Center for PFAS Research

• Interfacial adsorption and dynamics of fluorotelomers with soil minerals – mechanistic insights

  Published on November 8, 2024
  This study provides cluster size dependent diffusion behavior of surface adsorbed fluorotelomer molecules in each clay mineral. These mechanistic insights are necessary to understand the environmental footprint of fluorotelomers around contaminated sites.

• Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) Disruption of Thyroid Hormone Synthesis

  Published on September 10, 2024
  Mid- to long-chain PFAS impact thyroid hormone synthesis by changing the local hydrogen bond network as well as the required orientation of hormonogenic residues, stopping the production of thyroxine (T4).

• Interaction of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances with Estrogen Receptors in Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss): An In Silico Investigation

  Published on August 29, 2024
  This study shows that PFAS binds to both the estrogen α and estrogen β receptors, albeit via different binding modes, due to a modification of an amino acid in the binding site as a result of a reorientation of residues in the binding pocket.

• Detection, Quantification, and Isomer Differentiation of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) Using MALDI-TOF with Trapped Ion Mobility

  Published on January 22, 2024
  There is an urgent need to develop analytical methodologies for the characterization of PFAS in various sample matrices.

• Binding of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) to the PPARγ/RXRα-DNA Complex

  Published on November 22, 2023
  For the first time in the literature, PFAS are postulated to bind to the DNA binding domain in a nonspecific manner. In addition, for the PPARγ ligand binding domain, l-carnitine shows promise in replacing smaller PFAS from the pocket.

• Influence of Soil Minerals on the Adsorption, Structure, and Dynamics of GenX

  Published on July 26, 2023
  This study provides molecular-level insights into the impact of three different common soil constituents that vary in mineralogical composition and surface charge distribution in dictating the adsorption and transport characteristics of GenX.

• Quantitative Identification of Nonpolar Perfluoroalkyl Substancesby Mass Spectrometry

  Published on November 16, 2022
  This study found that femtosecond laser ionization can be an important tool to identify and quantify mixtures of PFAS without the need of chromatography or high-resolution mass spectrometry.

• Thermochemistry of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances

  Published on November 5, 2022
  Gas phase thermochemical properties of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have been determined in this work, which will aid in the understanding of the long-range transport behavior of PFAS in the atmosphere.

• Molecular Screening and Toxicity Estimation of 260,000 Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) through Machine Learning

  Published on September 26, 2022
  To find alternatives for the most commonly used PFAS molecules that maintain their desirable chemical properties but are not adverse to biological lifeforms, a novel approach based upon machine learning was utilized.

• Open Science for Non-Specialists: Making Open Science Meaningful Beyond the Scientific Community

  Published on May 24, 2022
  This paper explores how scientists can communicate their work in meaningful ways to non-specialist audiences. It uses PFAS research as a case study to show how collaborations with government agencies, NGOs, and extension services can help achieve this.

MSU Extension Articles

• PFAS contamination in Michigan septage

  Published on June 11, 2025
  The most effective way to reduce PFAS from wastewater entering our ground water, surface water or crops is to eliminate their usage whenever possible.

• How will PFAS impact the Michigan cattle industry?

  Published on October 14, 2022
  Forever chemicals are a known contaminant throughout Michigan that has been found in beef.