Missouri Water Center helps secure three USGS National Competitive Grants

With support from the Missouri Water Center, three Mizzou researchers have been awarded highly competitive grants through the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Water Resources Research Act Program. The National Competitive (104G) Grants aim to promote collaboration between USGS and university researchers on significant national and regional water issues.

Pioneer in degradation of ‘forever chemicals’ brings research to Mizzou

Before most of his peers knew them as “forever chemicals,” Feng “Frank” Xiao knew they were a problem. It was the early 2010s, and he was reviewing Centers for Disease Control data when he noticed a disturbing trend. Pre- and polyfluoroalkyls (PFAS) — compounds mass marketed since the 1940s — were showing up in more than 95% of blood samples, and they appeared to be wreaking havoc on human health.