Paul Rosenfeld
Biography
Dr. Rosenfeld has over 25 years of experience conducting environmental investigations and risk assessments for evaluating impacts to human health, property, and ecological receptors. His expertise focuses on the fate and transport of environmental contaminants, human health risk, exposure assessment, and ecological restoration. Dr. Rosenfeld has evaluated and modeled emissions from oil spills, landfills, boilers and incinerators, process stacks, storage tanks, confined animal feeding operations, industrial, military and agricultural sources, unconventional oil drilling operations, and locomotive and construction engines. His project experience ranges from monitoring and modeling of pollution sources to evaluating impacts of pollution on workers at industrial facilities and residents in surrounding communities. Dr. Rosenfeld has also successfully modeled exposure to contaminants distributed by water systems and via vapor intrusion.
Research Interest
environmental investigations and risk assessments for evaluating impacts to human health,
Abstract
A Growing Threat to Marine Ecosystem Sustainability
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) have emerged as a significant environmental and public health crisis, with their persistence, bioaccumulation, and toxicity posing a severe threat to marine ecosystems. These "forever chemicals," widely used in industrial applications, firefighting foams, and consumer products, resist natural degradation, leading to their widespread contamination of aquatic environments. PFAS enter marine ecosystems through industrial discharges, wastewater effluent, atmospheric deposition, and runoff, impacting biodiversity and food chain dynamics. This keynote address will explore the mechanisms by which PFAS disrupt marine life, from bioaccumulation in fish and shellfish to endocrine disruption in apex predators. The presentation will highlight case studies demonstrating how PFAS pollution affects aquaculture, fisheries, and coastal communities reliant on marine resources. Furthermore, it will address emerging research on the long-term ecological consequences of PFAS exposure and the challenges in remediation and regulation. As nations seek to balance economic growth with environmental stewardship, urgent action is needed to mitigate PFAS contamination in marine environments. This discussion will emphasize the importance of international collaboration, improved monitoring, and innovative solutions, including alternative materials and remediation technologies, to ensure the sustainability of marine ecosystems and the future of global aquaculture.
