CEE Ph.D. Defense Announcement: Release, Transport and Fate of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) in Urban Watersheds

Abstract: Extensive use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) has led to widespread contamination and risks to water resources. Mitigating human health impacts from PFAS exposure requires reliable predictions of their environmental mass loading, transport and fate, which are complicated by their diverse sources and complex interactions with soil, water and air-water interfaces. This dissertation advances understanding of PFAS in urban watersheds by (1) characterizing historical releases from global wastewater treatment plants, (2) uncovering contamination and hysteretic adsorption of PFAS in urban floodplain sediments, and (3) integrating these insights with hydrologic records to model long-term PFAS transport and fate.