The NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) Progress in Research webinar series highlights promising research from SRP Centers awarded grants in 2020. In this session, being held November 9, 2020, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., awardees from Northeastern University and University of Alabama at Birmingham will describe their research projects, accomplishments, and next steps.
Register here.
The Northeastern University SRP Center, "Puerto Rico Testsite for Exploring Contamination Threats (PROTECT)," conducts research on pregnant mothers in Puerto Rico and the relationship between contaminant exposures in drinking water, socioeconomic factors, and adverse pregnancy outcomes. They study a variety of toxicants such as chlorinated volatile organic compounds, phthalates, metals, pesticides, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and the mechanisms by which these chemicals can contribute to adverse pregnancy outcomes. Center scientists also investigate how extreme weather events can exacerbate exposures and work to develop methods to reduce exposure risk.
The University of Alabama-Birmingham SRP Center, "Impact of Airborne Heavy Metals on Lung Disease and the Environment," studies airborne heavy metal pollution and its impact on respiratory health in the area surrounding the 35th Avenue Superfund site in downtown Birmingham. This community is predominantly African American and has higher levels of chronic lung diseases compared to neighboring control areas irrespective of smoking, socioeconomic status, or demographics. Center scientists are developing tools to measure toxicants in the field, studying the efficacy of materials for contaminant removal, and working to understand the connections between environmental degradation and lung health.