MaKayla tied for 3rd place during the Virtual SRP Summer Scientific Art/Photo Competition. Her entry was in the Field Experiments category. See her entry below:
Description: Two Superfund PIs evaluating alligators in areas of concern for having high per- and poly fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) concentrations. PFAS are manmade chemicals utilized in household and industrial applications due to their chemically inert, thermally stable, and hydrophobic properties. These characteristics however are detrimental and cause PFAS to be extremely stable, leading to bioaccumulation, biomagnification and bioconcentration. Therefore, with each environmental release or spill, public health concerns rise about the safety of their drinking water and the species living in the water. Alligators are apex predators which offer an important resource for PFAS exposure analyses as they are subject to both bioaccumulation and biomagnification. Over their approximately 30-year life span, alligators can provide insight into how long-term exposure that humans may experience affects health. Additionally, since alligators have robust immune systems, the immunotoxicant effects of PFAS can be further analyzed.