PFAS – U�� News

The State highlights U�� research on PFAS in agriculture

marcus.wolf — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 14:54:23 +0000

cited University of �� research in a story about forever chemicals found in South Carolina crops years after farms used contaminated sludge as fertilizer. “It very much resonates with what’s happening up here in ��,’’ said University of �� scientist Rachel Schattman, associate professor of sustainable agriculture. “It’s an unfortunate situation.’’ shared The State’s article.

‘The �� Question’ explores the reality of ‘forever chemicals’

marcus.wolf — Thu, 19 Mar 2026 19:36:51 +0000

A group of chemicals known as PFAS have become a growing concern for human health, agriculture and the environment. Because they resist breaking down, these “forever chemicals” can accumulate in soil, water and food systems and expose people to a range of adverse health conditions.

From nonstick cookware and disposable tableware to everyday items like toothbrushes, these oil- and water-repellent chemicals became widespread in the late 20th century. Today, communities across the country are grappling with the residue they’ve left behind.

�� has emerged as a national leader in responding to PFAS contamination, advancing policies aimed at protecting farms, ecosystems and public health. Researchers at the University of �� are working to understand how PFAS moves through soil, crops and livestock; develop technologies to break it down; and design sustainable materials that could replace it in everyday products.

On this episode of “The �� Question” podcast, host Ron Lisnet speaks with U�� researchers Jean MacRae, Christina Murphy, Caroline Noblet and Rachel Schattman about how their work, spanning engineering, economics, agriculture and conservation biology, is helping communities confront PFAS and chart a cleaner path forward.

Listen to the podcast on , , , , or “The �� Question” website.

What topics would you like to learn more about? What questions do you have for U�� experts? Email them to mainequestion@maine.edu.

AP features Kopec on PFAS in sludge used as fertilizer

marcus.wolf — Fri, 13 Feb 2026 19:10:41 +0000

University of �� research associate Dianne Kopec spoke with , for a story about a group of chemicals known as PFAS containing drinking water wells. The story was shared by more than 250 outlets across the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom, including , and .��

Media feature U�� student’s research on ��’s response to PFAS

marcus.wolf — Thu, 22 Jan 2026 16:42:14 +0000

University of �� Honors College senior Eddie Nachamie has been featured in , , and for his research showing how �� leads the nation in regulating PFAS (forever chemicals) and for tracking the state’s evolving PFAS policy in real time. “We have more legislation on the books than anyone else right now,” said Nachamie. “There’s been the most robust response in �� out of any other state. Some states aren’t even regulating PFAS beyond what federal laws mandate.”

From paper to national policy map: How U�� student tracked America’s most sweeping PFAS response

amanda.lozier — Fri, 09 Jan 2026 17:09:52 +0000

PFAS — chemicals contaminating wells, farmland and food across �� — are often tracked through court filings, lab reports and dense regulatory language.

But for the past two years, they have also been tracked, in real time, by an undergraduate student at the University of ��.

As the state races to confront one of the most complex environmental crises in its history, Eddie Nachamie, a senior in U��’s Honors College, followed ��’s PFAS response as it unfolded.

And he did it bill by bill, rule by rule, memo by memo.

Through his research, Nachamie found that ��’s response to these chemicals — certain levels of which may lead to cancer, immune system disorders and other health problems — is the most robust of any state in the U.S.

Working under the guidance of Rachel Schattman, an associate professor of sustainable agriculture, Nachamie translated a fast-moving and confusing web of legislation and regulations into a clear, public-facing roadmap of how state policy evolved; and how it continues to change.

From class paper to national policy map

The project began in fall 2024 as a class paper for Schattman’s sustainable food systems course. An ecology and environmental sciences major, Nachamie initially set out to understand why ��’s approach to PFAS appeared different from other states, particularly in agriculture.

“There didn’t seem to be a unified response at the federal level,” Nachamie said. “And �� was clearly out in front in terms of how aggressively it was regulating PFAS, especially when it came to farming.”

What began as a course assignment evolved into a comprehensive analysis of ��’s PFAS regulatory framework, which will be made public in the coming weeks. Nachamie conducted interviews and worked closely with staff at the �� Department of Environmental Protection and the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to compile and verify every PFAS-related law passed by the �� Legislature.

Schattman said the scope and rigor of the work quickly exceeded what is typically expected at the undergraduate level.

