Introduction to the Brown University

Superfund Research Program

Northeast Regional Meeting of SRP CentersApril 4th, 2017

Brown University

Superfund Research Program

Our Mission: The Brown SRP —Toxicant Exposures in Rhode Island: Past, Present, and Future—uses a highly successful paradigm of academic-government-community partnerships to tackle environmental health and remediation concerns in Rhode Island.

The Superfund Research Program at Brown University

http://brown.edu/Research/SRP

Indoor Air Concentration Dynamics and Vapor Intrusion

Vapor intrusion involves the migration of

chemical vapors in the soil and groundwater

to enter buildings through foundation cracks

and joints. Sometimes vapor intrusion can

result in long-term exposure of

contaminants at harmful levels.

Eric SuubergProject leader

Vapor intrusion may effect 1/4 of the estimated inventory of 500,000 US brownfields sites.

Goal: Improved characterization and management of VI sites and exposures through:

- development of 3D dynamic computational tools

- field sampling at RI sites and model validation

- dynamic adsorption studies on indoor sources / sinksSchumacher et al., AEHS West Coast Conf. 2013

Example oftemporal

variability:

Molecular Biomarkers for Assessing Testicular Toxicity

Working Hypothesis

Sperm mRNA transcripts and DNA methylation marks are

integrated molecular biomarkers of testicular injury that can

be used to monitor low-level mixed environmental exposures.

Kim BoekelheideProject leader

Nanomaterial Design for Environmental Health and Safety

Current focus: 2D materials

Engineered Toxicant Barriers

Bio-Environmental Behaviors and Safe Design

Recent collaborative publications:Wang, Zhu, Kane, Hurt, “Biological and environmentalinteractions of emerging two-dimensional nanomaterials”,

Chem.Soc.Rev. (2016).

Wang, Kane, Hurt, “Chemical dissolution pathways of MoS2 nanosheets in biological and environmental media”, Envir. Sci. & Tech. (2016).

absolute barriers for containment

breathable barriers for PPE

Transformation, ion releaseand biodegradation of

new nanosheet materials

applications implications

TCE

H2O

Robert HurtProject leader

Adverse Human Health Impacts of Nanomaterials

Current focus: Development of 3D microtissues as in vitro platforms;application to provide mechanistic insights and screening ofhigh-aspect ratio (1D, 2D) engineered nanomaterials

Recent collaborative publications

Confocal high content imaging integrates morphological features with molecular endpoints predictive of fibrosis

3D Microtissue 7 Days

Post-Exposure to

Carbon Nanotubes

Section from Mouse

Lung 7 Days

Following Exposure

to Carbon Nanotubes

Agnes KaneProject leader

with Hurt lab: Zhu et al. “Nanomechanical mechanism for lipid bilayer damage induced by carbon nanotubes confined in intracellular vesicles” Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci., (2016).

with Boekelheide lab: Kabadi, et al. “Into the depths: Techniques for in vitro three-dimensional microtissueVisualization”. Biotechniques (2015).

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PFAS in Rhode Island drinking water: geospatial risk

evaluation

Series of PFAS New Englandstakeholder workshops

ResearchTranslation

Vapor intrusionfield work

Interactions withagencies and

environmental professionals

Brown CEC Research: Connecting Water, Legacy Hazards, and Environmental Justice

The Namaus (All Things Fish) Project

Mashapaug Pond Watershed Project

Ecological City Project

Scott FrickelCore Leader

Some interactions across the Northeast

KC Donnelly Externship ProgramBrown visit by UPenn trainee Ralph Pietrofesa

Project: Flaxseed lignan (SDG) prevention of nanoparticle-induced toxicity (Advisors: Agnes Kane, Brown; Melpo Christofidou-Solomidou, Penn)

EPR results from Brown

Other joint training opportunitiesExample: Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Standard (HAZWOPER) training at the New England Consortium at UMASS Lowell.

Shared rivers and watershedsExample: the Blackstone River, which originates in Massachusetts and flows into Rhode Island. Our RI-focused Brown SRP has worked on Fisherville Mill site (in Mass).

Regional environmental issuesExample: PFAS contamination of drinking water in Northeast communities. Responsive interactions / workshops with regulators, environmentalprofessionals, public

Partnership opportunitiesExamples: EPA Atlantic Ecology Division Laboratories, Narragansett, Rhode Island. EPA Region 1 (covers 4 SRPs)

Website updates…......

Superfund Collaboratory– a 3-Investigator Shared Lab Cluster

Artist’s rendering of new engineering building on the Brown Univ. campus

Thank you!