Human Practices

Louisville's Water Filtration Company

Main Takeaways:

• Conventional water treatment systems are ineffective in removing PFAS.
• There is a need for more efficient treatment methods.
• Advanced water treatment is costly and inaccessible to several communities.

Why We Contacted:

• We decided to tour our city's water company since it filters our water.
• A better understanding of our local community's current efforts to fight PFAS is crucial.
• Learn more about current treatment efforts for contamination.

What We Learned:

• Learned about community-based screening methods for PFAS water treatment.
• Due to cost, Louisville sends water samples out of state for LC-MS assays.
• Currently, LWC is removing PFAS with activated charcoal, meeting safety standards.

How We Integrated the Advice:

• Provided insight on real-world challenges with PFAS removal.
• Grounded our project for more practical usage after learning about activated charcoal.
• Reinforced the need for affordable and accessible PFAS biosensors.

Banrida Wahlang (09/12/2023)

Environmental Health Researcher, University of Louisville

Main Takeaways:

• PFAS exposure carries environmental harm, but is even more of a public health concern.
• Environmental pollution affects cellular function, leading to long-term health issues.
• Pregnant women, especially, are prone to PFAS-related disorders.

Why We Contacted:

• Her background in molecular and environmental toxicology would provide insight.
• Discussion would help us better assess the practicality of our project.
• We would gain a better understanding of how difficult it is to detect PFAS.

What We Learned:

• PFAS contamination has greater implications than just the environment.
• The chemical group's disruption of cellular processes correlates with different cancers.
• Pregnant women are a vulnerable group to PFAS exposure.

How We Integrated the Advice:

• Insight into PFAS contamination, which made our work more evidence-based.
• Refined our descriptions to ensure our project conveyed the gravity of PFAS exposure.
• Influenced our detection strategies to become scientifically valid.

Robert Bates (02/01/2023)

Water Treatment Specialist, Louisville MSD (Metropolitan Sewer District)

Main Takeaways:

• Insight into challenges of water contamination and PFAS detection.
• Helped to narrow the scope to water-based PFAS detection.
• Shaped our goals and advised us on pragmatic needs.

Why We Contacted:

• Would provide insight into the challenges of water contamination.
• Has firsthand knowledge of water sources, specifically microplastics and PFAS.
• Guidance would help us narrow the scope of our project.

What We Learned:

• One of the major problems in water sources is PFAS (and microplastics).
• PFAS in the water carry significant health issues.
• The usage of the PPB detection limit is important in detection and treatment.

How We Integrated the Advice:

• Narrowed our project to focus solely on water-based PFAS contamination.
• Established a specific PPB detection limit for our work.
• Aligned our project goals with the needs of real-world contamination challenges.

Safety and Practical Implementation

Ensuring the safety and practical viability of our biosensor technology has been a critical focus throughout our project development.

James Marshall (6/28/2024)

Representative at Metrohm USA (Analytical Systems)

Main Takeaways:

• Companies like Metrohm work toward high-precision measurement instruments.
• There is a gap in current detection methods due to cost and simplicity.
• Regulating agencies provided us insight into real-world needs for measurement.

Why We Contacted:

• Expertise in analytical chemistry and work at Metrohm.
• Knowledge of currently available PFAS measurement techniques.
• Familiarity with the EPA standard for developing such sensors.

What We Learned:

• The issue with current PFAS detection techniques is their affordability.
• Smaller firms rely on third-party labs, creating delayed results.
• While PFAS is a rather new topic, its scientific harms are clear.

How We Integrated the Advice:

• Included more replicates in our testing procedure for a smaller chance of mistakes.
• Informed our project of the urgent need for low-cost PFAS detection.
• Addressed our project with the long-term benefits it could bring to the public.

Eric Zhu (09/14/2024)

Water Research and Development Manager

Main Takeaways:

• Learned about granular activated carbon and anion exchange.
• Understood the practical limitations and costs associated with these methods.
• Real-time detection is essential for the future of PFAS measurement.

