Christy Remucal

Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/wisconsin-sea-grant-says-bon-voyage-to-a-communications-legend/

Andrew Savagian

Head to Tail Fish Showcase invites producers and consumers to think beyond the fillet

On: October 14, 2024

In: 100% Great Lakes Fish, aquaculture, Christy Remucal, commercial fisheries, Great Lakes, Great Lakes commercial fishing, Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors and Premiers, Sharon Moen

GSGP Executive Director David Naftzger hands a participant an Icelandic energy drink made with fish collagen. Photo: Front Room Studios

On Oct.1, the Head to Tail Fish Showcase celebrated Great Lakes fish products — with not a fillet in sight.

The event aimed at elevating awareness of the Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & Premiers (GSGP) 100% Great Lakes Fish initiative, a project that seeks to find commercial uses for all parts of harvested Great Lakes fish. Typically, the fillet, which represents only 40% of the fish, is consumed while the remaining 60% is discarded or used in animal feed and fertilizers.

That fish waste, however, can be turned into pharmaceuticals and other high-value products like fish leather and collagen supplements.

“Our goal is to drive more value through the fishery, create more jobs, create rural economy development and really improve the sustainability of our fishery,” said David Naftzger, executive director of GSGP.

Businesses who join the initiative pledge to use 100% of harvested fish by the end of 2025. So far, 30 Great Lakes commercial fishing and aquaculture operations have signed on, 11 of which are from Wisconsin.

Fish leather was a featured product at the event. Photo: Front Room Studios

“Wisconsin companies have been a real leader and helped to send a message to the rest of the region and to the rest of the fish value chain that there’s raw material available. We want to see it used productively and we want to create some partnerships that can make that happen,” said Naftzger.

The private event was held at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Freshwater Sciences for an audience of media and business, academic and government partners. Representatives from UW-Milwaukee, the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation, Department of Natural Resources and Wisconsin Coastal Management Program offered remarks in support of the program.

Wisconsin Sea Grant helped organize the event. Interim director Christy Remucal said that the initiative aligns well with the program’s focus on sustainable fisheries and aquaculture and commitment to fostering academic, industry and government collaboration.

“I think the 100% Great Lakes Fish Initiative really encapsulates the mission of our work for sustainable resources,” said Remucal. “We’re really proud to be part of this partnership.”

During the event, participants could try a variety of non-filet fish dishes prepared by Third Coast Provisions in Milwaukee, including whitefish roe sliders, pickled herring kimbap, whitefish liver pate, buffalo walleye cheeks and whitefish chili. Restaurant co-owner Cameron Whyte said the team enjoyed finding creative ways to use different parts of the fish.

A participant picks up a small plate of pickled herring kimbap. Photo: Front Room Studios

“They sent us some really cool products to try, and it was really kind of a fun opportunity for us to flex our culinary muscles and do something a little different,” said Whyte.

The event also featured non-food items, such as locally produced fish leather, fertilizer and dog treats. Several products from Iceland, such as a fish collagen-infused energy drinks and supplements were also on display.

Naftzger explained that the 100% Great Lakes Fish initiative is modeled after Iceland’s efforts to use all parts of harvested cod. According to GSGP, over 90% is now used, and the value of products made from cod has risen from $12 to $4,000. What was once waste is now an ingredient in beverages, cosmetics and medicinal bandages.

For Door County commercial fisherman Charlie Henriksen, who attended the event, the increase in value of Lake Michigan whitefish doesn’t need to be dramatic for impacts to be felt.

“If six dollars of that trickles back to us, or even if the value of that fish doubles to us, it’s a game changer,” said Henriksen. “It makes our businesses viable, and it gives us a lot of hope.”

The post Head to Tail Fish Showcase invites producers and consumers to think beyond the fillet first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

In: Christy Remucal, Doug Bach, Edward Kostelnik, Environmental Science and Technology Journal, Kaitlyn Gruber, Lake Monona, PFAS in lake foam, PFOS, Sarah Balgooyen, Summer Sherman-Bertinetti, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin lake foam has PFAS

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/head-to-tail-fish-showcase-invites-producers-and-consumers-to-think-beyond-the-fillet/

Jenna Mertz

Lake and river foams study reveals high PFAS levels, even though underlying water may be less contaminated

On: July 9, 2024

Foam on Lake Monona. Image credit: Doug Bach

A new study of natural foams and water surface microlayers of 43 Wisconsin rivers and lakes quantified 36 compounds in a group of chemicals known as PFAS. While PFAS were detected in both types of samples, it is the foams that the researcher said were “orders of magnitude higher in PFAS concentration compared to water,” while urging people and their pets to avoid them. The study also revealed that foams, generally off-white and found along shorelines on windy days, are not an indicator of elevated contamination levels in the entire water body.

