Lake Erie is home to a large diversity of wildlife and is the source of drinking water for around 13 million people. Yet the health of this Great Lake is at risk from various emerging pollutants, often stemming from increased use of everyday consumer products and industrial processes harboring concerning chemicals.

One type of concerning chemical, called per/polyfluoroalkyl substances, or “forever chemicals,” can be found all through the environment and even in people’s bloodstreams. These chemicals and other types of emerging pollutants pose a threat to the environment, wildlife, and people that live in the area.

To help the public better understand what these contaminants are and how they affect the environment, Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab recently welcomed Mark Warman as the Contaminants of Emerging Concern Specialist for Ohio Sea Grant’s extension team in 2024. In his first year, Warman has focused on understanding what groups of contaminants in Lake Erie are affecting the quality of drinking water and ecosystems the most – as well as what that means for consumers.

“Whether it’s plants in an agricultural field or fish caught in Lake Erie, the contaminants in them affect us too,” said Warman.

Forever chemicals can come from a variety of sources, ranging from nonstick cookware and stain-resistant fabrics to cosmetics and road salt. Researchers are aware of the dangers of these types of contaminants to the local wildlife and environment, but there is still more to learn about how these chemicals come into the waters and how they spread.

In his role as a Ohio Sea Grant and Ohio State-supported extension specialist, Warman often speaks to Lake Erie residents about these contaminants to help them make sense of what they’ve heard about the effects of PFAS online or on the news. His goal is to use science-backed information and demonstrations to educate people. He also enjoys giving people actionable steps to take to engage more with their environment and make a change to decrease more contaminants going into the water.

Some science-backed advice Warman likes to share with his audience is to reduce the use of single-use plastics which can shed particles and fibers into our waters, replace nonstick pans at the first sign of scratches or avoid using nonstick cookware altogether, look into Ohio’s drug disposal centers for unused pharmaceutical takeback, and leave shoes at the door to avoid tracking chemicals into the home.

Warman said he has always had an interest in working with people and explaining what is happening in their backyards.

“I like to better understand my connection to nature and help other people feel connected to their local environment,” said Warman.

In his second year, Warman plans to add more tactile ways to demonstrate the effects of these contaminants on humans so people can engage with the items they hear about in the news or online that are polluting the water.

Warman believes this is an important topic for all people in the area to be aware of because of the One Health approach. When the environment and organisms that people interact with have traces of contaminants in or on their bodies, like forever chemicals or microplastics, we are affected too. Whether you are consuming an organism that has consumed microplastics or are interacting with the environment, those contaminants can transfer onto and into people’s bodies, negatively affecting their health, he explained.

In addition to education and outreach, Warman also collaborates with Ohio Sea Grant and Stone Lab partners to help interpret research data and extend resources, making the information more approachable to the general public. Warman works with the Ohio EPA, the Midwest Biosolids Association, and the Great Lakes Consortium for Fish Consumption Advisories.

“The Great Lakes region has excellent leadership on many contaminants. Research and outreach from the Sea Grant network helps our communities understand the real challenges contaminants present to our aquatic ecosystems, wildlife, and human health” says Warman.

For more information about Warman’s emerging contaminants of concern, contact him at warman.27@osu.edu.

Ohio Sea Grant is supported by The Ohio State University College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) School of Environment and Natural Resources, Ohio State University Extension, and NOAA Sea Grant, a network of 34 Sea Grant programs nation-wide dedicated to the protection and sustainable use of marine and Great Lakes resources. Stone Laboratory is Ohio State’s island campus on Lake Erie and is the research, education, and outreach facility of Ohio Sea Grant and part of CFAES School of Environment and Natural Resources.