“Eddie realized early on that this wasn’t just an academic exercise,” Schattman said. “��’s PFAS policies were changing in real time, and there was a real need for someone to step back and make sense of how all these pieces fit together — not just for researchers, but for farmers, policymakers and the public.”

�� at the forefront of PFAS policy

PFAS have been used widely in industrial and consumer products such as nonstick pans, takeout food containers and firefighting foam since the 1940s for their resistance to grease, oil, water and heat. These chemicals, however, can persist in the environment for hundreds of years and break down slowly, as well as pose health risks. They have been found in wastewater sewage that farmers in �� previously used as fertilizer.

The turning point for ��’s response, Nachamie believes, came in 2016 when PFAS contamination was discovered at a dairy farm in Arundel. The finding, he said, raised alarms about PFAS entering the food supply and marked a shift in how seriously the state viewed the threat.

“That was really the wake-up call,” he said. “Once there was concern about PFAS in milk and dairy products, it forced a deeper investigation.”

Nachamie’s analysis spans the full scope of the state’s response, including education and outreach, product limits, firefighting foam restrictions, sludge application bans, health thresholds, farmer assistance programs and long-term remediation strategies.

�� national leader in PFAS statutes

The research highlights ��’s emergence as a national leader in PFAS regulation. In earlier drafts, Nachamie compared all 50 states using a national PFAS policy database maintained by the nonprofit Safer States, supplemented with state agency records, and found that �� has enacted more PFAS-related statutes and rules than any other state.

“��, by far, has more PFAS legislation on the books than anywhere else,” he said, noting that he relied on a national PFAS policy database maintained by the nonprofit Safer States, along with state agency records. “In terms of rulemaking, it’s not even close.”

While awareness grew after 2016, Nachamie found that the most significant legislative activity followed several years later.

“2021 and 2022 were really the big years,” he said. “That’s when we started to see a wave of PFAS bills moving through the Legislature.”

Among the most consequential policies, Nachamie points to ��’s phased ban on products containing intentionally added PFAS, ban on spreading sludge on farmland, and creation of a PFAS fund for affected farmers.

“If there are three things �� has done that I think other states should look at, it’s those,” Nachamie said.

Understanding the science and the stakes

Yet his research also underscores the disconnect that still exists between policy and public understanding. PFAS chemistry remains poorly understood outside regulatory and scientific circles, and Nachamie said confusion is common.

“A lot of people think I’m talking about microplastics,” he said. “They’re not the same thing, but that misunderstanding comes up all the time.”

Even as �� has moved aggressively, uncertainty continues to ripple across rural communities, small towns and state agencies tasked with protecting public health. With federal standards in flux and legal challenges looming, Nachamie said the burden increasingly falls on states to act.

“The federal landscape changed dramatically while I was working on this,” he said. “That’s part of what drew me to the project in the first place.”

Now in his final year at U��, Nachamie has expanded his research into an honors project examining PFAS contamination in drinking water at �� schools. Inspired by a similar study published last year in New Hampshire, his work explores whether PFAS in school drinking water may originate from sources such as floor waxes and cleaning products.

That kind of applied, outward-facing work is at the core of the University of �� Honors College, which encourages scholarship that reaches beyond the classroom and into local, regional and even national communities.

“Honors students are challenged to take what they’re learning at the university and use it to make a meaningful impact in the world around them,” said Ellen Weinauer, dean of the U�� Honors College. “Eddie’s work is a powerful example of how undergraduate research can contribute to conversations that matter not just on campus, but across the entire state and beyond.”

Contact: David Nordman, david.nordman@maine.edu

The Cooldown highlights U�� research on PFAS

amanda.lozier — Fri, 21 Nov 2025 18:53:01 +0000

wrote an article on a toxic group of chemicals called PFAS and featured work done by University of ��. Researchers at U�� tested whether or not intercropping could be a helpful way to reduce PFAS. “This study shows that there is no one-size-fits-all recommendation or policy for farmers dealing with PFAS contamination,” said Ph.D. student Alex Scearce.

U�� Mitchell Center to host talk on PFAS in ��’s natural food sources

Fri, 19 Sep 2025 20:27:43 +0000

The Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions at the University of �� will host a talk, “Hunting for Truth: PFAS Impacts in ��’s Natural Food Sources” on Monday, Sept. 22 at 3 p.m.

In this talk, U�� faculty Caroline Noblet and Dianne Kopec will explore how people in rural ��, who possess a long heritage of fishing and hunting, are navigating impacts from environmental contamination, particularly by a group of chemicals known as PFAS. Two surveys conducted in collaboration with ��’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, one with �� fishing license holders and another with �� hunting license holders, allowed the research team to conduct an in-depth exploration of how people who hunt and fish in �� are processing information about consumption advisories, and potentially changing their behaviors.