“We studied many different lakes and found PFAS in all of them. The PFAS concentrations were high in the foams even if the concentrations in the water were relatively low,” said Christy Remucal with the University of Wisconsin–Madison Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and interim director of the University of Wisconsin Aquatic Sciences Center.

Remucal stressed the need to avoid the foams because of the contaminants’ warning-worthy levels. “The chemical we found most in the foam is PFOS, which is one of the chemicals that’s driving fish advisories and driving drinking water regulations,” she said. “The highest PFOS concentrations we measured in foam were almost 300,000 nanograms per liter and, for comparison, the federal drinking water regulation is 4 nanograms per liter.”

She continued, “The main way people are exposed to PFAS is through ingestion…Obviously, people aren’t drinking foam. I would be more concerned about, for example, a kid who plays in the foam and then goes to grab a handful of snacks. You could potentially have some oral exposure that way.”

There are more than 9,000 PFAS compounds, which are often referred to as “forever chemicals” because they do not readily break down in the environment. For decades, they have been used to make a wide range of products resistant to water, grease, oil and stains and are also found in firefighting foams, which are a major source of environmental PFAS contamination. PFAS have been shown to have adverse effects on human health and higher incidence of cancer.

The levels in the new study validate a current Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources warning, as well as a similar freshwater foam warning in Michigan and one for saltwater foam in the Netherlands. They are timely cautions as spring and summer come to Wisconsin and people and their pets spend more time hiking along open water or engaging in paddle sports and swimming where foams can be found.

Remucal, postdoctoral co-investigators Summer Sherman-Bertinetti and Sarah Balgooyen and graduate students Kaitlyn Gruber and Edward Kostelnik published their work in the journal “Environmental Science & Technology.” It was funded by a grant from the Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program.

Christy Remucal and Sarah Balgooyen work with PFAS samples in the lab. Image credit: Wisconsin Sea Grant

Integral to the study were dozens of citizen volunteers who alerted the research team to the presence of foams. This was critical, Remucal said, because sampling was opportunistic—foams are fleeting, stirred up by wind and mixing with water, they can dissipate as quickly as they appear.

She also credited the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources with assistance in foam sightings.

The work also illuminates the efforts of other research groups exploring a possible path of PFAS cleanup. Because PFAS are surfactants, which means they are drawn to the air and water interface, they may move out of the water below and toward the bubbles in foam. When concentrated like this, the contaminants could be removed.

Remucal and her team also looked at water surface microlayers and found PFAS levels were slightly higher than underlying water but that the bigger take-away message remains the contaminant level in foams. She was pleased they explored the microlayers question, though, because the air and water interface dictates how PFAS move in groundwater. Now, the science community has an understanding of how PFAS movement in surface water compares to their movement in groundwater.

The post Lake and river foams study reveals high PFAS levels, even though underlying water may be less contaminated first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/lake-and-river-foams-study-reveals-high-pfas-levels-even-though-underlying-water-may-be-less-contaminated/

In: Central Sands Region, Christy Remucal, Groundwater Coordinating Council, President Lyndon B. Johnson, U.S. Geological Survey, University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute, Water Resources Research Act, Waukesha water

Happy anniversary, sister

On: May 30, 2024

Image by David Nevala

In show of sibling pride on the occasion of the 60th anniversary year of the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute, here’s some background about this sister program that is housed along with our Sea Grant Program in the Aquatic Sciences Center at UW-Madison.

On July 17, 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Water Resources Research Act to establish a water resources research institute in each state and Puerto Rico. The program was later expanded to include the District of Columbia, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

“The Congress has found that we have entered a period in which acute water shortages are hampering our industries, our agriculture, our recreation and our individual health and happiness,” Johnson said.

The 54 institutes are charged with undertaking multidisciplinary water research. They are a federal-state partnership, with federal funds coming through the U.S. Geological Survey and providing dollars to support two tracks, a core grant to each individual program and then a pot of money to annually use for national research competitions to address timely challenges. In Wisconsin, state funding through the Groundwater Coordinating Council also supports WRI.

Johnson’s statement continued, “The new centers will be concerned with municipal and regional, as well as national water problems. Their ready accessibility to state and local officials will permit each problem to be attacked on an individual basis, the only way in which complex characteristics of each water deficiency can be resolved.” Johnson also noted that centers, such as Wisconsin’s, “will enlist the intellectual power of universities and research institutes in a nationwide effort to conserve and utilize our water resources for the common benefit.”