Why We Contacted:

• Expert insight into the challenges and solutions surrounding PFAS contamination.
• Experience in mitigation initiatives and strategies to keep our drinking water safe.
• Knowledge of real-time detection methods for a better understanding of project goals.

What We Learned:

• Smaller utilities cannot afford costly mitigation techniques.
• Detection solutions need to become more accessible.
• Our work must address regulatory standards in relation to operational efficiency.

How We Integrated the Advice:

• Analyzed the practical problems that arise from using such technology.
• Targeted our product to bridge gaps in PFAS monitoring.
• Focused on developing a product that caters to smaller and rural communities.

Elliot Notrica (08/01/2025)

CEO and Founder of Symbio, ABSAE Member

Main Takeaways:

• PFAS exposure reaches the everyday food supply chains heavily.
• There is a need to expand our research into more than basic science.
• PFAS contamination spread through several avenues.

What We Learned:

• PFAS can enter the environment from industrial pollution, landfills, etc.
• The chemical group can accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals and plants.
• Food packaging contains tremendous amounts of PFAS that we are unaware of.

How We Integrated Our Takeaways:

• Began raising awareness about all the ways PFAS can impact someone.
• Addressing the issue of bioaccumulation through the avoidance of plastics and more.
• Handing out fliers to explain the cautions of PFAS and where we can be exposed.

Education and Outreach

Our educational initiatives have reached diverse audiences, from high school students to community members, fostering understanding of PFAS contamination and environmental health.

Creative Science Initiative (09/01/2024-Present)

Synthetic Biology High School Club

Main Takeaways:

• Formed a group of interested students to gain exposure to biology.
• Reinforced biology foundations and provided lab opportunities.
• Went through workshops and meetings to discuss environmental contamination.

What We Learned:

• Everyone needs to gain a basic understanding of biology.
• Lab exposure is essential for people to understand a project's methodology.
• Public understanding of PFAS is best supported through scientific evidence.

How We Integrated Our Takeaways:

• Began teaching students and peers the biology foundations.
• Taught students basic lab processes and provided opportunities.
• Developed biology curricula to work on foundations with younger students.

Kentucky Science Center Volunteering (07/23-09/20/2025)

Hands-on Museum for STEM Education

Main Takeaways:

• Presented to the summer camp students on water pollution.
• Volunteered at Microbe Day and asked students to come up with their own solutions.
• Worked with kids as they explored makeshift filtering systems.

What We Learned:

• The public still has so much to learn about PFAS contamination.
• Raising too much awareness is not possible regarding environmental pollution.
• Public understanding of PFAS chemicals is far behind current scientific knowledge.

How We Integrated Our Takeaways:

• Made activities with educational initiatives that simplified our product.
• With every educational initiative, we gave a presentation on contamination.
• Handed out fliers talking about PFAS contamination.

Green Baptist Church Health Event (08/02/2025)

Interactive Health Education for Children

Main Takeaways:

• Taught kids about the human body system and processes.
• Had interactive games, such as an obstacle course for the spread of oxygen.
• Showed kids what would happen if our bodies were infected with PFAS.

What We Learned:

• The youth need to know about PFAS contamination.
• Practicing safety measures now protects the public's health.
• Raising awareness is essential for preventative measures in the future.

How We Integrated Our Takeaways:

• Began interviewing some of the public on their knowledge of PFAS.
• Explaining to the public, no matter who they were, about contamination.
• Raising awareness through social media posts and stories.

Louisville Rotary Presentation (09/10/25)

Service Organization Presentation

Main Takeaways:

• Presented to a group of Rotarians regarding our project for funding and contact.
• The Rotary is a service-based organization with over 1.5 million members.
• Met people from various stakeholder perspectives and organizations.

What We Learned:

• Despite wanting to take action, people don't know how to.
• A lot of people don't know what to take action on.
• It is important that no matter what, we keep raising awareness.

How We Integrated Our Takeaways:

• Began advising people on how they can lessen PFAS exposure.
• Handed out fliers with explanations on PFAS contamination.
• Taught the public more about our project and what they can do.

