Environmental Chemistry and Health

source: www.co.somerset.nj.us

Human activities are a key source of pollutants to freshwater systems and the coastal environment, as well as, some chemicals have deleterious effects on human health. Throughout collaborative work with excellent colleagues, we work on multiple projects spanning from tracing urban-industrial effluents in rivers to pharmaceuticals in hospitals. Although it is not the primary research focus in the B.A.B. Lab, we aim to develop it further in the coming years!

Some of the project we work on include:

  • We study the molecular composition and alteration of sterols and fatty acids from various environmental matrices (suspended particles, sediments, fishes, etc.) to trace anthropogenic contamination from urban-industrial effluents in the Rio de La Plata, Argentina, contrasting highly impacted areas vs. non polluted tributaries. We also employ these biomarkers to obtain information about the diagenetic alteration of organic matter at the sediment water interface.
In this Principal Component Analysis of Prochilodus lineatus muscle sterol composition, the population of detritivorous fishes feeding predominantly in the proximities of the polluted Buenos Aires city (red) are clearly differentiated from those fishes feeding in the northern tributary rivers (green; less polluted). Buenos Aires fishes have higher concentrations of fecal sterols (e.g., coprostanol, epicoprostanol) compared to those sampled in the tributary rivers, which have a dominance of plant sterols (e.g., sitosterol, campesterol), and thus, reflect a more “natural” diet.
In this Principal Component Analysis of Prochilodus lineatus muscle sterol composition, the population of detritivorous fishes feeding predominantly in the proximities of the polluted Buenos Aires city (red) are clearly differentiated from those fishes feeding in the northern tributary rivers (green; less polluted). Buenos Aires fishes have higher concentrations of fecal sterols (e.g., coprostanol, epicoprostanol) compared to those sampled in the tributary rivers, which have a dominance of plant sterols (e.g., sitosterol, campesterol), and thus, reflect a more “natural” diet.

  • We developed and optimized a method for analyzing pharmaceuticals by HPLC MS/MS from surface samples, which was then applied in multiple studies to trace antineoplastic contamination in health care centers across Canada. This method was recently employed in Argentinean health care centers, being the first study dealing with this increasingly problematic issue in South American countries.
Concentrations of cytotoxic drugs detected on different surfaces at three different Argentinean Hospitals (top to bottom panels; note logarithmic scale of y axis). While there is a high concentration of these hazardous drugs in the clean lab area, where only trained personnel is allowed, the notably high values measured in the patient area (e.g., 5-fluorouracil, cyclophosphamide) are of grater concern to public health given the lack of personal protective equipment and unrestricted nature of this area.
Concentrations of cytotoxic drugs detected on different surfaces at three different Argentinean Hospitals (top to bottom panels; note logarithmic scale of y axis). While there is a high concentration of these hazardous drugs in the clean lab area, where only trained personnel is allowed, the notably high values measured in the patient area (e.g., 5-fluorouracil, cyclophosphamide) are of grater concern to public health given the lack of personal protective equipment and unrestricted nature of this area.

For more details about “Environmental Chemistry and Health” related studies, please see the “Publications section” (filter tag: Envir. Chem. & Envir. Health)

Manuel Colombo
Manuel Colombo
Assistant Professor of Marine Science

Biogeochemistry Across Boundaries // VIMS and W&M