Noblet is an associate professor in the U�� School of Economics. Her current PFAS work focuses on how �� residents perceive PFAS contamination — particularly in fish and game — and how messaging can influence environmental and consumption decisions. Kopec is a research fellow at the Mitchell Center. Her research examines how ecology and behavior influence an organism’s exposure to toxic contaminants in aquatic ecosystems.

All talks in the Mitchell Center’s Sustainability Talk series are free and are offered both remotely via Zoom and in person at 107 Norman Smith Hall.Registration is required to attend remotely; to register and receive connection information, see the event webpage.

To request a reasonable accommodation, contact Ruth Hallsworth, 207.581.3196; hallsworth@maine.edu.

U�� research highlights how PFAS uptake differs among crops

mike.kirby — Wed, 17 Sep 2025 18:55:02 +0000

One way people ingest a group of toxic chemicals known as PFAS is through consuming produce, dairy and meat products that have been exposed to contaminated soil and irrigation water. Some guidance is available on how growers can try to mitigate the uptake of PFAS, but it’s limited due in part to a lack of research on which chemicals enter what crops, how they are absorbed, where in the plants they accumulate and at what concentrations.

In a study published in , University of �� researchers show the different ways in which specific produce and crops take up PFAS, often referred to as “forever chemicals,” from contaminated soil.��

PFAS have been used widely in industrial and consumer products such as nonstick pans, takeout food containers, firefighting foam and certain personal care products since the 1940s for their resistance to grease, oil, water and heat. These chemicals, however, can persist in the environment for hundreds of years, break down slowly and pose health risks. Current research suggests that exposure to certain levels of some PFAS may lead to immune system disorders, thyroid hormone disruption, cancer and other adverse health outcomes.

Alex Scearce, a Ph.D. student in ecology and environmental sciences at U�� who led the study, and her colleagues hope their findings can help policymakers and producers further prevent the spread of these toxic chemicals in food systems.

“This study shows that there is no one-size-fits-all recommendation or policy for farmers dealing with PFAS contamination. The crop physiology, PFAS compounds present in the soil, mode of contamination, time since contamination, soil characteristics and management practices all shape PFAS uptake into crops,” said Scearce. “This is why ongoing PFAS research is important — because we know these factors are affecting the results we see, but we still lack clarity on how they play out in a real agricultural operation when they’re interacting.”

The study is one of many examples of collaborative PFAS research and outreach projects as part of the university-wide efforts to quickly and effectively address solutions for forever chemicals. Early support from American Farmland Trust helped Scearce and U�� faculty secure additional funding and begin interdisciplinary, experimental research in less time.

“As a nationally connected non-profit organization taking a holistic approach to agriculture, we work at the interface of protecting farmland, keeping farmers and ranchers who manage that land working and promoting sound agricultural systems. PFAS are a critical challenge to that entire system. American Farmland Trust quickly identified University of �� researchers as strong partners in investigating how farmers in �� and beyond can respond to the challenge,” said Bianca Moebius-Clune, AFT national director of climate and soil health. “The funding provided to the University of �� is unique — the intention was specifically to jumpstart research that will be directly relevant to farmers making decisions about their PFAS impacted land.”

Working out of University of �� Cooperative Extension’s Diagnostic and Research Laboratory in Orono, Scearce and her colleagues used three types of plants — lettuce, tomato and tall fescue, a low turf grass used as livestock feed — to evaluate how they take up PFAS from the soil. These plants were grown using soil that was intentionally mixed with four types of PFAS and tested for four to six weeks. They examined the types and quantities of PFAS each crop took up, as well as where in the plants they were found.

On average, the quantity and types of PFAS each crop took up and where they were located within the plant were largely determined by the chemical composition of these pollutants, particularly the length of their carbon atom chains, known as the chain length.

Long-chain PFAS were often more concentrated in the roots. These types of PFAS, which were phased out of new product development a decade ago, are typically known to be more toxic and break down more slowly but are less mobile. Meanwhile, higher concentrations of short-chain PFAS were typically found in the leaves and fruits — the edible portions of each plant tested in the study. These types of PFAS, which were created as a less-toxic replacement for long-chain PFAS, break down faster but are more mobile. The exception to this pattern was noted in lettuce, which contained higher concentrations of both longer and shorter-chain PFAS in their leaves than in their roots.