Educational Justice (06/01/2025-Present)

Nonprofit to End Educational Inequity

Main Takeaways:

• Developed a biology curriculum to teach younger students.
• Taught through Educational Justice - a non-profit striving to end educational inequity.
• Supplementary curriculum for workshops at various elementary/middle schools.

What We Learned:

• It is important to inspire the younger generation to make a change in their community.
• Supplementary curriculum can help students understand the foundations.
• Being able to work with kids beyond basic schooling helps them learn better.

How We Integrated Our Takeaways:

• Further developed our biology curriculum.
• Began teaching kids at the Kentucky Science Center.
• Developed interactive games that would act as supplementary material.

Public Engagement and Advocacy

Our public engagement efforts have connected us with diverse stakeholders, from farmers to legislators, helping us understand the real-world impact of PFAS contamination and the need for accessible detection solutions.

Morgan Watkins (07/11/2025)

Investigative Reporter for Louisville Public Media

Main Takeaways:

• ORSANCO is an organization that controls utilities on the Ohio River.
• There are still corporations dumping PFAS into our waterways.
• LWC is advocating for stricter water safety rules and regulations.

Why We Contacted:

• As an environmental reporter, Ms. Watkins would know about PFAS regulation.
• Wanted to learn more about what LWC is doing in response to Chemorous.
• Knowledge of what organizations control water flow.

What We Learned:

• There is a lack of research on the thousands of different types of PFAS chemicals.
• A significant challenge is the cost of removing all traces of PFAS.
• LWC is part of the fight against corporations like Chemorous, which dump PFAS.

How We Integrated the Advice:

• Began to raise awareness regarding this fight for water justice.
• Looked into how different proteins interact with PFAS.
• Advocated for stricter water safety rules amongst the public.

Nima Kulkarni (9/10/2024)

Kentucky House of Representatives (Environmental Law)

Main Takeaways:

• The success of our product depends on policy changes and legislative support.
• Environmental contamination is a bipartisan effort and needs to be generally supported.
• PFAS contamination should be prevented to avoid long-term costs.

Why We Contacted:

• Legislative stakeholder with access to current Kentucky PFAS laws.
• Personal stories regarding PFAS contamination in other states and communities.
• Understanding better how to gain support for our project.

What We Learned:

• The Kentucky General Assembly is considering more funding for PFAS research.
• A lot of people are not aware of environmental toxicants in general.
• Maine is a good example for Kentucky to contextualize PFAS efforts.

How We Integrated the Advice:

• Showed us the importance of our technology, aligning it with government efforts.
• Reflected on how our technology could be modified for farmer incentives.
• Began educational initiatives for the general public.

Adam Nordell (07/03/2025)

Farmer Directly Impacted by PFAS Contamination and Nonprofit Founder

Main Takeaways:

• Nordell's personal story illustrates the severe consequences of PFAS contamination.
• PFAS contamination not only affects farms but can also have economic impacts.
• There is a clear demand for a low-cost, rapid, and sustainable PFAS testing solution.

Why We Contacted:

• Personal experience with PFAS exposure as a farmer.
• He developed Defend Our Health into a nonprofit to help farmers.
• Would know what challenges farmers face the most with PFAS contamination.

What We Learned:

• PFAS contamination can quickly destroy a family's livelihood and farm.
• The process of thorough, necessary testing for PFAS is costly and slow.
• The current regulatory system in the US has regulators constantly playing catch-up.

How We Integrated the Advice:

• Developed our device to target farmers and rural populations.
• Began raising awareness of agricultural-based economies.
• Interacted more with farmers through farmers' markets.

Research Conference Presentations (03/01/2024-Present)

Presentations at KY-INBRE and Brown Cancer Center Retreat

Main Takeaways:

• Presented work at the KY-INBRE and Brown Cancer Center Retreat conferences.
• Talked to researchers, who were surprisingly unsure about what PFAS was.
• Raised awareness about PFAS and its effects on our health among researchers.

