Wayne State University has received an $11 million grant from the National Institutes of Health to investigate how volatile organic compounds contribute to preterm births.

The five-year grant will be used to fund the Center for Leadership in Environmental Awareness and Research, where scientists will study the link between volatile organic compounds and preterm births in the City of Detroit.

One goal is to create new ways to pinpoint the sources of industrial pollutants, and develop ways to mitigate their negative health effects.

Carol Miller, professor of civil and environmental engineering and co-leader of the program at Wayne State University, said the ultimate goal is healthier moms and babies.

"Very specifically, we're looking at how those contaminants impact women of childbearing age, and may be a factor influencing the high preterm birthrate in the Detroit area," Miller explained.

Preterm births occur before 37 weeks, often leaving infants with breathing and feeding issues, developmental delays, or problems with seeing and hearing. According to the March of Dimes, among large American cities, Detroit has the highest rate of preterm births, at 14.6%.

Volatile organic compounds are toxic vapors or gases, mostly generated by industrial sites. There are hundreds of contaminated sites in Detroit, and researchers theorize the effects of the compounds contribute to Detroit's high preterm birthrate.

Dr. Melissa Runge-Morris, professor of oncology at and co-leader of the program, said preterm births most often occur in marginalized communities.

"We are particularly plagued by environmental health disparities that affect and impact the most vulnerable members of our urban community," Runge-Morris emphasized.

A parallel goal of the study is to develop new technology for detecting the location and source of volatile organic compounds to help develop a program to mitigate their health effects. Runge-Morris said the team of 31 researchers includes engineering and biomedical scientists, educators and community partners.

"A lot of what we're doing is what would be called sort of 'big data' analysis, to evaluate large numbers of sensors," Runge-Morris noted. "To figure out not only home-by-home, but certain neighborhoods."

After federal legislation reduced red tape, military families who were exposed in past decades to drinking water laced with industrial solvents, benzene and other toxic chemicals at Camp Lejeune continue to file claims.

They have until August 2024 to do so, under the Camp Lejeune Justice Act. The contamination happened from the 1950s to the 1980s.

Katie Craig, state director of the North Carolina Public Interest Research Group, said the latest Environmental Protection Agency report shows more than 600,000 pounds of chemicals were dumped into the state's waters in 2020, with more damaging consequences for public health.

"What we're seeing is that a lot of these different chemicals have been linked to a wide range of health threats, including cancer, developmental delays and reproductive damage," Craig outlined.

Craig believes the state needs more regulation to hold polluters accountable and to ensure sure any existing regulations are fully enforced. People who want to know more about Camp Lejeune exposure and compensation can contact the Department of Veterans Affairs' Camp Lejeune Family Member program toll-free, 866-372-1144.

Craig added the most polluted watersheds include the New River, which borders Camp Lejeune, and the lower Cape Fear watershed. She pointed out the latest data do not shed light on whether the chemicals being dumped are over the legal threshold, and noted some discharges may have occurred illegally.

"North Carolinians deserve clean water, and our waterways should be safe for swimming and fishing and drinking," Craig asserted. "Our children deserve a toxic-free future as well."

Data from the EPA's Toxics Release Inventory revealed in 2020, industrial facilities released more than 193 million pounds of toxic substances into the nation's waterways.

West Virginia lawmakers are expected to introduce legislation in 2023 aimed at regulating PFAS chemicals in the state's drinking-water systems.

Commonly found in Teflon cookware, water-resistant clothing, fast-food packaging and other consumer goods, PFAS have been linked to cancer, immune suppression, neurodevelopmental disorders, thyroid disease, decreased fertility and other conditions.

Luanne McGovern, a member of the board of directors of the West Virginia Highlands Conservancy, explained that The Clean Drinking Water Act of 2023 - modeled after last year's House Bill 4055 - would outline a strong set of actions to curb residents' exposure to the chemicals.

"The legislature, first off, wants to set state-specific maximum contaminant levels for certain PFAS chemicals," said McGovern. "They also want to establish a PFAS action-response team to go after some of the really high areas. They also want to require facilities that are using PFAS to report their use."

Last summer the Environmental Protection Agency released drinking-water health advisories for some PFAS compounds, listing the threshold of contamination least likely to cause harm to human health. The advisories are only recommendations and are not enforceable.

Last week the agency released its new PFAS database, which it says will help public-health experts and scientists better understand potential PFAS sources in their communities.

A federal study released in 2022 found PFAS in 67 West Virginia public water systems, out of more than two hundred tested.

McGovern pointed out that the bulk were concentrated along the Ohio River, in the Parkersburg area, and in the eastern panhandle - all highly populated regions.

"I think," said McGovern, "having this study has really empowered people to go to their local water treatment, their local town or city, and say, 'Hey, what are you doing with this? What are we doing to put in the right equipment to be taking PFAS out of our drinking water?'"

Meanwhile, some manufacturers are moving away from using the chemicals. The company 3M announced last month a plan to phase out PFAS by the end of 2025.

South Dakota and all other states have seen the effects of so-called "forever chemicals."

Those pushing for their removal say 3M's announcement it will phase them out is another step in the right direction. The major manufacturer of products from cleaning supplies to Post-it Notes said it plans to ensure it's no longer producing items containing PFAS chemicals by the year 2025.

John Rumpler, clean water program director for Environment America, said it is an important step in trying to reduce harmful pollutants from reaching natural resources.

"PFAS chemicals are toxic, and they persist in the environment," Rumpler explained. "They've been contaminating drinking water sources all across the country."

The chemicals were also used in firefighting foam, and the City of Sioux Falls took legal action against 3M and other companies over the presence of PFAS in the soil and groundwater near the city's airport. 3M said it made the decision based on changes in the business and regulatory landscape.

In August, the federal Environmental Protection Agency said it would propose designating certain PFAS chemicals as hazardous substances.

Other companies, such as retailers and restaurants, have made similar pledges to eliminate or reduce forever chemicals in food packaging, textiles and other products. Still, Rumpler argued others need to follow suit, and hopes Tuesday's announcement will spur more action.

"3M is hardly the only game in town," Rumpler pointed out. "But it is a major player in the industry space and a significant marker for its peers about moving in the right direction."

As part of the evolving research surrounding PFAS contamination, experts have linked the chemicals to multiple health risks, including increased risk of kidney or testicular cancer, as well as small decreases in infant birthweights.