EAGER: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substance (PFAS) Contamination and Modeling across the Arctic System

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are chemicals that persist in the environment, accumulating in soil, water, and living things. These “forever chemicals” do not break down easily, and scientists have detected their presence far from their source, including in the Arctic. Exposure to PFAS can harm human health, being linked to liver damage, immune system disruption, cancers, thyroid hormone disruption, and developmental issues. Arctic communities, who often rely on subsistence diets, are particularly vulnerable to exposure to these substances. The Arctic region’s unique characteristics, including low temperatures, ice cover, and long-range atmospheric transport, create conditions that favor the accumulation and persistence of these chemicals. Arctic ecosystems also support diverse wildlife and play a crucial role in global climate regulation. As such, understanding PFAS distribution, sources, and impacts on ecosystems and wildlife in the Arctic is essential for data-driven management and policy decisions. To investigate how pervasive PFAS contamination is across the Arctic, the research team will collect samples onboard an icebreaker research vessel that will transit from Alaska to Norway. The potential presence of newest generation of PFAS chemicals will also be investigated by researchers for the first time. Water samples from the surface down to 3,000 meters in depth will be collected and analyzed for the presence and concentration of PFAS contamination. From these data, models will be developed to understand how the distribution of PFAS has spread to predict potential accumulation in the future. The research team will investigate the distribution patterns of PFAS in Arctic Ocean seawater, assess the roles of atmospheric and oceanic transport processes, and reconcile measured data with results from a geochemical model. The research team will also evaluate whether overall PFAS contamination varies across different matrices including water, ice, and animal life in the Arctic. To address these questions, the research team will undertake comprehensive field studies to collect water and ice samples, develop predictive models of PFAS spread in the Arctic investigate of sources and transport pathways, and initiate an assessment of risk to Arctic communities. This research has the potential to inform conservation efforts, policy decisions, and risk assessments related to PFAS exposure in the Arctic, and numerous early career researchers will be trained and mentored throughout the course of the project. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.