Decades later, WRI continues to embody those 1964 presidential words. It has funded more than 140 research projects, including marquee issues as naturally occurring radium in southeastern Wisconsin. WRI research on those aquifers informed the first-ever binational approval of Great Lakes water withdrawals by a community outside of the basin. Waukesha secured that permission in 2016 because its own supplies were dwindling and contaminated.

Other WRI work has explored the long-term balance between water users in the Central Sands Region of Wisconsin. The scarcity of water in the area creates a tug between those wishing to use it for agriculture and those seeing reduced surface water levels, meaning sporting and recreational opportunities could be compromised.

More contemporary research priorities have been examining PFAS in the state’s waters, the effect of climate change on resources and assessing the extent and impact of pathogens in drinking water.

WRI also recruits and trains the next generation of water leaders. Throughout its history, more than 1,250 students have been trained by working on research projects.

“We are incredibly proud of the students and the work supported by WRI these past 60 years. At the same time, we know that water issues remain critical throughout the state. We look forward to supporting innovative and impactful research in Wisconsin,” WRI Interim Director Christy Remucal said.

The post Happy anniversary, sister first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/happy-anniversary-sister/

Celebrating WRI’s 60th anniversary year

On: May 29, 2024

In: Christy Remucal, groundwater, Groundwater Coordinating Council, Jennifer Hauxwell, President Lyndon B. Johnson, Water Resources Research Act

Water with a green-brown tint.

The age of Earth’s water has been estimated at 4.5 billion years. While 60 pales in comparison to that astounding age, the work of the National Institutes for Water Resources network — celebrating its sexennial anniversary in 2024 — is critical for the resource’s stewardship.

The 54 institutes are charged with undertaking multidisciplinary water research. They are a federal-state partnership, with federal funds coming through the U.S. Geological Survey and providing dollars to support two tracks, a core grant to each individual program and also a pot of money to annually use for national research competitions to address timely challenges.

In Wisconsin, the state’s statutorily funded Groundwater Coordinating Council also supports the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute. The WRI is a program of the Universities of Wisconsin and is housed on the flagship campus in Madison.

At the time of the centers’ enactment, Johnson’s statement continued, “The new centers will be concerned with municipal and regional, as well as national water problems. Their ready accessibility to state and local officials will permit each problem to be attacked on an individual basis, the only way in which complex characteristics of each water deficiency can be resolved.” Johnson also noted that centers, such as Wisconsin’s, “will enlist the intellectual power of universities and research institutes in a nationwide effort to conserve and utilize our water resources for the common benefit.”

Decades later, WRI continues to embody those 1964 presidential words. It has funded more than 140 research projects, including marquee issues like naturally occurring radium in southeastern Wisconsin. WRI research on those aquifers informed the first-ever binational approval of Great Lakes water withdrawals by a community outside of the basin. Waukesha secured that permission in 2016 because its own supplies were dwindling and contaminated.

Person carrying equipment and walking through green field. — A researcher studies groundwater in Wisconsin’s Central Sands Region. Photo: Bonnie Willison.

More contemporary research priorities have been examining PFAS in the state’s waters, the effect of climate change on resources and assessing the extent and impact of pathogens in drinking water.

WRI Associate Director Jennifer Hauxwell said, “In a state so enriched with water, we have no shortage of water challenges, including water quality challenges statewide due to excessive nutrients or contaminants, water quantity challenges related to scarcity in some parts of the state and flooding in other parts. WRI’s investment in research helps us better identify and understand these challenges and evaluate management solutions to these challenges. We have a long history of working closely with Wisconsin communities to address their challenges and to connect researchers to real-world Wisconsin water issues.

“We are so fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve as this bridge for the past 60 years and look forward to the next 60,” she concluded.

WRI also recruits and trains the next generation of water leaders. Throughout its history, more than 1,250 students have been trained by working on research projects.

Further, WRI has established a transformative fellowship program. It partners with state agencies to mentor post-graduates who provide cutting-edge knowledge while gaining skills early in their careers. One of the current fellows is Sarah Gravlee. She works in water science policy for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. She said, “I like working at the intersection between water and public health. I’ve enjoyed fielding questions from the public about water contaminants, sitting in on meetings about newly identified water contamination, and assisting in projects focusing on reducing Wisconsin’s environmental health hazards. I’ve learned a lot.”

Also learning a lot have been the three, and counting, cohorts of undergraduate summer research scholars. It’s a program called the Freshwater@UW Summer Research Opportunities and links researchers who have been funded through WRI, and other grant programs, to competitively selected students from across the nation.

