Applied Research
Affiliated Project: North Carolina PFAS University Research Alliance (NC Pure)
The North Carolina PFAS University Research Alliance (NC Pure) aims to evaluate commercial and emerging technologies for PFAS remediation from North Carolina waters at sequentially larger scales, up to pilot scale. NC Pure will deploy pilot-scale PFAS remediation systems to at least three locations throughout NC:
- Water treatment plant that provides drinking water from the Cape Fear River
- Wastewater treatment plant that discharges into the Cape Fear River (or source water tributary)
- Drinking water source in either the Castle Hayne or PeeDee Aquifer
Communication
North Carolina PFAS Risk Communications and Community Engagement
Dr. Tianduo Zhang
North Carolinians need timely, accurate, up-to-date health information they can trust to make informed decisions about the risk and better protect themselves from PFAS exposure. The proposed project seeks to
- study public knowledge, perception and concerns over PFAS related health risks
- develop culturally and geographically tailored messages for PFAS risk communication
- develop community engagement infrastructure at NCCU for bidirectional exchange of PFAS relevant information and to assess baseline knowledge, concerns and awareness of PFAS among underserved communities in North Carolina and
- monitor and assess misinformation related to PFAS within North Carolina communities.
Benefit to North Carolina
This project aims to fill gaps in the North Carolina community’s PFAS information needs so residents can make informed decisions to better protect themselves from PFAS exposure. Specifically, this communication program focuses on the following counties: Durham, Cabarrus, Forsyth, Mecklenburg, Guilford, Johnston, Halifax, Duplin and Carteret.