“It is expensive to test for PFAS, and the cost of testing is normally out of reach for many farmers. We hope that by testing crops that �� farmers grow for sale, we can help show which crops are likely to be ‘high risk’ versus those that are ‘low risk’. While our study is not the end of the story, it starts to provide farmers with an idea of what they can grow if their soils are contaminated with specific types of PFAS,” said Rachel Schattman, Scearce’s advisor, study co-author and associate professor of sustainable agriculture at U��.

For three of the four types of PFAS tested, the highest concentrations were found in tall fescue, followed by lettuce and tomatoes. However, concentrations of one type of chemical called perfluorobutanoate (PFBA), a short-chain PFAS linked to thyroid and liver issues in animals, were the highest by far in tomato fruits, followed by tall fescue and lettuce.

The study also highlights how certain farming methods like intercropping — planting multiple crops in the same area — aren’t reliable solutions for preventing the uptake of PFAS by crops, or at least not by these crops. In every intercropped treatment tested, uptake was increased into the edible portion, with the exception of some mitigation of concentrations in the tomato fruits when they were planted alongside lettuce.

“Reducing risk of contamination via careful crop selection and planting strategies are of interest to growers because these approaches, known as phytomanagement, may allow farmers to sustain food production on contaminated land. This study showed that planting strategies and species do matter, but there is more research needed on what species and what combinations are effective,” said Scearce.��

In addition to Scearce and Schattman, other study authors include Jean MacRae; associate professor of civil and environmental engineering; Yong-Jiang Zhang, former associate professor of applied plant physiology; Caleb Goossen from the �� Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, and Kylie Holt from the School of Life Sciences at the University of Hawai’i Mānoa.

This work received funding and support from American Farmland Trust, the �� Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association, the �� Farmland Trust and the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture through the �� Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station.

Story by former news intern Christina Wallace.

Contact: Marcus Wolf, 207.581.3721; marcus.wolf@maine.edu

News Center highlights U��’s rapid testing PFAS sensor research

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 17:42:59 +0000

highlighted research from Sharmila Mukhopadhyay, professor of mechanical engineering at the University of ��, to develop an easy-to-use and low cost sensor that can detect a group of chemicals known as PFAS. “We have taken nano materials which have been attached to these large aerospace grade materials to create robust and reusable electrodes, which are now used to detect PFAS,” Mukhopadhyay said.

News Center features $2.25 million state grant for U�� PFAS research

Fri, 11 Jul 2025 18:23:25 +0000

featured a story on the $2.25 million grant funding from the �� Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to University of �� researchers. Their projects are aimed at helping commercial farmers manage contamination from PFAS, a group of toxic, long-lasting chemicals.

Northern Light taps U�� researcher for latest podcast on PFAS

Fri, 20 Jun 2025 20:38:30 +0000

Farms in �� have been identified as critical places to study the health effects of a group of chemicals known as PFAS. Ellen Mallory, one of many University of �� faculty members working together on a variety of PFAS research projects, sat down with Tim Doak, chief environmental sustainability officer at Northern Light Health (NLH), in the latest episode of a podcast series from NLH.

Titled “PFAS on �� Farms: How Agricultural Research is Helping Farmers, Our Food, and Our Health,” Mallory, professor in the School of Food and Agriculture and University of �� Cooperative Extension specialist, discussed how these chemicals move through soil, crops and livestock and what that means for the state’s farming communities.

“We are very concerned about the health risks for farmers and for farm workers, because of where they work and where they live, they’re exposed to more PFAS,” Mallory said.

Her work on how the PFAS compound perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) accumulates in livestock feed was recently awarded one of five grants from the �� Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry PFAS Fund.

More information on these chemicals is available through , the and the .

PFAS research at U�� receives $2.25M from the state

Thu, 08 May 2025 15:54:14 +0000

Researchers at the University of �� have been awarded a total of $2.25 million in funding from the �� Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry (DACF) to study a group of chemicals known as PFAS in order to help commercial farmers manage its presence.��

The U�� awards, which are directed to faculty members associated with the university’s �� Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station (MAFES),University of �� Cooperative Extension and �� College of Engineering and Computing, constitute five of the seven PFAS-related funded projects on April 29.

According to DACF, PFAS has impacted 90 �� farms to varying degrees. It can cycle through soil, water, plants, animals and humans once released into the environment. Health effects linked to PFAS exposure include decreased vaccine response, increased cholesterol levels, reduced infant and fetal growth, heightened risk of certain cancers and pregnancy complications.