Closeup of smiling person wearing green clothing. — Interim Director Christy Remucal.

The post Celebrating WRI’s 60th anniversary year first appeared on WRI.

News Release | WRI

https://www.wri.wisc.edu/news/celebrating-wris-60th-anniversary-year/

In: Brian Koenig, Center of Excellence in PFAS Environmental Science, Christy Remucal, David Hart, Jill Jentes Banicki, Madison Board of Park Commissioners, Moira Harrington, Olbrich Botanical Gardens, Wisconsin Sea Grant Communications

Sea Grant communications director plunges into retirement

On: April 16, 2024

Moira Harrington studies a young fish temporarily collected from Green Bay on Lake Michigan. Image Credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Moira Harrington, Wisconsin Sea Grant assistant director for communications, recently announced plans to retire, effective June 14. Rather than tiptoe into the waters of retirement gradually, Harrington will dive right in, making the decision only three months beforehand.

“I’ve never taken an exercise class scheduled in the middle of a workday, but I feel like I need to plunge right in and try it. I retire on a Friday and the next Tuesday, I’m doing a strength-training class,” Harrington said.

As the head of communications, Harrington supervises a staff of five including writers, podcasters, editors, a videographer and graphic designer. She directs the creation of materials that promote science literacy and coordinated media relations. Harrington also assists with external relations. She was a former reporter for newspapers, magazines and a statehouse news service. She also worked for Wisconsin’s statewide public television broadcasting system, public health tobacco education campaigns, and as the state director and press secretary for former U.S. Sen. Russ Feingold of Wisconsin.

Her departure after almost 15 years will leave ripples felt throughout the program, both locally and nationally.

“We’ve been so fortunate to have a comprehensive science communications team,” said David Hart, Wisconsin Sea Grant assistant director for extension. “Moira crafted and guided that team. She contributed to the success of our Sea Grant and Water Resources missions in so many ways that it is hard to keep track. Besides writing and reviewing hundreds of stories, she did all our reporting, organized legislative visits and prepared us for rigorous program reviews. Then there are the smaller, but priceless ways she helped us stay connected like preparing a monthly newsletter sharing the personal side of our staff and co-organizing a bi-weekly travelogue series. I think we are going to reflect on all those little things she did long into the future.”

A common theme in Harrington’s career was working for organizations that contribute to society in a positive way. In terms of Sea Grant, she said, “It touches so many sectors of a community, it touches our culture and sparks research that has applications in people’s lives. It’s our role as communicators to share that information and it’s so rewarding.”

Not long after she began her job with Sea Grant, Harrington took on a leadership role, chairing the Great Lakes Sea Grant Communications Network (2011-2012). Later, she chaired the Networks Advisory Council, which is a committee within the Sea Grant Association, and the National Sea Grant Communications Network (2016-2018). One of her legacies is reinstating a national communications award program. “I think it’s important to recognize our work through a formal process and I hope it continues after I retire,” she said.

Moira Harrington (in the back) and members of her communications team meet with microplastics researchers who were conducting a Sea Grant experiment atop the Limnology Building on the University of Wisconsin-Madison Campus. Pictured in front: Ph.D. Student Ziyan Wu, Professor Mohan Qin, Science Communicator Marie Zhuikov; Second row: Writer Jenna Mertz, Professor Haoran Wei, Video and Podcast Producer Bonnie Willison, Creative Manager Sarah Congdon; Back row: Moira. Image Credit: Mohan Qin, University of Wisconsin-Madison.

“Moira has done so much for Sea Grant,” said Jill Jentes Banicki, current National Sea Grant Communications Network chair. “With every initiative she oversaw and every communicator, educator and director she worked with, she showed how important telling the Sea Grant story is to a successful and impactful Sea Grant network. We are so grateful to Moira for everything she has done for Sea Grant Communications over the last fourteen years and will miss her beyond words.”

Another legacy attributable to Harrington’s behind-the-scenes work is the creation of the university’s recent Center of Excellence in PFAS Environmental Science. In 2023, she wrote a story based on research by UW-Madison’s Christy Remucal on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances and how they were moving via groundwater into Lake Michigan.

“I pushed the story a bit more than I sometimes do, and it got picked up in the media in various places,” Harrington said. “The findings have implications for PFAS contamination everywhere because it can be applied to other situations where people are trying to understand a contamination site.”

A few weeks later, Harrington was contacted by the Federal Relations Office on the Madison campus. “They said they’d like to work with a member of the house of representatives or maybe one of the U.S. senators from Wisconsin. They wanted to figure out some way to put additional money specifically into PFAS research. So, I just connected people. I was like, okay, here’s Christy and you guys work together,” Harrington said.

