Michigan State University is launching a new research program to learn more about a toxic family of chemicals known as PFAS .
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl (chemicals, or PFAS, are commonly found everywhere from firefighting foam to non-stick cookware. They’re linked to higher cancer risks and changes to the immune system. Michigan has the nation’s highest number of contamination sites.
The MSU Center for PFAS Research will be led by Department of Fisheries and Wildlife professor Cheryl Murphy.
“How do we develop safer alternatives, because we like these products. That’s why they’re in everything, so we have to find ways, hopefully in combination with the health, the biological hazard part, to figure out which ones are safer.”
Murphy says the center will seek solutions to problems like how to find PFAS hotspots and then efficiently remove the chemicals from the ecosystem.