“The state’s investment fortifies our commitment to protect and inform ��rs through research and its application,” said U�� President Joan Ferrini-Mundy. “In a highly competitive selection process, the state chose five research projects proposed by our faculty that will help us detect PFAS in soil, understand how it is absorbed by plants and animals and remediate its presence on �� farms.”

“By investing in our research, the state has once again proven its confidence in U�� research and its commitment to protecting the health and wellbeing of all ��rs” said Diane Rowland, dean of the College of Earth, Life, and Health Sciences and director of MAFES. “We lead �� in PFAS research and will leverage additional funding sources to form a true partnership with the state, one that is grounded in the needs of ��’s agricultural sector.”

Ling Li, associate professor of sustainable bioenergy systems in the School of Forest Resources, received $467,240 for her research on mixing biochar in soil to reduce PFAS bioaccumulation in edible parts of vegetable crops, such as lettuce and tomatoes. Li aims to develop actionable solutions for farmers to manage contaminated soils. The project will develop guidance on how much biochar they would need to use in their soil and how often it would need to be reapplied.

Ellen Mallory, professor in the School of Food and Agriculture and U�� Extension specialist, received $499,995 for her research on how the PFAS compound perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) accumulates in livestock feed. Mallory aims to understand more about how certain soil compounds influence PFOS uptake from the soil to human food systems through products such as milk and meat.

Sharmila Mukhopadhyay, director of the Frontier Institute for Research in Sensor Technologies and professor of mechanical engineering, received $496,432 for her work on developing rapid PFAS-detecting sensors. Mukhopadhyay’s device could streamline PFAS detection on farms by allowing farmers to test their soil for the chemical onsite, a process that currently can take over a week and cost hundreds of dollars.

Glenda Pereira Parente, assistant professor of animal science in the School of Food and Agriculture and U�� Extension dairy specialist, received $499,989 to guide PFAS mitigation strategies for livestock by modeling how it bioaccumulates. Parente will focus on how PFAS moves through the bodies of dairy sheep and lambs during gestation, lactation and depuration, as well as the effects of feeding management practices during the weaning phase.

Xiaoxiao Zhao, assistant professor of materials science and engineering, received $284,869 for his research on creating energy-efficient technology to break down PFAS in soil without harming soil health. Zhao’s project will use activated carbon coated on a plasma electrode to capture PFAS in soil, a method that would break the stubborn bonds that earned PFAS the nickname “forever chemicals,” instead of trapping it like current methods, and refresh the soil’s ability to capture it.

These researchers are among many U�� faculty members working together on a variety of PFAS research projects and outreach as part of the university-wide efforts to quickly and effectively address solutions for forever chemicals.

Additional information is available on the �� Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry PFAS Fund .��

Contact: Ashley Yates; ashley.depew@maine.edu

Media highlight state grants for U�� PFAS research

Tue, 06 May 2025 18:02:34 +0000

and (Channel 13 in Portland) highlighted the $2.25 million in funding awarded to researchers at the University of �� from the �� Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry to study a group of chemicals known as PFAS. Five of seven awarded projects included research proposals from U�� faculty.

Media interview Kopec on PFAS

Tue, 01 Apr 2025 20:58:01 +0000

The and (Channel 7) interviewed Dianne Kopec, a University of �� research associate, on how a group of chemicals known as PFAS are flowing into �� rivers. “I think it further confirms that PFAS knows no boundaries,” Kopec said. “It will not stay in one place. Water always runs downstream, so any contaminant that is put on land eventually makes its way into our rivers, into our groundwater and then downstream into our oceans.”

PFAS-free Firefighting Biogel featured in Press Herald

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 21:19:48 +0000

The featured University of �� researchers who are developing Firefighting Biogel, an alternative to traditional firefighting foam that’s free from a group of chemicals known as PFAS. The gel is expected to be both safer for the environment and for those fighting fires. James Anderson, an engineer at U��’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center, is leading the project in collaboration with U�� research scientist Rich Fredericks and Colleen Walker, director of the Process Development Center. “I can’t talk about it enough. It blew me out of the water,” Walker said. “Wherever there’s trees, which in �� is everywhere, you could put very simple pieces of equipment and a tank and some pumps, and off you go to make it.”