Remucal, who is now the interim director of Wisconsin Sea Grant, wrote a proposal for the center. “Then we both kind of forgot about it,” Harrington said. But about a year later, after a grueling federal budgeting process, the funding came through for the center.

“I didn’t do the research and I didn’t get the funds from the federal government, but my ability to tell the story of that sparked a bigger thing that’s now resulting in almost a million dollars coming to support even more PFAS research. That feels good,” Harrington said.

A University of Wisconsin-Green Bay student (left) describes restoration efforts undertaken in the Wequiock Creek Natural Area in Wisconsin to Moira and Sea Grant Editor Elizabeth White (right). Image credit: Marie Zhuikov, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Some of her favorite projects involved creating biennial reports for the public and other communications products. Harrington credited her staff, one of the largest Sea Grant communications teams in the country, for their contributions. “It’s been a true honor working with the communications staff here. Everybody brings such a talent set. I love how we come together as a team to create meaningful and useful products. It’s been incredibly stimulating to have an idea and know that I can turn to a colleague in communications and they’ll make it happen. That’s just really fun.”

Harrington expects her retirement will involve four Bs: Brian, Baby, Bees and Books. Brian Koenig is her husband, who has plans for his own retirement and will no doubt enjoy having Harrington around more. One of their daughters had a child in April, so the Baby part is regarding their first grandbaby. Bees is about beekeeping. Harrington learned how to keep honeybees a few years ago. She’s maintained one hive and is getting a second (or more) in retirement. The fourth B is for Books. Harrington has been in the same book club for 24 years and plans to spend more time reading.

Beyond that, she will immerse herself more fully into her current volunteer work, which includes chairing the city of Madison Board of Park Commissioners and serving on the board for Olbrich Botanical Gardens in Madison.

Harrington leaves behind a solid team and significant list of accomplishments. At least one team member was heard musing, “We’ll do our best to stay afloat without her.”

The post Sea Grant communications director plunges into retirement first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/sea-grant-communications-director-plunges-into-retirement/

Marie Zhuikov

Wisconsin Sea Grant garners good showing in the Lakie Awards

On: February 22, 2024

In: 2023 Lakie Awards, Christy Remucal, Great Lakes Sandwich of the Year loser, Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant, Marie Zhuikov, Sarah Balgooyen, Stuart Carlton, Teach me about the Great Lakes podcast, Tim Campbell, Titus Bakery, Titus Seilheimer, Wisconsin water news

Podcast host Stuart Carlton calls the Lakie Awards “the least prestigious Great Lakes podcast awards” around. Carlton hosts “Teach me About the Great Lakes,” a twice-monthly podcast produced by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant where listeners can learn about a variety of Great Lakes topics and issues.

Mixed with tongue-in-cheek award categories like Great Lakes Donut of the Year are more typical ones. Wisconsin Sea Grant fared unusually well in the 2023 competition, earning honors for Great Lakes Research Project, Great Lakes Sandwich, Science Podcast and Great Lakes Titus of the Year.

A Lakie entry so bad that it garnered a first-ever loser award. Image credit: Tim Campbell, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Our staff members earned both the winner and runner-up categories for Great Lakes Research of the Year. Interim Wisconsin Sea Grant Director Christy Remucal and her student Sarah Balgooyen won for their journal article about discovering the source of a PFAS plume into Lake Michigan. Aquatic Invasive Species Outreach Specialist Tim Campbell and his team earned runner-up for their article about Buddhist life release rituals and the risk for unintentionally spreading aquatic invasive species.

Our podcast, Wisconsin Water News (produced by me!) earned runner-up for Science Podcast for the Year.

Fisheries Outreach Specialist Titus Seilheimer earned runner-up for Great Lakes Titus of the Year. Although this category is named after Titus, it wouldn’t look good for him to win it, so this year, those honors went to the Titus Bakery chain in Indiana.

Campbell had the distinction of being named a first-ever loser in the Great Lakes Sandwich of the Year competition. He submitted a photo of a mac-and-cheese hot dog covered with fruit loops cereal, which was too gross for the Lakies judges to even consider.

Despite their lack of prestige, our staff are proud of their showing in the Lakies and appreciate this outreach effort by Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant. To see a list of the other winners, please access the episode here.

The post Wisconsin Sea Grant garners good showing in the Lakie Awards first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Blog | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/blog/wisconsin-sea-grant-garners-good-showing-in-the-lakie-awards/

Marie Zhuikov

Sea Grant to fund $4.6 M in Great Lakes research, education and outreach

On: February 1, 2024

In: 2024-26 research, Christy Remucal

The University of Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program today announced the investment of $4.6 million into Great Lakes research, education and outreach for 2024-26.

