Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are toxic chemicals that pose significant health risks to wildlife. What will become of our waters, woods, and skies as these chemicals impact aquatic and terrestrial species, including fish, amphibians, and birds?

Wild Virginia held a virtual panel of scientific experts to learn about the impacts of PFAS on wildlife.

Learn more about the panelists below:

Dr. Jason Hoverman is a professor in the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources at Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana. Since 2016, he has worked to understand the effects of PFAS on freshwater aquatic communities. This work has included studies to assess: 1) bioaccumulation and depuration rates across different exposure routes, 2) adverse effects on the growth and development, 3) interactive effects with pathogens, and 4) toxic synergies associated with PFAS mixtures. Jason has authored over 100 peer-reviewed papers and 3 book chapters and has delivered over 100 presentations and posters. Jason received his BS and PhD from the University of Pittsburgh.

Dr. Anna Robuck is an environmental chemist with the US Environmental Protection Agency Office of Research and Development. Prior to joining EPA, she studied chemical and plastic pollution as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai. She earned a PhD in Chemical Oceanography in 2020 from the University of Rhode Island, during which she studied per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and plastic pollution in water and wildlife. Anna earned her BS and MS from the University of North Carolina Wilmington.

Dr. Bonisoli Alquati is an ecologist with broad interests in how organisms and species vary in their genetic, physiological and behavioral responses to environmental change. Most of his recent research is done on birds exposed to a variety of contaminants. The Bonisoli Alquati Lab is analyzing the concentrations of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as ‘forever chemicals’, in a variety of species, by both (a) collecting and analyzing bird tissues, and (b) conducting meta-analytical studies.They are also conducting a study of the biomagnification of PFAS in a marine ecosystem. Andrea earned his BS, MS, and PhD from the University of Milan, Italy.