Project Details
Description
ABSTRACT
Per-
worldwide.
environment.
promising
dependent
effectiveness
novel
hypothesize
customized
water
track
providing
synthesize
sulfonic
GenX)
imaging
spectroscopy.
At
by
imaging
phytoremediation
and
thousands
project
of
mobilize
processes
and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous in the environment and represent a health threat
More than 7500 PFAS exist, and all have strong C-F bonds that render them persistent in the
Therefore, effective alternatives for clean-up of PFAS are urgently needed. Phytoremediation is a
technique for in-situ restoration of contaminated soil. However, plant uptake of PFAS is highly
on the length of the fluorinated chain portion of the molecule. As such, phytoremediation has limited
for larger PFAS, such as perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS). We propose to develop custom
nanomaterials (NNMs) that facilitate internalization and mobility of PFAS into hemp plants. We
that carbon dots (CDs) and ultraporous mesostructured silica nanoparticles (UMNs)
to have an increased affinity for PFAS will enhance PFAS uptake and translocation from
and soil into hemp plants . The luminescent properties of these novel materials will allow us to visually
both PFAS sorption to the particles and nanoparticle movement into and throughout the plants, thus
mechanistic information about our phytoremediation system. In Specific Aim 1 we will design,
and test the affinity of customized CDs and UMNs for a mixture of two legacy (perfluorooctane
acid, PFOS; perfluorooctanoic acid, PFOA) and two new (perfluorobutane sulfonic acid, PFBS; and
PFAS. The nanoparticle-PFAS complex will be evaluated by 19 F nuclear magnetic resonance and
techniques, while the sorption rate will be measured by liquid chromatography high resolution mass
Specific Aim 2 wil test if our NNMs promote phytoremediation in hydroponically-grown plants.
the same time, we will use this simplified plant growth system to elucidate the mechanisms of NNM uptake
and translocation within plants. We will analyze the uptake and localization of NNMs in plant tissues by
and spectroscopy techniques. Specific Aim 3 will test the efficacy of NNM-enhanced
in field soils obtained from PFAS-contaminated land. We will quantitatively analyze 25 PFAS
evaluate their uptake and translocation, and also apply non-targeted analysis techniques to screen for
of PFAS that may be present in the soils and plants tested. The nanomaterials developed in this
will advance phytoremediation as an economical and sustainable technique for removing a wide range
PFAS from soil. In addition, findings from this project will result in a better understanding of how NNMs
contaminants in plant-soil systems, information that can be translated to optimize phytoremediation
with other plant species, contaminant classes, and nanomaterials.
l
Status | Active |
---|---|
Effective start/end date | 4/9/21 → 1/31/25 |
Funding
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences: $150,000.00
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences: $13,613.00
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences: $150,000.00
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences: $150,000.00
- National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences: $150,000.00
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