2023-10-302023-10-302022-12https://hdl.handle.net/2346/96495Per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of anthropogenic, highly recalcitrant organic compounds consisting of thousands of individual species that are of increasing importance as environmental contaminants. Although PFAS have been in widespread use since the 1940s, several PFAS have recently become contaminants of concern for various health and environmental organizations, including the United States Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA). Recent studies have attempted to gain a better understanding of the toxicity and behavior of PFAS in ecosystems around the world, but there are still many knowledge gaps surrounding PFAS fate and transport in the environment following release or exposure. This dissertation focuses on evaluating PFAS fate and transport through a series of unique, laboratory experiments: First, a high-resolution, diffusive equilibrium passive sampler prototype was designed and deployed to better understand PFAS diffusion mechanisms in subsurface saturated media. Over a deployment period of 28 days, concentrations of several PFAS inside the samplers reached equilibrium with porewater (sampler concentration > 90 percent of porewater concentration). Next, the bioaccumulation potential for PFAS to soil invertebrates was evaluated through a laboratory-scale exposure experiment. This study focused on two different consumption pathways in a population of crickets (Acheta domesticus): individuals consuming PFAS-contaminated alfalfa and individuals consuming PFAS-spiked drinking water. Alfalfa accumulation of PFAS and subsequent consumption by the crickets resulted in overall similar tissue concentrations to the crickets who consumed PFAS-spiked water directly and indicates that source concentration (water) may be an important factor in assessing bioaccumulation of PFAS in organisms. Lastly, PFAS distribution in an agricultural water re-use scenario was evaluated through a field study to investigate potential PFAS exposure by using treated effluent wastewater for irrigation activities. Results indicate that treated effluent re-use may not pose a high risk of exposure to ecosystems for some PFAS, but there are other PFAS present in the effluent water which may need to further study before accurately estimating risk to the environment. Overall, the work presented in this dissertation helps to better understand PFAS fate and transport in a variety of scenarios that are critical to understand if we aim to reduce the risk of PFAS exposure to the environment or human populations.Application/pdfen-USpoly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)passive samplingsedimentsgroundwaterfate and transporttrophic transfer and bioaccumulationDissertationAccess is not restricted.