the_Protectors_4892ae919c.jpg 149w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1676">This is just the latest study in a building collection of literature highlighting the danger and persistence of PFAS in contamination of the environment and threat to public health.Co-authors of the study include Nicholas Caterisano, Alec Gonzales, Seryeong Lee, Matthew Roddy, Meghanne E. Tighe and John T. Wilkinson, also at Notre Dame; Simon Mills of Envirolab Group and Krystle Mitchell of the South Australian Metropolitan Fire Service. Research was conducted at Notre Dame’s Nuclear Science Laboratory.Research was funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the Last Call Foundation.Read more about <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://fightingfor.nd.edu/2019/fighting-to-protect-the-brave/">Peaslee’s research on the presence of PFAS in turnout gear</a>.

To Protect the Protectors

Diane Cotter knew cancer was a risk of her husband’s job. Paul had been a firefighter for 27 years, and they had been advised of not only the safety risks, but also the health implications from exposure to diesel exhaust and products of combustion. But when Paul, a 55-year-old in great shape, who ate healthy and took care of himself, received a prostate cancer diagnosis, Diane suspected something other than smoke was the culprit.A hunch drew her to consider his gear — the protective clothing that had kept him safe as he rushed into burning buildings, saved lives and put out fires. As it turned out, that gear may have been a cause of his cancer.Firefighter gear is complex — it has to be able to withstand both fire and water, and to resist extreme temperatures. The multiple layers — a thermal liner, a moisture barrier and an outer shell — must pass the National Fire Protection Association standards. Research had been done to study the gear and its textiles, but little existed about the chemical coatings on the gear that make it so effective.Determined to learn more, Diane began digging. She emailed firefighters, activists, manufacturers. Many tried to shrug her off, but she was persistent. She pored over safety recalls, international regulations. Finally, she received a tip: Ask if the chemicals PFOA or PFOS are present in the gear.Her research led her to believe that yes, chemicals known collectively as PFAS must be present in the gear, but manufacturers refused to provide information about the chemical content. And so she began looking for someone who could independently assess the clothing and give her an answer.“What we didn't know was how much of these coatings were on the turnout gear and we didn’t have the chemical breakdown,” she says. “And we had no one to tell us what was in the coatings until we found Dr. Peaslee.”<figure class="image image_resized" style="width:50%;"><img style="aspect-ratio:687/375;" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_To_Protect_the_Protectors_Graham_Peaslee_professor_of_physics_e021134945.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame: Graham Peaslee." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_To_Protect_the_Protectors_Graham_Peaslee_professor_of_physics_e021134945.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="687" height="375"></figure><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://physics.nd.edu/people/faculty/graham-peaslee/">Graham Peaslee</a> is a professor of <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://physics.nd.edu/">experimental nuclear physics</a> at Notre Dame. Peaslee had devoted 20 years of his career to fundamental physics research and teaching, but in 2005 a lake near his home was found to be contaminated with chemicals from flame retardants. He began researching the prevalence of toxic chemicals and was thrust into a merger of science and policy, of chemicals and human health.The experience tipped him off that harmful chemicals could be lurking in other unlikely places. He zeroed in on a class of fluorinated compounds, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, referred to as PFAS, which have been linked to thyroid disease, hypertension, immunosuppression, low birthweight and kidney and testicular cancers.“This is a really persistent class of chemicals,” says Peaslee. “It gets in the bloodstream; it stays there and can accumulate in the body. There are diseases that correlate with its presence, so we really don’t want this class of chemicals out there.”Peaslee explains that these chemicals, also known as PFOA, PFOS or GenX, are particularly dangerous because they don’t break down. They move from commercial products to landfills to soil to groundwater. They can be ingested by livestock, or end up in drinking water, as was the case in Little Hocking, Ohio, a community downriver from a DuPont plant that leaked PFAS into soil and water for more than 50 years. Similar stories come from communities around military bases where firefighting foam laden with the compounds eventually made it into drinking water.To identify markers of PFAS, scientists perform a complicated and lengthy chemical method. But Peaslee designed a novel technique that makes use of Notre Dame’s <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://isnap.nd.edu/research/facility/accelerator/">St. Andre particle accelerator</a>.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_To_Protect_the_Protectors_Peaslee_s_team_tested_more_than_30_samples_of_used_and_unused_personal_protective_equipment_PPE_from_six_specialty_617941aa10.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame: To identify markers of PFAS, scientists perform a complicated and lengthly chemical method. But Peaslee designed a novel technique that makes use of Notre Dame's St. Andre particle accelerator." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_To_Protect_the_Protectors_Peaslee_s_team_tested_more_than_30_samples_of_used_and_unused_personal_protective_equipment_PPE_from_six_specialty_617941aa10.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1200" height="675">He explains their development of what he calls a rapid spectroscopic technique. “This is where you use light to interact with matter to measure something. It can analyze 100 times faster than the chemical method for the same sort of detection,” he says. “In that sense it's a development that nobody else has been able to do, because nobody uses nuclear science to screen for this type of chemical. While it doesn’t replace them, it is considerably faster than the chemical approaches and can be used to screen for the fate and transport of these chemicals in the environment.”His method got results in minutes, rather than hours, which allowed him to start testing many everyday items. Because PFAS are used in water, flame and oil resistance, they’re frequently used in consumer goods ranging from raincoats to nonstick pans to carpet to fast food wrappers. One of Peaslee’s studies discovered the presence of these chemicals in wrappers at 20 different fast food chains. Another study highlights cosmetics.