In that time, Sea Grant will fund 11 research projects and one education project, totaling $2.8 million, along with 46 outreach projects on seven Universities of Wisconsin campuses.

Interim Sea Grant Director calls the Great Lakes a true treasure and praises the investment of research dollars to study them.

“The inland seas and their coastal ecosystems are true treasures. This investment is a critical one as we seek to more deeply understand the Great Lakes, enhance their use and foster conservation,” said Christy Remucal, interim director of Sea Grant. “In a 2022 analysis, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Coastal Management valued the Great Lakes regional economy at $3.1 trillion. So, for the actual dollar value of the lakes, as well as the perhaps more intangible cultural value, all Wisconsin residents will see a return on investment from this new freshwater-focused work.”

Thanks to funding from Sea Grant, other entities will participate in the research projects—the Wisconsin Historical Society conducting shipwreck research; Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission engaging in microplastics and contaminants research; Mole Lake Sokaogon Chippewa Community determining more efficient ways to cultivate walleye; and governmental bodies, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Wisconsin Department of Health Services and town of Campbell, on investigations into PFAS in waterways and various questions surrounding the Great Lakes fishery.

Researchers will also look into microbial pollutants on recreational beaches, angler ice safety, creating a tool to measure the levels of microplastics in the Great Lakes, flooding and the 2,000-year-old history of Great Lakes fishing.

In all, nearly 100 scientists, staff and students will be engaged in this work. It is also rewarding, Remucal said, to see new researchers as part of the portfolio. Eight of the 11 projects will be led by scientists who have not previously secured Sea Grant funding.

The participating campuses within the Universities of Wisconsin system are Green Bay and its campus in Manitowoc, La Crosse, Madison, Milwaukee, Stevens Point and Superior.

The NOAA, Department of Commerce, provides funding for this work through the National Sea Grant College Program.

The post Sea Grant to fund $4.6 M in Great Lakes research, education and outreach first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/sea-grant-to-fund-4-6-m-in-great-lakes-research-education-and-outreach/

Remucal named interim director of Sea Grant

On: October 23, 2023

In: Christy Remucal, Cynthia Czajkowski, interim director, Wisconsin Idea

University of Wisconsin-Madison Interim Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education Cynthia Czajkowski named Christy Remucal as interim director of the Aquatic Sciences Center, which is home to the Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program and the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute (WRI). Both programs support multidisciplinary research, education and outreach for the protection and sustainable use of Wisconsin’s water resources. The appointment was effective Oct. 22.

Remucal’s appointment comes after the retirement of Aquatic Sciences Center Director Jim Hurley.

“Since I’ve been at the UW, I have benefitted from so many things at the center—funding opportunities, working with the outreach and communications staff, mentoring undergraduates through the Water@UW REU program,” Remucal said. “The center has helped me grow my own research group, and I’m looking forward to working on the other side. I see this as a way to give back to the water community.”

Christy Remucal is the new interim director for Wisconsin Sea Grant. Contributed photo.

A professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, the Environmental Chemistry and Technology Program, and the Freshwater and Marine Science Program, Remucal’s research focus is on contaminants that impact water quality and processes to remove those contaminants. Some of her recent studies have been on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). She serves as the only Universities of Wisconsin representative on the state’s PFAS Action Council.

“We are grateful for the commitment to the Wisconsin Idea and the leadership that Jim Hurley has provided in aquatic sciences research, and outreach and education in support of sustainable uses of our state’s natural resources while serving as director of the Aquatic Sciences Center for the past 11 years,” said Cynthia Czajkowski interim vice chancellor for research and graduate education. “And we welcome Christy to her new leadership role as interim center director. She has as a strong leadership background and ran excellent, relevant research experience that makes her perfectly qualified to serve in this capacity.”

When tapped for the interim center directorship, Remucal was leading the Aquatic Chemistry group at UW-Madison and was acting as the director of the Water Science and Engineering Laboratory. In addition to managing the center, she will continue to teach, mentor and conduct research. Remucal’s mentoring background includes mentoring 20 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers.

WRI came to the state 59 years ago. Wisconsin Sea Grant was founded 55 years ago. The programs with their similar missions merged in 1998 and created a highly efficient and cost-effective model for drawing out the best from Wisconsin’s aquatic scientists who, collaboratively, make a difference statewide, nationwide and around the world. Areas of particular strength for the programs are ecosystems contaminant research, extension service to coastal residents and fostering scholarship and training of the next generation of water science leaders.

