Core E: Research Support - Chemical Core

Baylor College Of Medicine, Houston TX

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Project Summary: Analytical and Environmental Chemistry Core (AECC) As part of this renewal application we are incorporating a new Research Support Core (RSC-II) which will serve as an Analytical and Environmental Chemistry Core (AECC). The AECC will directly support the BCM-Rice Superfund Research Program (SRP) and its four projects, ensuring integration with the other cores within the Center. The AECC will provide a wide range of accurate and precise measurements of select organic and heavy metal pollutants, providing reliable data for research and quality control purposes, and implementing robust analytical methods. The AECC will focus on the chemical analysis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in placenta tissue and soil/sediment. Specifically, the AECC will focus on the analysis of the 16 PAHs, designated as High Priority Pollutants by the U.S. EPA, working with Projects 2 & 3 to measure these levels in tissues. Additionally, the AECC will assess the presents of PAH metabolites and or degradation products in key samples from soil in collaboration with Projects 1 and 4. The AECC will also quantify the concentration of select organic pollutants (e.g., polychlorinated biphenyls; PCBs) and heavy metals (e.g., arsenic, lead, and cadmium). The AECC will support the study of the impact of PAHs as risk factors for preterm births in women living near Superfund sites, identifying and quantifying pollutants, and developing strategies for remediation and pollution prevention. The AECC will be housed at Baylor University (BU) under the leadership of co-Director Dr. Sascha Usenko, Full Professor at Baylor University, and co-Director Dr. George Cobb, Department Chair and Full Professor at Baylor University. The AECC leadership has decades of experience in high-throughput chemical and elemental analysis using various mass spectrometry techniques and instrumentation.