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In: bald eagle nestlings, emerging contaminants, Gavin Dehnert, National Sea Grant Law Center, new project, PFAS, Wisconsin Sea Grant

Caption: Gavin Dehnert, an emerging contaminants scientist at Wisconsin Sea Grant, investigates the impact of emerging contaminants on aquatic ecosystems. Photo Credit: Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Coastal and estuarine waters are important for human and ecosystem health. Contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) are regularly detected in these waters; however, little is known about how they are transported, where they accumulate and their final destinations. There is also a lack of research on the health risks they pose to humans and aquatic life. It is critical to continue to support ongoing monitoring efforts and to address knowledge gaps around CEC exposures, which Sea Grant has established with previous funding.

For the last four years, Congress has directed Sea Grant to collaborate with state agencies and universities to expand emerging contaminant research and monitoring. Sea Grant is pleased to announce two projects receiving approximately $984,000 in federal funding in 2024. These projects were competitively selected through an opportunity focused on CECs. The projects, detailed below, will lead regional research competitions in the Southeast and Great Lakes regions focused on addressing CEC information needs. 

2024 project descriptions:

Wisconsin Sea Grant

Quantifying the health impacts of emerging and legacy contaminants on an apex bird predator in the Great Lakes region

Federal funding: $484,400

Project lead: Christina Remucal and Gavin Dehnert

Wisconsin Sea Grant plans to sample bald eagle nestlings, game fish and water from areas in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan known to have per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) contamination. Researchers anticipate elevated PFAS levels near historical contamination sites and expect varying levels in game fish, which could lead to updating fish consumption guidelines. This study will inform long-term monitoring and bioremediation efforts and provide insights into the potential health impacts on both humans and wildlife. The findings will benefit local communities, including tribal nations, by offering updated fish consumption recommendations and contributing to future PFAS research.

The National Sea Grant Law Center

Strengthening and expanding regional CEC initiatives to promote research-to-application partnerships

Federal funding: $500,000

Project lead: Stephanie Otts

The National Sea Grant Law Center will assess and address the risks posed by contaminants of emerging concern to local communities through an interdisciplinary approach that involves both science and outreach. They will provide funding to the South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium for research projects through their contaminants grant program and will support partnership development in the Great Lakes and Southeast regions through a competitive grant process. The expected outcomes include a better understanding of the types, prevalence and movement of contaminants in the Southeast, stronger collaboration between researchers and policymakers in both regions, the creation of research-to-application partnerships that can serve as future models, and improved integration of research into policy decisions.

 

The post Sea Grant announces new projects to address community needs regarding contaminants of emerging concern first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

News Releases | Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/sea-grant-announces-new-projects-to-address-community-needs-regarding-contaminants-of-emerging-concern/

Wisconsin Sea Grant

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In: emerging contaminants, Green Bay, Keillor Fellow, Marinette, PFAS, Sarah Balgooyen, Tyco Fire Products, Water quality

In the April installment of Wisconsin Sea Grant’s “Lake Talks,” Sarah Balgooyen will discuss “Forever Chemicals: PFAS in the Green Bay Watershed.”

The Lake Talks are informal, interactive science presentations on Great Lakes issues, especially those involving Lake Michigan. In light of the ongoing pandemic, spring 2021 Lake Talks are being offered via Zoom.

Balgooyen will speak Thursday, April 15, from 7-8 p.m. (Register now for this Zoom webinar.)

Dr. Sarah Balgooyen at work in a laboratory on the UW-Madison campus. (Photo: Bonnie Willison)

PFAS are a category of chemicals frequently found in firefighting foams, Teflon and many other common products. They are a hot topic in water research because they are estimated to contaminate the drinking water of 16.5 million people in the United States alone, and much more needs to be understood about these chemicals.

One site of concern in Wisconsin is the Tyco Fire Products facility in Marinette. These concerns involve not only drinking water from private wells in the area, but also the possibility for contaminants to get into the bay of Green Bay and, ultimately, out into Lake Michigan.

Balgooyen, who completed her Ph.D. at UW-Madison in 2019, has been studying this area as the J. Philip Keillor Water Science Fellow at Wisconsin Sea Grant.

In this informal talk geared toward a general audience, Balgooyen will talk about her research process and what she’s found so far. There will also be time during the hour for audience questions. This Zoom webinar is free and open to all.

For connection information for future talks, visit the Lake Talks page of the Wisconsin Sea Grant website, or follow Wisconsin Sea Grant on Facebook or Twitter. You can register for Sarah Balgooyen’s talk now.

For questions about this series, contact Wisconsin Sea Grant science communicator Jennifer Smith.

The post Informal science talk to address PFAS in the Green Bay watershed first appeared on Wisconsin Sea Grant.

Original Article

News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant

News Releases – Wisconsin Sea Grant

https://www.seagrant.wisc.edu/news/informal-science-talk-to-address-pfas-in-the-green-bay-watershed/

Jennifer Smith

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In: emerging contaminants, Hiring

The University of Wisconsin Water Resources Institute and its sister institution, Wisconsin Sea Grant, is hiring an emerging contaminants scientist. Apply by 11:55 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13.

This position will provide applied research and outreach to address emerging contaminants and threats to Great Lakes ecosystems and public health in Wisconsin. This will be accomplished through the lens of actionable science – sound science conducted with the highest standards for quality and integrity guided by a strong relationship with stakeholders and coupled with effective outreach and communication. Actionable science results in information or decision-support frameworks that can inform a variety of challenges.

The post Hiring: Emerging Contaminants Scientist first appeared on WRI.

Original Article

News Release – WRI

News Release – WRI

https://www.wri.wisc.edu/news/hiring-emerging-contaminants-scientist/

Moira Harrington