Municipal water systems must remove “forever chemicals” from their tap water under a new rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency meant to prevent deaths and serious illnesses linked to the substances. This limit is the first of its kind for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances known as PFAS, a toxic chemical used in everyday items …
The next time you walk through the woods in the dead of winter, take a moment to see if you can spot one of nature’s most persistent and heartiest survivors. No, not the patch of brown grasses peeking through a snowbank, or the acres of trees with their bare boughs and branches, waiting for spring. …
In this post we look at a community request: PFAS compounds. Science evolves as research and evidence grow to help us determine the safety of an ingredient, contaminant, or technology. However, headlines around ingredient safety are often faster than the research concluding an ingredient’s harm or safety profile. We may not immediately know if a …
Younsuk Dong, an assistant professor and Extension specialist at Michigan State University’s Department of Biosystem and Agricultural Engineering, has been recognized by MSU Extension with the 2023 Innovative Technology Award for his LOCOMOS technology. LOCOMOS (Low-Cost Monitoring System) uses affordable sensors and monitoring tools to provide real-time data on soil moisture levels, allowing farmers to …
Michigan State University researcher Bruno Basso suggests that advanced plant sensors can provide farmers with real-time data on soil, crops, and weather. However, their uptake remains slow due to high costs and complexity. Furthermore, extreme weather events driven by climate change are decreasing yields. While sensors could and would help farmers adapt to the new …
Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced $8,492,000 in grant funding to four institutions for research on the occurrence and concentration of pathogens and disinfection by-products and the environmental conditions favorable to their growth in drinking water distribution systems. “New strategies for monitoring and controlling contaminants in drinking water will help ensure that science …
Hui Li, a professor in the Michigan State University Department of Plant, Soil and Microbial Sciences, is being honored with the 2023 Environmental Quality Research Award from the American Society of Agronomy (ASA). Li, a world-renowned expert in environmental soil chemistry, and the fate and transport of contaminants in plant-soil-water systems, will be formally recognized …
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Newly published research from Michigan State University scientists demonstrates how regionally specific machine learning-based modeling more effectively monitors levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) chemicals in Michigan drinking water compared to nationwide models. Findings were published in the journal Water Research. The project was led by A. Pouyan Nejadhashemi, MSU Foundation Professor in the …
EAST LANSING, Mich. — Since the mid-20th century, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances — a class of thousands of chemicals commonly known as PFAS — have been used in everyday items such as nonstick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics, firefighting foams, and the packaging industry because they are resistant to grease, heat, oil and water. But many toxicological studies have …
A recent study conducted by Michigan State University suggests that an improved method of self-collecting blood samples for testing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) could lead to early detection of health issues related to these “forever chemicals.” PFAS are persistent chemicals found in various products and environments, with detrimental effects on human health. The study …