Remucal is only the fourth WRI and Sea Grant director in the history of the programs, which is evidence of the steady leadership provided by previous directors that has been marked by excellence. In their most recent reviews by federal funders, both programs ranked top in the nation among their peers.

Remucal wants to continue seminal successes, build on them and seek research and outreach opportunities in the areas of diversity, equity and inclusion, and how compromised water quality may disproportionately affect some communities.

In terms of other research priorities, she called out emerging contaminants and microplastics. “There is so much that needs to be done. These water quality challenges are incredibly complex and there is a real need for outreach and communication to help the public understand these issues,” Remucal said.

“There is also a need for basic water research, fundamental work that addresses research questions. At the same time, there is a need to do research that serves the state agencies and the people of Wisconsin. It’s not always possible to have those align, but in many cases they can. Increasing knowledge and conducting actionable research is very valuable,” she said.

Person wearing white lab coat and safety goggles.

Remucal is a prominent researcher on contaminants in water. Photo by Bonnie Willison

Remucal holds degrees in civil and environmental engineering from the University of California-Berkeley (master’s and Ph.D.) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Bachelor of Science). Before joining Madison’s faculty in 2012, she completed a post-doctoral position in the Institute for Biogeochemistry and Pollutant Dynamics at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.

Her background and passion have brought her to the center and Remucal summed it up: “Water is such a critical issue for people in Wisconsin. It is necessary for life and people in our state really do value our water resources. Because there is such a clear importance and relevance for water, this a great opportunity for outreach. It comes back to embracing the Wisconsin Idea and sharing our research with people in Wisconsin.”

Sea Grant is funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and WRI is funded by the U.S. Geological Survey.

The post Remucal named interim director of Sea Grant first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/remucal-named-interim-director-of-sea-grant/

Remucal Named Interim Director of WRI

On: October 23, 2023

In: Christy Remucal, interim director, Wisconsin Idea

University of Wisconsin-Madison Interim Vice Chancellor for Research and Graduate Education Cynthia Czajkowski named Christy Remucal as interim director of the Aquatic Sciences Center, which is home to the University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute (WRI) and the Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program. Both programs support multidisciplinary research, education and outreach for the protection and sustainable use of Wisconsin’s water resources. The appointment was effective Oct. 22.

Remucal’s appointment comes after the retirement of Aquatic Sciences Center Director Jim Hurley.

Smiling person learning against a pillar. — New WRI Interim Director Christy Remucal. She officially took over the 59-year-old program yesterday. Contributed photo.

Person in lab coat and safety goggles in a lab. — Remucal in her water research lab. She focuses on contaminants. Photo: Bonnie Willison

WRI is funded by the U.S. Geological Survey and Sea Grant by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

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News Release | WRI

https://www.wri.wisc.edu/news/remucal-named-interim-director-of-wri/

New study: Northeastern Wisconsin PFAS plume moves into Green Bay via groundwater

On: January 3, 2023

In: Christy Remucal, firefighting foam, forever chemicals, Green Bay, PFAS, Sarah Balgooyen, Tyco

A new study has found that a plume of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from an industrial source has made its way into Green Bay, Lake Michigan, through the movement of groundwater.

PFAS are often referred to as “forever chemicals” because they do not readily break down in the environment. They have been used to make a wide range of products resistant to water, grease, oil and stains and are also found in firefighting foams, which are a major source of environmental PFAS contamination. The chemical compounds have been shown to have adverse effects on human health.

Christy Remucal with the University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and postdoctoral co-investigator Sarah Balgooyen published their work in the Dec. 27, 2022, issue of the journal Environmental Science & Technology, https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.2c06600 It was funded by a grant from the Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program.

“We used a forensics approach to investigate how the PFAS fingerprint from an industrial source changes after undergoing environmental and engineered processes,” Remucal said.

Woman wearing lab goggles, gloves and a lab coat in a lab.

Researcher Christy Remucal in her lab on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus is analyzing water samples taken from a known contamination site.

Researchers tracked the movement of PFAS through groundwater and surface water flow, as well as the chemicals’ presence in biosolids on land. Analysis of samples showed that, unfortunately, a large PFAS plume has moved into Green Bay, Lake Michigan.

Green Bay is one of the largest bays on the Great Lakes, an interconnected freshwater system providing drinking water for 30 million U.S. and Canadian residents. That makes it even more important for researchers to understand what contaminants are present and where they may have come from.

