NEIWPCC’s work around per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is getting a boost from two students enrolled in the master of public health (MPH) degree program at Tufts University’s School of Medicine. PFAS are a class of man-made chemicals that have been widely used in consumer products and manufacturing for decades. They break down slowly and can build up in the environment over time, while also presenting a myriad of public health impacts. Universities, research institutions and government agencies are actively conducting PFAS research across the country to better understand the environmental and health effects of these compounds, as well as treatment and management options.
Drinking water, groundwater and surface water with PFAS can end up at wastewater treatment plants where their treatment and disposal pose a challenge. To address these issues, NEIWPCC coordinates discussions among stakeholders from Northeast states’ health and environment departments, wastewater treatment plants, environmental consulting and law firms, universities, and national environmental organizations. NEIWPCC also developed and maintains an information clearinghouse on research for PFAS in wastewater treatment.
Building off of existing NEIWPCC resources, the Tufts students are conducting PFAS research while earning credit for their required Applied Practice Experience (APE) internship. This program matches students with a community partner, such as NEIWPCC, to develop work products that address a public health issue. NEIWPCC has hosted nine APE interns from the MPH program since 2020, providing the students with real world experience in community public health as well as a network-building opportunity. Previous APE projects focused on wastewater-based epidemiology, regional biosolids generation, and PFAS concentrations in surface water.
“It has been a privilege to work with the Tufts MPH students and to get the next generation of professionals engaged in the water and wastewater sectors,” said Christina Stringer, NEIWPCC’s director of Wastewater and Onsite Programs and supervisor of former APE interns.
This year, NEIWPCC is working with Gabe Mogollon, an MPH student from Tucson, Arizona, who is concentrating in epidemiology and biostatistics. He has an undergraduate degree in environmental engineering, and brings a deep curiosity of water, having experienced years of drought in his home state.
For Mogollon’s APE internship, he is conducting a literature review of municipal biosolids PFAS remediation and treatment articles to expand upon the existing publicly available information on NEIWPCC’s Wastewater Residuals BioHub webpage. These resources focus on PFAS in wastewater residuals or biosolids – a by-product of the municipal wastewater treatment process with few proven management options currently available. Mogollon significantly increased the listed resources available, pulling from scientific journals and industry organizations.
“Science is rapidly putting out information on PFAS – there’s tons of new literature from the last two or three years specific to biosolids,” said Mogollon. “I am consolidating information on eliminating PFAS from biosolids in whatever way possible so that people can, as easily as possible, explore and improve upon this research.”
The second aspect of Mogollon’s research focuses on developing summaries on emerging PFAS treatment technologies. The resulting matrix will provide information on the treatment type, how it works, the pros and cons of this approach, as well as other considerations to help inform and guide users to an appropriate treatment type. These repositories will provide a centralized resource for information about PFAS treatment in municipal biosolids for wastewater operators, researchers, academics, industry representatives, government officials, and other interested parties.
“Working on this [internship], I can do something with my environmental expertise that is immediately consequential and will help people now,” said Mogollon.
Meanwhile, NEIWPCC intern and California native Crystal Rocha Torres is taking a different approach to her research. Putting her professional experience as a nurse and MPH concentration in public health promotion to work, Torres is assessing PFAS communication strategies in Lowell, Massachusetts, where NEIWPCC’s headquarters is located.
“I’ve always been driven towards equity in terms of healthcare access, and a big part of that is underserved communities which tend to have a lot of vulnerable populations,” said Torres. “A goal of my project is improving health awareness and trying to empower the community with knowledge in terms of what they can do about PFAS exposure.”
A former Tufts University MPH student conducted a PFAS awareness survey for Lowell residents, providing a starting point for Torres’ work. In consultation with the local census data, Torres is refining the survey questions to better reflect the Lowell population, focusing on the Cambodian and Hispanic communities.
“I’m piggybacking off of the previous APE project to come up with a framework of how to outreach to these underserved communities and establish a how-to guide for future APE colleagues,” explains Torres. “This is going to help us reach out to the people who have a hand within the community so that we can get a good idea of what kind of language resonates with them – what works.”
Torres is identifying cultural community centers, churches, and other local organizations to make them aware of this project, gather outreach insights, and, eventually, share her survey to collect data on PFAS awareness levels and outreach strategies for these populations. Using this new information, she plans on developing culturally adapted PFAS educational materials and communication strategies as well as design implementation models and an evaluation framework that can inform future intern projects.
Both Mogollon and Torres meet regularly with NEIWPCC Environmental Engineer and APE Preceptor Jennifer Lichtensteiger, to track their progress and address any issues. Lichtensteiger serves as the point person for PFAS-related topics in addition to overseeing NEIWPCC’s Wastewater Residuals Workgroup and BioHub.
“The students bring a new energy and fresh perspective to our work,” said Lichtensteiger. “They get real-world experience and are able to push projects forward too, which has been incredibly helpful.”
Through the APE program, NEIWPCC engages the next generation of public health workers in water-related topics, technologies and industry partners.
Lichtensteiger adds, “It’s important that people understand PFAS and all of its complexities, interdependencies, and nuances. This internship is a way to engage young professionals from around the country in PFAS-related projects and challenges at the start of their careers.”