What We Learned:

• A lot of researchers do not know what PFAS is.
• It is important to raise awareness among every stakeholder group.
• Scientific knowledge is often buried due to environmental contamination.

How We Integrated the Advice:

• Began handing out fliers to researchers to raise awareness.
• Spoke at more conferences about what PFAS is and how we can practice safety.
• Contributed to more educational initiatives on PFAS with the academic community.

Henderson County (05/31/2024)

High School Research Team Impacted by PFAS

Main Takeaways:

• Grassroots efforts can effectively address PFAS contamination.
• We can raise public awareness through soil and water samples.
• Community-based engagement and public outreach are essential for awareness.

Why We Contacted:

• Contact with another high school team would help address more of the PFAS research.
• Wanted to better understand how to remediate PFAS contamination.
• Their personal experiences with PFAS could provide better insight into its effects.

What We Learned:

• The extent to which grassroots efforts can impact a community.
• Community-driven initiatives can make PFAS detection scalable.
• Knowing contamination exists isn't enough; more people need to take action.

How We Integrated the Advice:

• Considered how our own project might benefit from direct community engagement.
• Developed ways to promote our biosensor technology.
• Made sure our detection solution would be easily accessible and user-friendly.

E Gray Street Farmer's Market (07/24-07/31/2025)

Local Farmers Market Outreach

Main Takeaways:

• Farmers are working towards a medicinal movement with their herbs.
• They have begun to avoid runoff and fertilizers to prevent PFAS.
• Yearly testing is necessary for farms to ensure safe products.

What We Learned:

• Working with farmer organizations is essential to raising awareness in rural areas.
• A "medicine with plants" movement is becoming increasingly popular.
• How farmers are avoiding PFAS contamination in their products.

How We Integrated the Advice:

• Began talking to more and more farmers about how they're taking action.
• Handed out our fliers to farmers in support of our project.
• Gained support from farmer unions regarding our initiatives with the public.

Collaboration with Other Teams

Our international collaborations have broadened our perspective on PFAS research and educational outreach, enabling us to develop more comprehensive solutions.

NYU-Abu-Dhabi Storybook Collaboration (07/01/2025-Present)

Collaboration on Educational Storybook

Main Takeaways:

• Wrote a storybook following Milo the Monkey for educational purposes.
• Working on publishing this book to present to a younger audience.
• Milo the Monkey explores environmental contamination and water pollution.

How We Integrated the Collaboration:

• Began presenting Milo the Monkey when volunteering at the Science Center.
• Used a similar approach when developing interactive games for a younger audience.
• Illustrated and colored the book for publication and to raise awareness among the youth.

UNC-Chapel Hill iGEM (07/30/2025)

Collegiate iGEM Team Collaboration

Main Takeaways:

• Discussed ideas for human practices initiatives for both teams.
• Provided each other feedback on education initiative ideas.
• Took inspiration from collegiate teams for initiatives to raise awareness.

How We Integrated the Collaboration:

• Participated in Microbe Day as a branch of what UNC is doing.
• Volunteered with younger kids in educating them about water pollution.
• Taught the public regarding PFAS contamination and more.

ZJU-China Meeting (08/03/2025)

International Collaboration on Project and Outreach

Main Takeaways:

• Traded research materials for feedback on the practicality of our solutions.
• Both teams working on current PFAS research allowed for collaboration.
• Helped with educational initiatives as we explored different paths.

How We Integrated the Collaboration:

• Helped with the Educational Justice initiatives and developed the biology curriculum.
• Stage talk collaboration as we worked together on looking at what to speak about.
• Raised awareness through collaborative educational initiatives.

KCIS-Xiugang-Taipei (08/16/2025)

High School Team Collaboration

Main Takeaways:

• Presented work and research to another high school team.
• Planned a joint podcast on climate crises and environmental issues.
• Using games and more to our advantage for human practices.

How We Integrated the Collaboration:

• Using this integration of interactive games in our engagement.
• Focused on interest-based youth education in STEM.
• Contributing to community engagement with more resources.