# RESEARCH FOR UNDERSTANDING PFAS UPTAKE AND BIOACCUMULATION IN PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN AGRICULTURAL, RURAL, AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES

Source: https://welltoldgrants.com/grants/epa-g2023-star-j1-research-for-understanding-pfas-uptake-and-bioaccumulation/  
Official notice: https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/350492

> Environmental Protection Agency offered grants of up to $1.6 million to the applicants described in the notice. It expected to make about 5 awards worth $8.0 million in total. Applications closed on December 6, 2023.

| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Opportunity number | EPA-G2023-STAR-J1 |
| Agency | Environmental Protection Agency |
| Status | Forecast |
| Deadline | December 6, 2023 |
| Award ceiling | $1.6 million |
| Award floor | not stated |
| Expected awards | 5 |
| Total funding | $8.0 million |
| Cost sharing | not required |
| Assistance Listings | 66.509 |

## Who can apply

- Others (see text field entitled "Additional Information on Eligibility" for clarification)

Please see Section III of the funding opportunity announcement for eligibility information.

## What the grant funds

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of manufactured chemicals that have been widely used in industry and consumer products since the 1940s. PFAS are resistant to environmental and metabolic degradation and can build up in the environment and the human body over time [1]. The substances may be found in soil, air, water, and food as well as in materials in homes or workplaces (e.g., fire extinguishing foam, food packaging, biosolids, personal care packaging, etc.) [2,3]. Due to their widespread use, most people in the United States have been exposed to some level of PFAS. Exposure to certain PFAS may lead to detrimental health impacts including reproductive effects, developmental effects, increased risks of cancers, weakening of the immune system, and endocrine system disruption [4,5]. Agriculture and PFAS chemicals can intersect through soil, air, and water. These resources may be contaminated through dust particles, application of biosolid residues, and leaching [6,7,8,9]. A large portion of current PFAS research has prioritized data generation and information collection through theoretical science instead of practical application. Identifying, characterizing, and understanding PFAS uptake within agricultural environments will provide vital information related to exposure pathways and will help inform the development of scalable solutions. Research is essential to increase knowledge related to biological uptake in agricultural and rural settings, improve farm viability, and to explore approaches to understand PFAS accumulation in plants and animals. Future research should build upon previous foundations and develop science that has the potential to guide scalable on-farm solutions. Further research is needed to explore the exposure mechanisms of PFAS, develop mitigation strategies, and increase the general knowledge of PFAS and its health risks. EPA is soliciting novel research that proposes innovative and multidisciplinary approaches to better understand PFAS uptake in plants and animals in agricultural environments. PFAS mitigation and contamination prevention strategies should also be an aspect of the research.

## Questions people ask

### Is EPA-G2023-STAR-J1 still open?

No. It closed on December 6, 2023.

### Who can apply for RESEARCH FOR UNDERSTANDING PFAS UPTAKE AND BIOACCUMULATION IN PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN AGRICULTURAL, RURAL, AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES?

Environmental Protection Agency accepted applications from the applicants described in the notice. The notice adds further conditions, so read its eligibility section.

### What is the deadline for RESEARCH FOR UNDERSTANDING PFAS UPTAKE AND BIOACCUMULATION IN PLANTS AND ANIMALS IN AGRICULTURAL, RURAL, AND TRIBAL COMMUNITIES?

Closed December 6, 2023. Applications are no longer accepted; the program's newer notices are on this page when there are any.

### How much funding is available?

Awards of up to $1.6 million each. About $8.0 million in total across about 5 awards.

### Who has won Science To Achieve Results (STAR) Research Program grants before?

The largest recipients over five fiscal years were The Regents of the University of California, Texas Tech University System, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The program made 117 awards worth $125 million in that time.