Researchers from the University of Rhode Island and Harvard University are joining forces to establish a center focused on investigating how chemicals linked to cancer and other illnesses are getting into water at sites around the U.S.

The chemicals, called perfluorinated compounds (PFC), are contaminating sites particularly near industrial facilities and U.S. military bases, affecting both humans and animals through the food chain.

In addition to uncovering the how, researchers are also hoping to develop new detection tools to determine if the chemicals, which are found in a variety of household products and in the firefighting foam used by the U.S. military, are present in the water supply.

Currently, the chemicals are not federally regulated in drinking water.

"So frustratingly little has been done on the regulatory side, I thought a center like this could help," said professor Rainer Lohmann of the URI Graduate School of Oceanography.

Researchers received a five-year, $8 million grant from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences to establish the center.