BDN highlights U�� research in 2024 overview of PFAS mitigation efforts

Fri, 03 Jan 2025 20:17:03 +0000

The highlighted research from the University of �� in 2024 that aided statewide efforts to research, inform and protect communities from a group of chemicals known as PFAS. U�� efforts include research to develop coatings free of PFAS for food wrappers and other paper products by using seaweed and tree pulp; and biochar studies at Hunter Farm in Unity researching to what degree biochar is capturing PFAS and examining which plants naturally eliminate PFAS from the environment.

Anderson discusses PFAS-free biogel for firefighting on ‘�� Calling’��

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 22:10:53 +0000

�� Public featured James Anderson, an engineer at the University of ��’s Advanced Structures and Composites Center, on a segment of to discuss an alternative to firefighting foam he is developing that is free from a group of chemicals known as PFAS: Firefighting BioGel. The gel is expected to be both safer for the environment and for those fighting fires. Anderson is working on the project in partnership with ��MBA student Xander Karris.

BDN, News Center highlight PFAS research from U��

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 14:48:07 +0000

The and highlighted research projects from the University of �� that are focused on the effects of a group of chemicals known as PFAS. Two of the university’s projects are underway at Hunter Farm in Topsham; one is researching to what degree biochar is capturing PFAS and the other is examining which plants naturally eliminate PFAS from the environment more or less. Ling Li, associate professor in sustainable bioenergy systems in U��’s School of Forest Resources who is leading studies in biochar, said �� is ahead of other states in PFAS research and that biochar can be an effective technique for farmers to use for food safety. Her most recent study found that biochar can make a difference in lettuce and tomato plants.

Texas Tribune interviews Mallory on state responses to PFAS

Thu, 05 Dec 2024 22:32:46 +0000

interviewed Ellen Mallory, a professor and specialist with the University of �� Cooperative Extension and School of Food and Agriculture, on ��’s response to the presence of a group of chemicals known as PFAS. Mallory said the state’s response has been crucial in dealing with PFAS because of the lack of regulations at the federal level. “The important part here is it’s really hard to have any response to PFAS contamination if we don’t have any standards,” Mallory said. “So a state like Texas that has no standards, what do you do? How do you help farmers determine if their food is safe or not?” Texas-based and shared the report.

Caroline Noblet’s secret to talking about PFAS: be clear about what we do, and don’t, know

Tue, 03 Dec 2024 21:05:03 +0000

The harmful health impacts of a group of chemicals known as PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, is a pressing issue facing ��rs, as it increasingly found in our soil, water and bodies. The science behind PFAS is complex and new, and despite the urgency of the situation, the facts can be hard to communicate as it evolves.

One researcher who has become adept at helping people navigate the growing environmental crisis is Caroline Noblet, associate professor of economics and member of the University of �� Senator George J. Mitchell Center’s PFAS Research Initiative.

Noblet is a behavioral environmental economist, which means she has dedicated her career to studying why people make the choices they make about the environment, and what context influences those choices. She is the only social scientist involved in the Mitchell Center’s PFAS Research Initiative, and has been a leader in the burgeoning research exploring how best to talk to the public about these so-called “forever chemicals” in a way that helps people make more informed choices.

Noblet and her Mitchell Center colleagues are among many U�� faculty members working together on a variety of PFAS research projects and outreach efforts as part of the university-wide PFAS+ Initiative. That initiative builds on efforts by University of �� Cooperative Extension and Mitchell Center’s initiative to provide communities with important information regarding PFAS. Additionally, there are many ongoing collaborative projects across U�� engaged in the assessment, impact and mitigation of these chemicals.

As Noblet continues working on PFAS issues through research, media appearances and policy work along with her team at the Mitchell Center’s PFAS Research Initiative, she said that there is one main thing to keep in mind: researchers have to be honest about what they do and don’t yet know about PFAS in order to maintain the public’s trust while tackling the PFAS crisis in �� and beyond.

Noblet’s background

Noblet is a native ��r and a graduate of Gardiner Area High School. In college, she studied economics, but had a love for the environment from back when she was a little girl.

“I had the chance to travel a lot as a kid. I realized that �� is a cool and special place and the natural environment is something I really cared about,” she said.

Noblet returned to �� for her graduate studies at U��, where she worked with her longtime mentor Mario Teisl, a professor of economics, studying the impact of labels on economic choices. She became fascinated by behavioral economics.

