In the environment, it is the unbound fraction of chemical (Cfree) which is able to diffuse across environmental interfaces and biological membranes. It is therefore Cfree which drives many important biological-environmental processes including contaminant transport, bioaccumulation and toxicity. Passive sampling devices (PSDs) offer a simplified and more accurate approach for...
There are many links between exposure to environmental pollution and risks to human health. While advances in the fields of toxicology, exposure science, and environmental chemistry have shown light on many of these links, many more research challenges remain. One major challenge is how to accurately characterize the toxicity of...
The seasonal distribution of bioavailable organochiorine contaminants in surface
water and the potential environmental factors influencing their bioavailability were
evaluated. The study was carried at the lower Willamette River at Portland Harbor, Oregon
where surface water runoff varied according to season. Bioavailable water concentrations of
DDTs and PCBs were determined...
Silicone wristbands are passive sampling devices (PSD) that sequester bioavailable organic chemicals in the environment. In environmental health studies, silicone wristbands are easy to wear and can provide personal exposure data about complex chemical mixtures. This dissertation includes an overview of PSD technology, a literature review of current wristband research...
Chemicals must be bioavailable for there to be a potential for exposure and consequent risk to human or environmental health. Passive sampling devices (PSDs) are used to quantify the time-integrated concentration of bioavailable contaminants. We demonstrate that PSDs can be paired with the zebrafish developmental toxicity bioassay to produce site-specific,...
Environmental toxicologists and public health officials are responsible for assisting in the identification, management, and mitigation of public health hazards. As a result, there is a continued need for robust analytical tools that can aid in the rapid quantification and characterization of chemical exposure. In the first research phase, we...
Contaminants can exist in a wide range of states in aqueous environments, especially in surface waters. They can be freely dissolved or associated with dissolved or particulate organic matter depending on their chemical and physical characteristics. The freely dissolved fraction represents the most bioavailable fraction to an organism. These freely...
(Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) PAHs are widespread in the environment, and are derived from both natural and anthropogenic sources. The physicochemical properties of PAHs along with the wide range of PAH sources leads to their persistence in the environment. Since PAHs are ubiquitous, and have the potential to illicit adverse effects,...