A5027621073- Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals
- Toxic Organic Pollutants Impact
- Carcinogens and Genotoxicity Assessment
- Environmental Justice and Health Disparities
- Air Quality and Health Impacts
- Health, Environment, Cognitive Aging
- Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances research
- Occupational Health and Performance
- Chemical Safety and Risk Management
- Pharmaceutical and Antibiotic Environmental Impacts
- Cancer Risks and Factors
- Indoor Air Quality and Microbial Exposure
- Climate Change and Health Impacts
- Ethics in Clinical Research
- Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Estrogen and related hormone effects
- Animal testing and alternatives
- Metabolomics and Mass Spectrometry Studies
- Risk Perception and Management
- Water Treatment and Disinfection
- Computational Drug Discovery Methods
- Climate Change Communication and Perception
- Chemistry and Chemical Engineering
- Health Policy Implementation Science
- Groundwater and Isotope Geochemistry
Silent Spring Institute
2015-2024
Boston University
2023
Craft Engineering Associates (United States)
2004-2019
Northeastern University
2019
New York City Fire Department
2019
University of California Office of the President
2011
Columbia University
2010
Southwest Research Institute
1998-2010
University of California, San Francisco
2010
Brown University
2007-2009
Chemicals identified as endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) have widespread consumer uses, yet little is known about indoor exposure. We sampled air and dust in 120 homes, analyzing for 89 organic chemicals EDCs. Fifty-two were detected 66 dust. These are the first reported measures residential environments over 30 of compounds, including several at highest concentrations. The number per home ranged from 13 to 28 6 42 most abundant included phthalates (plasticizers, emulsifiers),...
Environmental scientists play a key role in society's responses to environmental problems, and many of the studies they perform are intended ultimately affect policy. The precautionary principle, proposed as new guideline decision making, has four central components: taking preventive action face uncertainty; shifting burden proof proponents an activity; exploring wide range alternatives possibly harmful actions; increasing public participation making. In this paper we examine implications...
Background: Bisphenol A (BPA) and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) are high-production-volume chemicals used in plastics resins for food packaging. They have been associated with endocrine disruption animals some human studies. Human exposure sources estimated, but the relative contribution of dietary to total intake has not studied empirically.Objectives: To evaluate packaging exposure, we measured urinary BPA metabolites before, during, after a "fresh foods" intervention.Methods: We...
Higher house dust levels of PBDE flame retardants (FRs) have been reported in California than other parts the world, due to state's furniture flammability standard. However, changing these and FRs not evaluated following 2004 U.S. phase-out PentaBDE OctaBDE. We analyzed collected 16 homes 2006 again 2011 for 62 organohalogens, which represents broadest investigation homes. Fifty-five compounds were detected at least one sample; 41 50% samples. Concentrations chlorinated OPFRs, including two...
Background: Laboratory and human studies raise concerns about endocrine disruption asthma resulting from exposure to chemicals in consumer products. Limited labeling or testing information is available evaluate products as sources.Objectives: We analytically quantified disruptors asthma-related a range of cosmetics, personal care products, cleaners, sunscreens, vinyl also evaluated whether product labels provide that can be used select without these chemicals.Methods: selected 213 commercial...
Communities across the U.S. are discovering drinking water contaminated by perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) determining appropriate actions. There currently no federal PFAS standards despite widespread contamination, ubiquitous population-level exposure, toxicological epidemiological evidence of adverse health effects. Absent standards, multiple states have developed their own health-based guideline levels to guide decisions about site cleanup surveillance treatment. We...
Approximately 40% of U.S. residents rely on groundwater as a source drinking water. Groundwater, especially unconfined sand and gravel aquifers, is vulnerable to contamination from septic systems infiltration wastewater treatment plant effluent. In this study, we characterized concentrations pharmaceuticals, perfluorosurfactants, other organic compounds (OWCs) in the aquifer Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA, where are prevalent. Raw water samples 20 public supply wells Cod were tested for 92...
