Dr. Bushra Khan and her team in ETOX study PFAS trends in aquatic ecosystems in collaboration with CA SWRCB
The publication won Best Paper Award from ES&T Water
Dr. Bushra Khan, along with coauthors Dr. Robert Burgess and Dr. Mark Cantwell of the US EPA, had their PFAS review article selected as one of the winners of the ACS Publications ES&T Water Best Paper Awards. This paper was a top-cited publication.
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of synthetic compounds used in commercial applications, household products, and industrial processes. The paper presents key PFAS trends in marine sediments, water, and organisms using data generated over 2 decades (2000 - 2020). The authors found longer-chain PFAS, particularly perfluoroundecanoic acid, were detected at high concentrations across several taxa and across years, indicating their persistence and ability to bioaccumulate up the food chain.
Bushra and her current team are continuing PFAS monitoring in California watersheds in collaboration with the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB) to assemble long-term trends of these persistent pollutants in freshwater habitats. The team is seen here sampling sediment and water across multiple sites in California, including in Sacramento County, San Luis Obispo County, Placer County, San Diego County, and others.
