Simple passive samplers to find and help remove PFAS in water, air, dust and wildlife
Passive samplers in support of Remediation, Detection and Bioaccumulation of PFAS
Using easy-to-deploy passive samplers to detect PFAS chemicals around homes, waterways, and wildlife so communities can better know exposure and guide cleanup.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Rhode Island NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Kingston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11123468 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This project develops and field-tests low-cost passive sampling devices that soak up PFAS from water, air, dust and local animals to give time-weighted measures of contamination. Teams will trial a simple groundwater filter and monitor an ex situ remediation test on Cape Cod while also deploying samplers in the Delaware River and lab-controlled exposures to track bioaccumulation. The work links environmental measurements with wildlife tissue data to clarify how PFAS move through ecosystems. Results will be shared with stakeholders to support site cleanup and exposure reduction.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: People living, working, or recreating near known or suspected PFAS-contaminated sites (for example on Cape Cod or the Delaware River area) and community members concerned about PFAS exposure would be most relevant.
Not a fit: Individuals seeking medical treatment for PFAS-related health conditions may not directly benefit because this project focuses on environmental monitoring and remediation tools rather than clinical care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, communities could get clearer, longer-term measurements of PFAS exposure and tools to verify that cleanups are working.
How similar studies have performed: Passive samplers and environmental monitoring have shown promise for other contaminants and some PFAS work exists, but this project extends those methods and field-tests new remediation filters, so parts are novel.
Where this research is happening
Kingston, United States
- University of Rhode Island — Kingston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lohmann, Rainer — University of Rhode Island
- Study coordinator: Lohmann, Rainer
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.