Applications Invited for Comparison of PFAS Contributions to Agricultural Systems

Applications Invited for Comparison of PFAS Contributions to Agricultural Systems

Organization: The Water Research Foundation (WRF)

Apply By: 26 Sep 2026

Grant Amount: 400000 USD

About the Organization

The Water Research Foundation (WRF) is the leading research organization advancing the science of all water to meet the evolving needs of its subscribers and the water sector. WRF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, educational organization that funds, manages, and publishes research on the technology, operation, and management of drinking water, wastewater, reuse, and stormwater systems—all in pursuit of ensuring water quality and improving water services to the public. WRF was formed in 2018 through the integration of three highly respected research collaboratives: WateReuse Research Foundation, Water Environment Research Foundation, and Water Research Foundation. Separately, these organizations focused on research to support varied segments of the water sector—water reuse, wastewater and stormwater, and drinking water, respectively. Now a One Water organization, WRF delivers the research programming the sector needs to address the most pressing water issues holistically.

About the Proposal

There is growing concern for human exposure to PFAS through biosolids land application on agricultural systems, with regulatory bans on biosolids land application enacted or proposed in at least 12 U.S. states. This has left utilities that relied primarily on land application as their biosolids management strategy scrambling to find alternative disposal pathways. When human health protection is at stake, regulatory decisions must be based on accurate, comprehensive scientific data and risk-based evaluation. The U.S. EPA recently released draft guidance (2026) indicating that its earlier draft risk assessment (2025) of potential harm to humans and the environment posed by sewage sludge contaminated with perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) lacked important contextual information, such as a national survey of PFOA and PFOS concentrations in sewage sludge. Furthermore, risk assessments on this topic have focused primarily on the risk of PFAS exposure through biosolids land application, with less attention to PFAS contributions to agricultural land from other sources, including alternative soil amendments (e.g., manures, compost, and fertilizers), pesticides, seed coatings, irrigation water, farming practices, and atmospheric deposition. U.S. EPA studies have reported PFAS in food wastes, which are sometimes used in composting systems, and demonstrated possible PFAS buildup through feed, animals, manure, soil, and crops. The manufacturing process for chemical fertilizers and other soil amendments could also lead to PFAS contamination; a review of U.S. EPA’s InertFinder database by the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency found twelve inert ingredients in pesticides classified as PFAS (Minnesota Pollution Control Agency n.d.). In addition, there is growing recognition that PFAS contamination originating from upstream sources and historic land management practices can persist in the environment and increase exposure through the food system. Proper risk management includes not only a risk baseline assessment but also risk comparison from other potential and similar sources, cost benefit analysis, and alternative management options. This project will improve understanding of the PFAS-related risks associated with a wider range of agricultural inputs (i.e., non-biosolids inputs), allowing decision makers to comprehensively understand the implications of regulatory decisions limiting biosolids land application. This will support more strategic and efficient allocation of resources to reduce PFAS exposure and contamination in U.S. agriculture. As fertilizer prices surge and agricultural priorities shift toward local circular resources, it is imperative for the water resource community to use the best available information to inform future policies and practices Research Approach - Develop a baseline of knowledge on PFAS in biosolids and non-biosolids agricultural inputs (e.g., chemical fertilizers, seed treatments/coatings, pesticides, manures, irrigation water) by conducting a literature review, evaluating available analytical methods and data, and examining manufacturing and processing pathways that may introduce PFAS. Identify key data gaps, variability, and uncertainties in PFAS occurrence and composition across input types. - Measure and report compound-specific PFAS concentrations and profiles in a range of agricultural inputs using standardized methods. Where possible, include precursor characteristics and diagnostic features that may support source comparison and attribution. - Characterize the PFAS contributions to agricultural systems associated with biosolids and non-biosolids agricultural inputs through a combination of literature review, analysis of available data, and field sampling. Study design should, at minimum, address the composition and diagnostic features of PFAS compounds within the soil profile and plant tissue from fields receiving non-biosolids agricultural inputs as compared to similar systems where biosolids are applied.

Expected Deliverables:

- Research report (WRF's Research Report Template) including: literature review, PFAS analysis of select products, risk management implications/prioritization recommendations, agriculture end-use guidance - A webcast or workshop to share findings - Optional additional deliverables: relative risk framework (mass input/fate/exposure/risk), decision support guide for farmers/regulators/utilities, plain language fact sheet, comparative PFAS mass input tool (spreadsheet/calculator)

Project Duration: 36 months from contract start date (longer than the other two WRF grants above, which were 24 months)

Eligibility to Submit

- Open to both U.S.-based and non-U.S.-based entities — educational institutions, research organizations, governmental agencies, consultants, or for-profit entities. Researchers late on any ongoing WRF-sponsored studies (without approved no-cost extensions) are not eligible. Not open to individuals (same structure as the two prior WRF grants). Project Objectives - Report per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) concentrations from a variety of agricultural inputs, including animal manures, fertilizers, pesticides, composts, soil amendments, seed coatings, and biosolids-based products. - Compare the impact of the various agricultural inputs on PFAS concentration in the soil profile over varying timeframes. - Evaluate the fate and transport of different inputs to PFAS contributions in agricultural systems at field-scale. - Determine the relative contributions from biosolids-based products and other inputs to help develop and prioritize risk management strategies.

Budget/Funding:

- Maximum WRF funding: $400,000 (the largest of the three WRF grants shared so far)

- Applicant must contribute at least 33% of the project award as additional resources (cost share, applicant in-kind, or third-party in-kind per 2 CFR Part 200.306) - Proposals not meeting the 33% minimum match will not be accepted How to Apply

Application Deadline: October 26, 2026, 3:00 PM Mountain Time (GMT-07:00) — same deadline as the other two WRF grants

For more information, please check the link: Applications Invited for Comparison of PFAS Contributions to Agricultural Systems

Funding organisation: The Water Research Foundation (WRF)

Grant announcement listed on NGOBOX. Applications are made to the funding organisation — see the official announcement.