“When it’s April and it’s 60 degrees, we’re all in shorts and we’re like, ‘Woohoo!’ Whereas if it’s maybe September and it gets down to 60 degrees, we’re putting our jacket on because we had summer of warm weather,” Noblet said. “That’s what I mean by context. Economics has all sorts of wonderful, longstanding theories saying ‘People will behave this way,’ but what we’ve learned with behavioral economics is that people will behave differently depending on the context that they’re in. It’s our job to understand when they will change their behavior.”

Noblet became a faculty member at U�� in 2007. She combined her passion for the environment with her academic expertise in behavioral economics to study a wide range of topics, from aquaculture to renewable energy.

She teaches various economics classes at both the undergraduate and graduate level. Through being a teacher, Noblet learned the power of making a problem feel relevant by providing real-world examples that people can connect to. In her lectures, she uses economic theories like status quo bias to understand the housing market right now, or the tragedy of the commons to understand how resources are overused in the world’s oceans.

“My teaching philosophy is always to help people make connections to the real world,” Noblet said. “I don’t expect them to be behavioral economics or experimental economists, but I do expect them to be engaged citizens.”

Taking up the gauntlet of PFAS

In 2020, the state of �� asked whether the Mitchell Center could form an interdisciplinary team to address a variety of PFAS issues. The Mitchell Center was a natural choice given their focus on both sustainability and interdisciplinary research. David Hart, director of the Mitchell Center, brought together researchers from across U��, including engineers, ecologists and groundwater hydrologists, to form the PFAS Research Initiative.��

One of the scientists he reached out to was Noblet. Her social science background made her unique not just on her team, but the broader field of PFAS research as well. Hart saw Noblet’s expertise in behavioral economics as essential to figuring out public perceptions of PFAS risks, and how to shape policies for reducing those risks.

Noblet eagerly accepted the invitation.

“One of the reasons that I love and appreciate the Mitchell Center is the people who are similarly drawn to that interdisciplinary approach are really awesome researchers who want to marry specialized skill sets with other ones,” Noblet said. “Most of the problems are bigger and badder than what my skill sets can handle. I don’t have the hubris to think I can solve these problems myself.”

Noblet said that the team has done great work since forming, including publishing a regarding PFAS contamination for a �� audience, and a full team paper on lessons learned in �� for an academic audience in , as well as ongoing projects.

She said their research shows that the way PFAS is discussed matters enormously for public perception. People learning about PFAS, as is often true of many environmental problems, often want to blame someone. If people spend all their time figuring out who to blame, however, they are less likely to work towards finding a solution to the problem.

“What if we remind people you have used and benefitted from PFAS?” Noblet said. “I like nonstick pans and rugs and couches that don’t let stains sink in. What if we talk about it that way? Does that change people’s willingness to contribute financially or otherwise to the problem?”

Communicating the science

Between Noblet’s background in behavioral economics and her experience with PFAS, she has thought a lot about how the issue should be approached when talking to the public. She also drew on her experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, observing how difficult it can be for the public to process new information when an issue is complex.

“We’re asked to take in new information that’s inconsistent with old information, that’s really hard,” Noblet said. “It’s asking for a level of trust. That’s where I start from.”

Noblet said that when she discusses PFAS publicly, she is already at an advantage because U�� has long been considered a trusted source of information for residents statewide. Still, she is conscious of maintaining that trust through the way she talks about uncertainty.

“I also say it right up front: We don’t know what we don’t know about PFAS yet,” Noblet said. “I understand that it is incredibly frustrating to be told one day based on our standards your water is fine, and then to be told however much time later it actually doesn’t meet the standards anymore and you’re going to need to invest in a filter system. Telling people right up front that things are going to shift is a really important part of the puzzle.”

Her approach has garnered her media coverage. She recently appeared on the podcast Resources Radio by Resources for the Future, one of the top environmental economics think tanks in the world, . Daniel Raimi, who hosted the episode, said that Noblet impressed him with her aptitude.��

“Based on my interview with Caroline, I think she is a very effective communicator about PFAS,” Raimi said. “It’s a very complex topic and she makes it easy for a wide range of folks to understand the potential environmental and human health risks of PFAS.”

Her colleagues at the Mitchell Center have been equally impressed.

“Caroline excels in her ability to communicate about complicated issues like PFAS,” Hart said. “She not only has an outstanding understanding of the technical details, she brings this amazing combination of passion, warmth and humility to the discussion. If I could only give new researchers one bit of advice on effective communication, it would be to learn from Caroline’s podcast — she’s at the top of her game!”