<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_To_Protect_the_Protectors_4892ae919c.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame: Fighting to Protect the Brave." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Matt_Cashore_To_Protect_the_Protectors_4892ae919c.jpg 149w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="1676">One result of these published studies is that consumer response has helped drive industries toward discontinuing use of the chemicals when it’s not necessary. Companies in the outerwear, furniture and food packaging industries are already making adjustments.In the midst of his extensive testing for PFAS on products, Peaslee received a plea for help.“I received an email from Diane, which was a heartfelt story about her husband's bout with cancer and that nobody would test her firefighting gear. I felt obliged to go and see if there was anything to her claims,” he says.“The firefighters that Diane knew volunteered several sets of used and new gear from around the country, and we started getting dozens of sets of turnout gear delivered to our laboratory. When we looked at the gear, there was a remarkable consistency in how they were fabricated and the levels of fluorine that we were seeing in each of the layers of the gear. It was startling high,” he says. “There were perfluorinated compounds being used on the inside and the outside of this firefighting gear.”Digging further into the issue, Peaslee began testing gear that was new, used, washed and unwashed, to help determine the extent of the issue. He wanted to educate firefighters about the potential hazards.“Knowledge is empowerment,” he says. “These firefighters, men and women, are being exposed to something that they don’t know about. When they know about it they can mitigate the risks. They can treat the gear with respect and use it when they need it and then they can keep it separate from their lives when they don’t need it. For example, policies of where they keep the gear and where they store the gear might change, which is a pretty easy fix if it reduces your risk of exposure to the chemicals on the surface of the gear.”<img src="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/University_of_Notre_Dame_Fighting_to_Protect_the_Brave_Digging_further_into_the_issue_Peaslee_began_testing_gear_that_was_new_used_washed_and_unwashed_to_help_determine_the_extent_of_f16069c980.jpg" alt="University of Notre Dame: Digging further into the issue, Peaslee began testing gear that was new, used, washed and unwashed, to help determine the extent of the issue. He wanted to educate firefighters about the potential hazards." srcset="https://storage.googleapis.com/labrulez-bucket-strapi-h3hsga3/thumbnail_University_of_Notre_Dame_Fighting_to_Protect_the_Brave_Digging_further_into_the_issue_Peaslee_began_testing_gear_that_was_new_used_washed_and_unwashed_to_help_determine_the_extent_of_f16069c980.jpg 245w," sizes="100vw" width="1600" height="626">In April, Peaslee shared his findings at the Fire Department Instructors Conference International, which had more than 35,000 attendees. The Cotters also continue to advocate for change for firefighters, now with Peaslee’s findings as backing for their cause.Diane says, “What we know is that the chemical coatings have been used for at least 20 years. We never knew how much until Dr. Peaslee discovered, with his own specific testing methods, the amounts that are used. We've been told trace amounts, which, to us, is trying to minimize the issue, when in fact we really should be sounding the alarm on the issue.”Now certain that there are toxic chemicals in the gear, Diane believes some manufacturers may have knowingly withheld that information. Peaslee was able to provide undeniable evidence that now needs to be addressed. Because of him, she says, the discussion has begun.<blockquote><h4>“Scientists have to learn to communicate when there's an issue like this, and not just do it in the safety of a laboratory.”</h4></blockquote>Peaslee is quick to shrug off any praise and insists he’s doing what all scientists should.He says, “Scientists have to learn to communicate when there's an issue like this, and not just do it in the safety of a laboratory. But to get out and talk to people about what may in fact impact them.”“The reason I came to Notre Dame was that they had a facility that was different from what’s available anywhere else in the world. It has cutting-edge research facilities,” he says. “Their mission states that they are a university that wishes to give back to its community. I identify strongly with that mission.”As research and awareness on PFAS has grown, so have efforts to reduce and eliminate their use. European firefighters are already moving away from PFAS in their gear.In February, the EPA announced a maximum contaminant level for drinking water and also proposed enforcement tools for parties leaking PFAS into the environment.In June, a bipartisan amendment passed that required the military to phase PFAS chemicals out of firefighting foam by 2023 — a response to alarming amounts of PFAS in contaminated drinking water at more than 175 military bases to date.The state of Washington was the first to pass legislation to restrict the use of PFAS. In March 2018, the Healthy Food Packaging Act banned PFAS chemicals in paper food packaging. Another bill championed by the Washington State Council of Fire Fighters bans firefighting foams with added PFAS and requires gear containing the chemical to carry a warning. By 2020, the state will designate a list of other consumer products to remove PFAS.Meanwhile, several corporations have independently gone PFAS-free. Whole Foods Market pulled takeout packaging that contained PFAS, and Kaiser Permanente, one of the largest health care providers in the U.S., and Google have banned the use of PFAS in finishes and materials it uses for building projects.Today, Paul is cancer-free, but Diane isn’t willing to give up the fight to protect other firefighters.“My husband leaving the fire department was probably the hardest thing we’ve had to endure. Even harder than the cancer, but we’re blessed because he’s survived it,” she says. “At this point in our lives, we’re fighting for change because it’s that important. We have family and friends, not just here in the United States, but across all the lands, across the planet, in Australia, Europe, Italy, who are asking the same questions. And Dr. Peaslee’s findings have an international impact.”For questions regarding Professor Peaslee’s research, please contact him at <a href="mailto:gpeaslee@nd.edu">gpeaslee@nd.edu</a>.

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