Major
Environmental Science
Anticipated Graduation Year
2025
Access Type
Open Access
Abstract
Sediment is a key component of aquatic ecosystems, as they provide habitats and nutrients for benthic plants and animals. This research is investigating the PFAS content in sediment cores from Jamaica Bay, New York. Using an approach of geochronology, the goal of this research is to produce a timeline displaying the concentration distribution of PFAS. This will allow the analysis of the efficacy of phasing out PFAS, as they are persistent chemicals that are extremely harmful to human and ecological health. We found that PFCA and PFSA concentrations are not decreasing, indicating there is continued environmental input.
Faculty Mentors & Instructors
Gordon Getzinger, Assistant Professor, School of Environmental Science
Supported By
P. Lee Ferguson, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Duke University
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 License.
Geochronology of PFAS in Jamaica Bay Sediment Cores
Sediment is a key component of aquatic ecosystems, as they provide habitats and nutrients for benthic plants and animals. This research is investigating the PFAS content in sediment cores from Jamaica Bay, New York. Using an approach of geochronology, the goal of this research is to produce a timeline displaying the concentration distribution of PFAS. This will allow the analysis of the efficacy of phasing out PFAS, as they are persistent chemicals that are extremely harmful to human and ecological health. We found that PFCA and PFSA concentrations are not decreasing, indicating there is continued environmental input.