For Noblet, the appearance was a point of pride as well. She said she uses Resources Radio podcasts in her classes, linking various episodes to topics in the syllabus to give students a different engaging way to learn more from experts in the field.

“It was a pretty smiley moment when I got to add that one of mine on the syllabus this year,” Noblet said.

Teaching students how to communicate

As the consummate teacher she is, Noblet has also made it her mission to teach her students how to communicate their research as well. She makes sure that her students are involved outside of U��. Noblet herself collaborates closely with partners at the �� Departments of Environmental Protection and Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to work on PFAS issues.

“That’s another really important part of the communication puzzle: did you do this in a silo, sitting in your university office, or did you talk to some people working in this space already?” Noblet said.

Molly Shea, who recently completed her undergraduate degree, worked on the �� Policy Review paper about ��rs’ preferences for addressing PFAS with Noblet and graduate student Charity Zimmerman. She also presented at the 2023 U�� Student Symposium about her work at the PFAS Research Initiative studying landfills and the hidden cost of PFAS.

Shea said that Noblet fostered a “positive and nurturing research environment” for her students.

“Her exceptional working relationships with peers and stakeholders are a testament to her professionalism, and brilliance in the field. She goes above and beyond to create opportunities for growth, whether it’s encouraging [students] to present at conferences, apply for internships or pursue other avenues for personal and professional development,” Shea said. “Dr. Noblet not only imparts her extensive knowledge and expertise, but also instills in her students a sense of confidence and ambition that extends beyond the confines of the academic setting.”

Shea is back at U�� to pursue a graduate degree and continue studying PFAS. She was awarded a graduate fellowship with the National Science Foundation’s that funds her graduate research. Her work focuses on how communication impacts the public perception of PFAS.

Noblet said that Shea, herself, is exceptional.

“She herself is an excellent communicator,” Noblet said. “We can pretend I taught her something about that.”

Contact: Ruth Hallsworth, hallsworth@maine.edu��

Times Record interviews Apul on PFAS contamination prevention

Wed, 25 Sep 2024 20:02:11 +0000

reported on the concerns raised about cleanup efforts after a spill of a group of chemicals known as PFAS at Brunswick Landing. Onur Apul, associate professor of environmental engineering, stressed the importance of prevention and is researching nanotechnology solutions on PFAS removal.

MacRae discusses PFAS in firefighting foam with Times Record

Fri, 30 Aug 2024 20:30:54 +0000

In an article titled “Brunswick residents with wells face testing barriers in wake of chemical spill,” interviewed Jean MacRae, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of ��, about a group of chemicals known as PFAS. “People should be keeping an eye on their water in the area, just because PFAS, they’re not going to go away once they contaminate the groundwater system … and [it’s] really hard to predict where exactly they are going to go,” MacRae said, adding that when people are located near a PFAS spill, “there’s a pretty good chance it could find its way to you.” The l shared the story.��

Noblet discusses PFAS on Resources Radio

Tue, 06 Aug 2024 18:56:56 +0000

The podcast interviewed Caroline Noblet, University of �� associate professor of economics, on the health and environmental risks associated with a group of chemicals known as PFAS.

News Center highlights U�� research on PFAS in soil, farm crops

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 20:02:30 +0000

interviewed University of �� graduate student Sonora Ortiz, who is leading a study on phytoremediation, the process by which plants draw a group of chemicals known as PFAS from soil; exploring which crops can safely absorb these toxic chemicals and seeking new solutions for the state’s contaminated farms. “The PFAS will accumulate mostly in the crop’s leaves and then in the stem and very little to none in the grain itself,” Ortiz said. Ortiz is one of several U�� researchers conducting studies pertaining to PFAS at Sue Hunter’s farm in Unity.

PFAS – U�������� News

The State highlights U�������� research on PFAS in agriculture

‘The �������� Question’ explores the reality of ‘forever chemicals’

AP features Kopec on PFAS in sludge used as fertilizer

Media feature U�������� student’s research on ��������’s response to PFAS

From paper to national policy map: How U�������� student tracked America’s most sweeping PFAS response

The Cooldown highlights U�������� research on PFAS

U�������� Mitchell Center to host talk on PFAS in ��������’s natural food sources

U�������� research highlights how PFAS uptake differs among crops

News Center highlights U��������’s rapid testing PFAS sensor research

News Center features $2.25 million state grant for U�������� PFAS research

Northern Light taps U�������� researcher for latest podcast on PFAS

PFAS research at U�������� receives $2.25M from the state

Media highlight state grants for U�������� PFAS research