February 2025 issue

Volume 58, Issue 2

Packed with nutrients and organic matter, biosolids have been shown to aid plant growth and boost soil quality. As part of the biosolids production process, the sludge that comes out of sewage plants is treated to remove hazardous toxins like pathogens and metals. But those processes don’t remove everything, like per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), for instance. This month, we’ll look at two new studies probing how reused waste contributes to PFAS exposure in the environment, both published as part of the new Journal of Environmental Quality special section, “PFAS in Agroecosytems: Sources, Impacts, and Opportunities for Mitigating Risks to Human and Ecological Health.”

The cover photo is courtesy of SuSanA Secretariat via Wikimedia Commons and is published here under this license.