Timme-Laragy, Colleagues Host Visit from State Representative to Discuss PFAS Contamination

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Top row (left-right): Kate Annunziato, Alicia Timme-Laragy, John Clark, and Tim Ford Bottom row (left-right): Jeff Doherty, State Rep. Velis, and Youssef Oulhote Photo courtesy: Kristen Mello, WRAFT
Top row (left-right): Kate Annunziato, Alicia Timme-Laragy, John Clark, and Tim Ford Bottom row (left-right): Jeff Doherty, State Rep. Velis, and Youssef Oulhote Photo courtesy: Kristen Mello, WRAFT

Alicia Timme-Laragy, associate professor and developmental toxicologist with expertise in how early life exposures to pollutants affect health, recently hosted a visit by state Rep. John Velis of Westfield to discuss her ongoing research to identify and understand the health risks of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) found in contaminated drinking water.

PFAS compounds, used worldwide in common household and industry goods, including nonstick cookware, water- and stain-resistant materials and food packaging, have been called “forever chemicals” because they do not break down in the environment. They are also used in aqueous film forming foams (AFFF) used at military training sites, including the nearby Westfield air national guard base. PFAS contamination has been found in the drinking water and aquifer in Westfield following decades of use there.

Rep. Velis’ visit included tours of Timme-Laragy’s toxicology lab and zebrafish facility, and the Massachusetts Pesticide Analysis Laboratory run by John Clark, professor of environmental toxicology and chemistry, which is working on identifying the chemicals in the AFFF mixture. Following the lab tours, Timme-Laragy hosted a discussion about PFAS, Westfield contamination and current UMass Amherst research with Rep. Velis, Clark, and other colleagues including Tim Ford, professor and department chair of environmental health sciences, Youssef Oulhote, assistant professor of epidemiology, and postdoctoral fellows Jeff Doherty, veterinary and animal sciences, and Kate Annunziato, environmental health sciences.

“Representative Velis is very concerned about the contaminated water in Westfield and is educating himself on these chemicals,” says Timme-Laragy. “He asked lots of important questions: What are the health risks? How can they be remediated? How should they be regulated? He has created a PFAS caucus in the state legislature, as many other districts are also dealing with similar contamination issues.”

Timme-Laragy highlighted how her lab is studying PFAS toxicity and measuring PFAS compounds, and discussed the data that still needs to be collected and what the university can do in the future to help the state and the community of Westfield deal with this problem.

The meeting was arranged by Westfield Residents Advocating For Themselves (WRAFT), a community group dedicated to addressing PFAS contamination in Westfield, with whom Timme-Laragy has been working as part of her Public Engagement Project (PEP). As a culmination of this project, Timme-Laragy also visited the State House on Beacon Hill to meet with Rep. Kate Hogan and legislative aides for Sen. Julian Cyr and Rep. Smitty Pignatelli.

“I provided education about PFAS, my lab's research findings, and the great team of scientists at UMass Amherst that have come together to work on this problem from multiple angles,” explains Timme-Laragy. “Not only are we advancing our understanding of these chemicals, but we are educating our students on this issue as well.”

View photos of Representative Velis’ visit on Facebook.