The source of this Great Lakes contamination has been traced to Tyco Fire Products. The company’s fire-training facilities in Marinette and Peshtigo have previously been identified as a source of PFAS contamination in groundwater and private drinking water wells in the area.

The forensic technique in this study used PFAS fingerprinting, a process that uses ratios of individual PFAS compounds to identify PFAS contaminants and their sources. In this case, the PFAS fingerprint in Green Bay is nearly identical to PFAS associated with Tyco and includes PFAS known to be active ingredients in firefighting foams. This fingerprinting method could be used to hold polluting companies responsible for the contaminated water, the researchers said.

The study also found that PFAS associated with the industrial facility are present in streams near some agricultural fields. The researchers believe this PFAS contamination may have come from the treated biosolids many farmers use to fertilize their fields.

Biosolids are the product of wastewater treatment and are rich in nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorus. PFAS in wastewater undergo extensive processing and some PFAS tend to concentrate in biosolids during treatment.

Remucal and Balgooyen determined that PFAS from biosolids can still mobilize after being spread on land. So, when farmers spread biosolids on their fields, PFAS can eventually make their way to adjacent streams.

Blonde woman wearing safety goggles, gloves and a lab coat in a lab.

Sarah Balgooyen is a postdoctoral investigator of PFAS, which is a group of man-made chemicals known for stain- and water-resistance, but also causes cancer in humans.

“Treated biosolids are commonly spread on fields all across Wisconsin,” Balgooyen said. “This information may impact how municipalities across Wisconsin and other states approach the use of biosolids as an agricultural fertilizer.”

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Great Lakes tributary rivers play important role in bringing PFAS to the drinking water source of millions

On: February 14, 2022

In: acids, Christy Remucal, perfluoroalkyl, PFAA, PFAS, Sarah Balgooyen

The world’s largest source of fresh water, the Great Lakes, provides drinking water to more than 40 million people in the U.S. and Canada. In the first study of its kind, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering have demonstrated that tributary rivers feeding Lake Michigan play an important role in bringing the human-made group of chemicals known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) to the Great Lakes system.

Researcher Christy Remucal in her lab on the University of Wisconsin-Madison campus is analyzing water samples taken from known contamination sites, the Menominee and Peshtigo rivers, which feed into Lake Michigan. Photo: Bonnie Willison

Christy Remucal with the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, and postdoctoral co-investigator Sarah Balgooyen quantified 10 PFAS chemicals known as perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs), in the water and sediment of 41 tributaries to Green Bay of Lake Michigan.

The study is published in the Feb. 10, 2022, edition of the ACS ES&T Water Journal (https://pubs.acs.org/doi/full/10.1021/acsestwater.1c00348). It was funded by a grant from the Wisconsin Sea Grant College Program.

“Tributary PFAS loading to the Great Lakes is poorly understood,” Remucal said. “The role of sediments as a PFAS source or sink is also largely unknown. Our study is bringing some much-needed answers to not only the people who live around the bay of Green Bay, but also to all of the Great Lakes communities because it’s an interconnected water system. These findings could also be extrapolated to understand the conditions surrounding thousands of other tributaries that flow into the five lakes.”

PFAAs are found in common household items like cookware, cleaning agents and fabric treated with repellants, as well as in firefighting foams. In the study area, the Fox, Menominee and Peshtigo rivers contribute two-thirds of the total tributary PFAA loading to Green Bay despite their relatively low concentrations and despite the current regulatory focus on sites with high PFAA concentrations. The sources of the chemicals in the study tributaries are likely linked to a firefighting foam manufacturer, other industrial activity and airports, which use firefighting foam on runways.

In addition to the tributary discharge, the work showed that tributary sediments can contribute to PFAA via a releasing process known as desorption. Contaminated riverbed sediments may act as a PFAA source even if water concentrations are reduced by pollution mitigation.

Sarah Balgooyen, a postdoctoral investigator of PFAS, said there are likely more than 5,000 compounds known as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. In research published today in a leading journal Balgooyen quantifies 10 of the chemicals analyzed in the water and sediment of Lake Michigan tributary water bodies. Photo: Bonnie Willison

“Understandably, there is a heightened interest in the levels of PFAS in drinking water. PFAS have been linked to a number of ill human health effects, including cancer,” Balgooyen said. “I’m grateful for the opportunity to share my research. It certainly leads to a clearer understanding and, hopefully, can provide some guidance on contamination cleanup.”

The research will also inform the Wisconsin PFAS Action Council, of which Remucal is a member as the University of Wisconsin System representative. She is joined by representatives from 17 state agencies. The group has identified eight PFAS priority themes, including one on sampling and one on research and knowledge.

A video about this project can be found here.

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