Soils

2FP PFAS Degradation Study & Resilient Soils Project

Mapping microbial solutions for soil pollution

Join the Project

The Two Frontiers Project is launching a focused study to investigate whether microbes from chemically stressed environments can reveal new biological mechanisms for future remediation, with a key goal of identifying biology capable of transforming or degrading PFAS.

This study is supported by The Grantham Foundation for the Protection of the Environment and is part of 2FP’s broader Resilient Soils Project, a community science initiative developed in partnership with Seed Labs to explore microbial life in chemically and environmentally stressed soils across the United States.

PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are persistent chemicals used across industrial processes and consumer products because they resist heat, water, oil, and chemical breakdown. Those same properties make them difficult to remove once released into soils, waterways, wastewater systems, and other environmental reservoirs.

Through Resilient Soils, 2FP is working with individuals, communities, landowners, researchers, and partner organizations to collect soil samples and site context from impacted environments. These samples allow us to ask whether microbial communities living under long-term chemical stress have adapted in ways that could inform future approaches to soil recovery and environmental remediation.

The Grantham-supported study will use targeted sampling, enrichment culturing, degradation screens, DNA sequencing, and downstream testing to identify microbial consortia, genes, and enzymes that may contribute to PFAS transformation or degradation.

The goal is discovery: to uncover biological mechanisms that may help build the foundation for scalable, cost-effective remediation strategies in the future.

THE RESILIENT SOILS PROJECT

The Resilient Soils Project is a community science initiative from The Two Frontiers Project (2FP) and Seed Labs that empowers individuals and organizations to explore these microbial ecosystems. By collecting soil samples from chemically influenced environments, participants help uncover how life adapts to modern, human-shaped landscapes and generate data that can inform future approaches to land recovery and environmental resilience.

PARTICIPATORY

Whether you have access to a local site or are part of an organization working in impacted environments, your samples contribute directly to real research.

    SCIENTIFIC    

We focus on understanding the soil microbiome using culturing and DNA sequencing to identify which microbes are present and what they may be capable of.

SITES OF INTEREST

The project seeks sites with publicly documented evidence of chemical impact across a range of landscape types:

  • Airports, military bases, firefighting training facilities, fluoropolymer/textile manufacturing sites, landfills, wastewater treatment plants, biosolid-amended fields

  • Acid mine drainage sites, abandoned hard rock mines, coal mining regions, tailings piles, smelter-adjacent soils

  • Oil & gas fields, refineries, pipeline spill zones, fuel storage leak areas

  • Superfund sites, brownfields, rail yards, port facilities, high-traffic corridors

  • Long-term pesticide application sites, CAFO-adjacent soils, fertilizer-intensive fields, biosolid application areas

  • Wildfire burn scars with retardant application, post-industrial fire sites

  • Ordnance disposal areas, training ranges, propellant storage areas

  • Launch facilities and surrounding soils, rocket testing sites

    IMPACTFUL   

The results build a growing resource of microbes adapted to contaminated environments. This knowledge creates a foundation for future research into soil remediation, ecosystem recovery, and more resilient land management.

HOW IT WORKS

The Resilient Soils Project makes microbial discovery simple and accessible. From sign-up to shipping, the process is designed so anyone can participate—no specialized background required. Each kit is built for ease of use, allowing participants to safely collect soil samples from impacted environments. Once returned, our team cultures microbes and sequences DNA to understand how these communities adapt to chemical pressure. Together, these contributions build a powerful dataset for soil resilience and environmental recovery.

SIGN UP

Fill out a short questionnaire to join the project and tell us about your site.

GET YOUR KIT

We’ll send you everything you need to collect samples, no special tools required.

COLLECT & SHIP

Follow simple instructions to gather soil samples, then return them using prepaid shipping.

SEE THE IMPACT

Your samples contribute to microbial culturing and DNA analysis, helping build knowledge around soil health, contamination, and recovery.

Contact Us

FAQs

Do I need access to a specific type of site?
Yes, are looking for soils with known chemical impact. This can include industrial areas, agricultural land, waste sites, or other environments with documented exposure. Permission to sample is required.

Do I need special equipment?
No. Everything you need—from collection materials to step-by-step instructions—is included in your kit. You just provide access to the sampling location and about 15–20 minutes of your time.

What do I get back?
Participants receive project updates and insights into how microbial communities adapt to contaminated environments. You’ll be contributing to a growing dataset that supports future research in soil remediation and ecosystem recovery.

Are there rules for where I can sample?
Currently, participation is limited to domestic shipments. Each kit includes a prepaid return label and instructions to make the process simple and compliant with shipping regulations.

Why study microbes in soil?
Microbes drive critical processes in soil, from nutrient cycling to breaking down contaminants. By studying how they adapt to chemical stress, we can better understand natural pathways for resilience and potential strategies for environmental recovery.

COLLABORATORS & SUPPORTERS

The Resilient Soils Project is made possible by our research partners who share a commitment to open, high‑quality science.

Seed: Erin Miller, Alison Mehlsak, Emma Castiglione, Emma Loewe, Tresha Paarman & SeedLabs Team

2FP: Krista Ryon, James R. Henriksen, April Johns, Maya Lipstein, Braden Tierney