Low-income and minority communities often face disproportionately high pollutant exposures. The lead crisis in Flint, Michigan, has sparked concern about broader socioeconomic disparities exposures to drinking water contaminants. Nitrate is commonly found water, especially agricultural regions, epidemiological evidence suggests elevated risk of cancer birth defects at levels below U.S. EPA's standard (10 mg/L NO3-N). However, there have been no nationwide assessments nitrate or other...
Chemicals that induce mammary tumors in rodents or activate estrogen progesterone signaling are likely to increase breast cancer (BC) risk. Identifying chemicals with these activities can prompt steps protect human health.
As part of a larger effort to characterize the impacts Cape Cod drinking water supplies from on-site wastewater disposal, we developed two analytical methods using HPLC and GC/MS for range compounds identified as endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), including nonionic surfactants alkylphenol polyethoxylates (APEOs) their degradation products. We analyzed samples nonylphenol, octylphenol, ethoxylates up hexaethoxylate an method, with detection limits ranging 2 6 μg/L. A set phenolic...
Septic systems serve approximately 25% of U.S. households and may be an important source estrogenic other organic wastewater contaminants (OWC) to groundwater. We monitored several OWC, including nonylphenol (NP), mono- diethoxycarboxylates (NP1EC NP2EC), the steroid hormones 17beta-estradiol (E2), estrone (E1) their glucuronide sulfate conjugates, OWC such as methylene blue active substances (MBAS), caffeine its degradation product paraxanthine, two fluorescent whitening agents in a...
Studies show higher house dust and body burden levels of PBDE flame retardants in North America than Europe; but little is known about exposure variation within America, where California's furniture flammability standard affects use. We compared samples from 49 homes two California communities with 120 Massachusetts other published studies. Dust concentrations [median (range) ng/g] BDE-47, -99, -100 were 2700 (112-107 000), 3800 (102-170 684 (<MRL-30 900), respectively, 4−10 times previously...
Interest in the health effects of potential endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs) that are high production volume chemicals used consumer products has made exposure assessment and source identification a priority. We collected paired indoor outdoor air samples 40 nonsmoking homes urban, industrial Richmond, CA, 10 rural Bolinas, CA. Samples were analyzed by GC-MS for 104 analytes, including phthalates (11), alkylphenols (3), parabens polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants...
Phosphate flame retardants (PFRs) are abundant and found at the highest concentrations relative to other retardant chemicals in house dust; however, little is known about biological levels of PFRs their relationship with dust concentrations. These relationships provide insight into major exposure pathways potential health risks. We analyzed urine samples from 16 California residents 2011 for 6 chlorinated nonchlorinated dialkyl or diaryl phosphates (DAPs), expected metabolites most prominent...
A previous report documented that endocrine disrupting chemicals contribute substantially to certain forms of disease and disability. In the present analysis, our main objective was update a range health economic costs can be reasonably attributed chemical exposures in European Union, leveraging new burden cost estimates female reproductive conditions from accompanying report. Expert panels evaluated epidemiologic evidence, using adapted criteria WHO Grading Recommendations Assessment,...
We discuss considerations that are essential when evaluating exposure to nonpersistent, semivolatile environmental chemicals such as phthalates and phenols (e.g., bisphenol A). A biomarker should be chosen best represent usual personal exposures not recent, adventitious, or extraneous exposures. Biomarkers selected minimize contamination arising from collection, sampling, analysis procedures. Pharmacokinetics considered; for example, metabolized quickly, urine is the compartment with highest...
Domestic drinking water wells serve 44 million people in the US and are common globally. They often located areas served by onsite wastewater treatment systems, including septic which can be sources of biological chemical pollutants to groundwater. In this study we tested 20 domestic a sand gravel aquifer on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA, for 117 organic compounds (OWCs) inorganic markers system impact. We detected 27 OWCs, 12 pharmaceuticals, five per- polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs),...