Design and application of biological systems for detection of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large group of synthetic fluorinated chemicals with surface active and water-repellent properties. The wide-spread use of PFAS in consumer products and industrial processes along with the chemicals‚ and extended biological half-lives leads to accumulation in the environment and subsequently people as they ingest contaminated food and water. Therefore, the goal of this work is to leverage biological methods to address the need for quick, on-site detection technologies through the design of fluorescent biosensors based on human liver fatty acid binding protein (hLFABP). Through the rational incorporation of acrylodan we have developed a purified protein-based sensor capable of detecting several PFAS, including perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), in spiked environmental water samples. Additionally, we are developing a separate biosensor based on incorporation of circularly permuted green fluorescent protein that offers promise for genetically encoded whole cell sensing of PFAS in complex and heterogenous sample types.