# 5P42ES027706 Sources, Transport, Exposure, and Effects of PFASs (STEEP) SRP

> **NIH NIH P42** · UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND · 2021 · $14,963

## Abstract

With worldwide concern growing over the emerging persistent contaminates known as Per-
and poly-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) there is a distinct need for affordable and reliable
detection tools. As part of my ongoing research as a trainee of the STEEP Superfund Center, I
am in the process of validating a novel tube passive sampler that will be used to measure PFAS
contamination in surface and ground waters. Current work has focused on validating the
uptake of PFAS across environmental conditions like flow, water temperature, and presence of
biofouling using a microporous polyethylene tube filled with a commercially available sorbent
used as the receiving phase for PFAS. While the current sorbent is commonly used for PFAS
extraction, a novel cyclodextrin sorbent designed for PFAS remediation, could boast higher
sorption for a wider range of PFAS, thus improving uptake of PFAS within the walls of this tube
passive sampler. To test this, I propose travelling to the private company that produces this
cyclodextrin sorbent, Cyclopure Inc. in Skokie IL, to validate a method for extraction of both
native and mass labeled surrogate compounds from my passive samplers, loaded with their
sorbent. Cyclopure Inc. is a working under an SRP-funded grant (R43ES029401), and their novel
sorbent called DEXSORB+, was created for remediation of PFAS while being re-useable. This
novel sorbent is also more affordable than the currently used sorbent, costing about 20 times
less per 50 grams of sorbent. In addition to validating an extraction method for a wider range of
PFAS standards than available in my current laboratory at the University of Rhode Island, I will
gain direct mentorship while analyzing my own samples on Cyclopure’s Liquid
Chromatograph/Mass Spectrometry instrument. With limited access to this instrument at my
university, I will have valuable time to learn operation, troubleshooting, and data analysis under
the guidance of Matt Notter and Frank Cassou of Cyclopure Inc. Through this experience, I will
get the unique opportunity to learn about the skills that interests private sector companies
before graduating from my doctoral program. Follow up collaborations using passive samplers
with state and federal agencies will give me broad exposure to many career paths that I will
consider as I finish my studies. The expected outcome of this externship will be an improved
design for a passive sampler for PFAS in surface and ground waters that will be affordable,
reusable, and reliable for all stakeholders. These results will be shared at the SRP annual
meeting following the completion of the externship, which will allow for a wide variety of
stakeholders to be introduced to this potential tool for PFAS measurements.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10380984
- **Project number:** 3P42ES027706-05S2
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND
- **Principal Investigator:** Rainer Lohmann
- **Activity code:** P42 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $14,963
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-07-20 → 2023-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10380984

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10380984, 5P42ES027706 Sources, Transport, Exposure, and Effects of PFASs (STEEP) SRP (3P42ES027706-05S2). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10380984. Licensed CC0.

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