A5037173402- Microplastics and Plastic Pollution
- Recycling and Waste Management Techniques
- Radioactivity and Radon Measurements
- Radioactive element chemistry and processing
- Nanoparticles: synthesis and applications
- Graphene and Nanomaterials Applications
- Botanical Research and Applications
- Mycorrhizal Fungi and Plant Interactions
- Heavy metals in environment
- Coal and Its By-products
- Plant Pathogens and Fungal Diseases
- biodegradable polymer synthesis and properties
- Radioactive contamination and transfer
- Aeolian processes and effects
- Botany, Ecology, and Taxonomy Studies
- Municipal Solid Waste Management
- Lichen and fungal ecology
- Arsenic contamination and mitigation
- Air Quality and Health Impacts
- Aquatic Ecosystems and Phytoplankton Dynamics
- Environmental Justice and Health Disparities
- Geochemistry and Geologic Mapping
- Heavy Metal Exposure and Toxicity
- Heavy Metals in Plants
- Effects and risks of endocrine disrupting chemicals
University of New Mexico
2018-2025
Université Toulouse III - Paul Sabatier
2015-2021
Institut de Recherche pour le Développement
2015-2021
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
2015-2021
Lebanese University
2015-2021
Géosciences Environnement Toulouse
2016-2021
Université de Toulouse
2015
The exponential increase in global plastic usage has led to the emergence of nano- and microplastic (NMP) pollution as a pressing environmental issue due its implications for human other mammalian health. We have developed methodologies extract solid materials from tissue samples by saponification ultracentrifugation, allowing highly specific quantitative analysis plastics pyrolysis-gas chromatography mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS). As benchmark, placenta were analyzed using fluorescence...
Rising global concentrations of environmental micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) drive concerns for human exposure health outcomes. Applying pyrolysis gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) methods to isolate quantify MNPs from samples, we compared MNP accumulation in kidneys, livers, brains. Autopsy samples the Office Medical Investigator Albuquerque, NM, collected 2016 2024, were digested Py-GC/MS analysis 12 polymers. Brains exhibited higher than liver or kidney samples. All organs...
Global plastic use has consistently increased over the past century with several different types of plastics now being produced. Much these end up in oceans or landfills leading to a substantial accumulation environment. Plastic debris slowly degrades into microplastics (MPs) that can ultimately be inhaled ingested by both animals and humans. A growing body evidence indicates MPs cross gut barrier enter lymphatic systemic circulation tissues such as lungs, liver, kidney, brain. The impacts...
Rising global concentrations of environmental microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPs) drive concerns for human exposure health outcomes. Complementary methods the robust detection tissue MNPs, including pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry, attenuated total reflectance–Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy, confirm presence MNPs in kidney, liver brain. these organs primarily consist polyethylene, lesser but significant other...
Abstract Microplastics represent an emerging environmental contaminant, with large gaps in our understanding of human health impacts. Furthermore, factors may modify the plastic chemistry, further altering toxic potency. Ultraviolet (UV) light is one such unavoidable factor for airborne microplastic particulates and a known modifier polystyrene surface chemistry. As experimental model, we aged commercially available microspheres 5 weeks UV radiation, then compared cellular responses A549...
We integrated field measurements, hydroponic experiments, microscopy, and spectroscopy to investigate the effect of Ca(II) on dissolved U(VI) uptake by plants in 1 mM HCO3- solutions at circumneutral pH. The accumulation U (3.1-21.3 mg kg-1) from stream bank Rio Paguate, Jackpile Mine, New Mexico served as a motivation for this study. Brassica juncea was model plant used laboratory experiments conducted over range (30-700 μg L-1) Ca (0-240 concentrations. initial followed pseudo-second-order...
We studied the co-occurrence of microplastics (MPs) and metals in field sites further investigated their interfacial interaction controlled laboratory conditions. First, we detected MPs freshwater co-occurring with rural urban areas New Mexico. Automated particle counting fluorescence microscopy indicated that particles samples ranged from 7 to 149 particles/L. The location contained highest count confirmed MPs, including polyester, cellophane, rayon, as by Attenuated Total...
