One goal of the SRP is to integrate both biomedical and non-biomedical research components to address the complex nature of hazardous waste management and remediation. The stories below are examples of biomedical research conducted by SRP researchers.

  • From Water Treatment Research to Edible Clays that Reduce Harmful Exposures in People and Animals: Researchers at the Texas A&M University (TAMU) Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center developed a therapeutic sorbent technology that can bind to hazardous chemicals in the body after exposure, reducing their uptake and bioavailability. Built on decades of research, these broad-acting enterosorbent materials can be added to food or water and ingested by humans and animals to reduce harmful contaminant exposures following natural disasters, chemical spills, and other emergencies.

  • Prenatal Exposure to Perchloroethylene (PCE) and the Incidence of Birth Defects: Prenatal exposure to a chemical solvent can put babies at an increased risk for birth defects, according to a study published in the September 2009 issue of Environmental Health.

  • Residential Exposure to PCBs and Pesticides May Increase the Risk of Leukemia: The incidence of childhood leukemia in industrialized countries rose significantly from 1975 through 2004, and the reasons for the increase are not understood. Drs. Patricia Buffler and Catherine Metayer from the University of California at Berkeley are investigating how exposure to Superfund chemicals may affect a child's risk of contracting leukemia.

  • SRP Researchers Tackle Arsenic from Many Angles: The Health Effects of Arsenic Longitudinal Study (HEALS) is a large, prospective cohort study in Bangladesh that has become a landmark research resource to understand the health effects resulting from arsenic exposure and the underlying biological mechanisms involved. With funding from the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP), the cohort was first established in 2000 with 12,000 participants. Since then, it has expanded to include over 35,000 people.
  • Using Nutrition to Reduce Harmful Effects of Pollutants: With funding from the NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP), researchers at the University of Kentucky (UK) SRP Center follow a multidisciplinary scientific approach to understand how environmental contaminants harm the body and explore effective interventions to protect the health of communities.