<title>Abstract</title> Recent analytical advancements have uncovered increasing micro- and nanoplastics (MNPs) in environmental, dietary, biological domains, raising concerns about their health impacts. Preterm birth (PTB), a leading cause of maternal neonatal morbidity mortality, may be influenced by MNP exposure, yet this relationship remains unexplored. This study quantified 12 polymers placentae from term (n=87) preterm (n=71) deliveries using pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass...
Micro- (≤ 5 mm) and nano- 1 µm) plastics have become ubiquitous resulting in inevitable human exposure. Evidence exists of mass-based accumulation plastic tissues with visualization micron-sized particles (> µm). To date, there is little evidence to address accumulated nanoplastics. Understanding internalized particle morphological chemical characteristics essential facilitate proper design future mechanistic controlled exposure health effects studies determine whether any health-related...
Global plastic use has consistently increased over the past century with several different types of plastics now being produced. Much these end up in oceans or landfills leading to a substantial accumulation environment. Plastic debris slowly degrades into microplastics (MPs) that can ultimately be inhaled ingested by both animals and humans. A growing body evidence indicates MPs cross gut barrier enter lymphatic systemic circulation tissues such as lungs, liver, kidney, brain. The impacts...
Characterizing the diverse, root-associated fungi in mine wastes can accelerate development of bioremediation strategies to stabilize heavy metals. Ascomycota are well known for their mutualistic associations with plant roots and, separately, roles accumulation toxic compounds from environment, such as We sampled soils and cultured blue grama grass (Bouteloua gracilis) collected lands a history uranium (U) mining contrasted against communities nearby, off-mine sites. Plant fungal sites were...
Particulate matter (PM) presents an environmental health risk for communities residing close to uranium (U) mine sites. However, the role of particulate form U on its cellular toxicity is still poorly understood. Here, we investigated uptake and C-rich U-bearing particles as a model organic containing uranyl citrate over range environmentally relevant concentrations (0–445 μM). The cytotoxicity in human epithelial cells (A549) was U-dose-dependent. No cytotoxic effects were detected with...
Open dumping and burning of solid waste are widely practiced in underserved communities lacking access to management facilities; however, the generation microplastics from these sites has been overlooked. We report elevated concentrations (MPs) soil three open dump burn sites: a single-family site Tuttle, Oklahoma, USA, two community-wide Crow Agency Lodge Grass, Montana, USA. extracted, quantified, characterized MPs depths (0-9 cm 9-18 cm). The abundance particles found at (35,000 69,200...
Open dumping and burning of solid waste are widely practiced in underserved communities lacking access to management facilities. The generation microplastics from these sites has been overlooked.
We investigated interfacial processes affecting metal mobility by wood ash under laboratory-controlled conditions using aqueous chemistry, microscopy, and spectroscopy. The Valles Caldera National Preserve in New Mexico experiences catastrophic wildfires of devastating effects. Wood samples Ponderosa Pine, Colorado Blue Spruce, Quaking Aspen collected from this site were exposed to temperatures 60, 350, 550 °C. 350 °C Pine had the highest content Cu (4997 ± 262 mg kg–1), Cr (543 124 labile...
The role of calcium (Ca) on the cellular distribution U(VI) in
We integrated microscopy, spectroscopy, culturing and molecular biology, aqueous chemistry techniques to evaluate arsenic (As) accumulation in hydroponically grown Schizachyrium scoparium inoculated with endophytic fungi. grows historically contaminated sediment the Cheyenne River Watershed was used for laboratory experiments As(V) ranging from 0 2.5 mg L–1 at circumneutral pH. Arsenic regional plants has been a community concern several decades, yet mechanisms affecting As associated fungi...
Environmental context The molecular organisation of humic substances is key to understanding various natural and engineered processes, such as metal speciation bioavailability. Two main models have been proposed: polymeric supramolecular organisation. A physicochemical approach, based on the interaction acid with increasing amounts cationic surfactants, leads a sequence structures that provides support view Abstract structural extracted matter, or supramolecular, has long-standing...