It All Starts with Science

Dec 23, 2016

This Week in EPA Science

By Kacey Fitzpatrick

Kick off your holiday weekend with some science! Here’s the latest in EPA research.

New CompTox Approach Targets Thyroid
We are exposed to chemicals everyday— either through chemicals in the environment, in our food or water, or by using consumer products. EPA evaluates these chemicals to help protect our health. Recent EPA research in this area is focused on evaluating chemicals for thyroid disruption. Learn more about this research in the blog New CompTox Approach Targets Thyroid.

Taking Air Sensors to Communities
EPA has a team of people working to make low-cost air monitoring tools more accessible for people and their communities. EPA provides resources to help people find the right tool to use and to make sure they’re using it correctly. Learn more about these resources in the blog Taking Air Sensors to Communities.

A Vision for Citizen Science at EPA
Citizen science broadens environmental protection by enabling people to work together with government and other institutions toward shared goals. EPA’s Acting Deputy Administrator Stan Meiburg recently discussed a report outlining the transformational potential of citizen science in the blog Environmental Protection Belongs to the Public: A Vision for Citizen Science at EPA.

About the Author: Kacey Fitzpatrick is a writer on the science communication team in EPA’s Office of Research and Development.

Editor's Note: The opinions expressed herein are those of the author alone. EPA does not verify the accuracy or science of the contents of the blog, nor does EPA endorse the opinions or positions expressed. You may share this post. However, please do not change the title or the content. If you do make changes, please do not attribute the edited title or content to EPA or the author.

EPA's official web site is www.epa.gov. Some links on this page may redirect users from the EPA website to a non-EPA, third-party site. In doing so, EPA is directing you only to the specific content referenced at the time of publication, not to any other content that may appear on the same webpage or elsewhere on the third-party site, or be added at a later date.

EPA is providing this link for informational purposes only. EPA cannot attest to the accuracy of non-EPA information provided by any third-party sites or any other linked site. EPA does not endorse any non-government websites, companies, internet applications or any policies or information expressed therein.

Dec 22, 2016

New CompTox Approach Targets Thyroid

chemical research, computational toxicology, Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program 0 Comments

By Michaela Burns

We are exposed to chemicals everyday— either through chemicals in the environment, in our food or water, or by using consumer products such as shampoos, colognes, and perfumes. Chemicals help these products to do their jobs—whether cleaning your body or making you smell good. Working with industry and other interest groups, EPA evaluates these chemicals and, if necessary, regulates their presence in the environment to help protect our health. Because traditional testing approaches are time-intensive, only a small fraction of chemicals have been evaluated fully for potential human health effects. New methods are needed to rapidly address chemical safety.

To help address this problem, EPA has been developing new computational toxicology methods to prioritize chemicals for testing. One example of this effort is the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program in the 21st century (EDSP21) which uses the latest computational toxicology methods to evaluate chemicals for potential endocrine disruption. Recent EPA research in this area is focused on evaluating chemicals for thyroid disruption.

Why is EPA interested in the thyroid? Well, the thyroid, an organ that is located at the front of your neck, is responsible for producing thyroid hormone, a process called thyroid synthesis. Exposure to certain chemicals can interfere with thyroid hormone synthesis, resulting in less thyroid hormone in blood and tissues. In adults, thyroid hormone helps regulate key functions, including metabolism rate and the amount of blood pumped into our heart per minute. When thyroid synthesis is disturbed in the adult body, it can cause reversible symptoms such as depression, fatigue, weight gain, and constipation. Thyroid hormones also help regulate brain development in utero, which means that pregnant mothers and children are populations of concern for thyroid hormone changes. A decrease in thyroid hormone availability during development of a fetus can result in irreversible changes to intelligence, cognitive ability, and motor skills. These potential health effects make it critical that we identify chemicals that may alter thyroid hormone levels.

One of the ways that thyroid hormone synthesis can be decreased is by inhibition of an enzyme called thyroperoxidase. EPA researchers have developed and are using a high-throughput screening assay to detect inhibitors of thyroperoxidase. This high-throughput screening assay can be used to screen thousands of chemicals at a fraction of the time and cost of traditional in vitro and/or whole animal studies.

In 2016 researchers published a scientific paper, Tiered High-Throughput Screening Approach to Identify Thyroperoxidase Inhibitors Within the ToxCast Phase I and II Chemical Libraries (Paul Friedman et al.). This paper describes the results and analysis from screening 1074 chemical samples for potential thyroperoxidase inhibition.

This the largest screening effort to date to identify chemicals that inhibit thyroperoxidase, and it’s only the beginning! This work is part of a larger EPA effort to develop a set of new high-throughput screening assays and other faster computational toxicology approaches to evaluate how chemicals might change thyroid hormone homeostasis. The ultimate goal is to screen chemicals as efficiently as possible in order to make a prediction about whether a chemical may affect thyroid hormones.

And all of EPA’s computational toxicology data, including the data from this paper on screening for thyroperoxidase inhibition, are publicly accessible. You can find and interact with the data through the EPA ToxCast Dashboard and all of the data can be downloaded from the ToxCast data download website.

About the Author: Michaela Burns is an Oak Ridge Associated Universities contractor and writer for the science communication team in EPA’s Office of Research and Development.

Dec 19, 2016

Taking Air Sensors to Communities

air monitoring research, air quality, air research, air sensors, Citizen science 0 Comments

By Joel Creswell

When I read about air quality in the news, it’s often described as a large scale problem where entire cities or states are being affected. While it’s important to think about these problems on a larger scale, I often wonder more about what’s happening in my neighborhood. Does the air I breathe while walking my dog down a busy street affect my health? What about if there is construction on my block or an industrial facility down the road? After all, what I really want to know about is what I’m being exposed to–something that information about regional air quality doesn’t fully capture.

EPA has a team of people working to make low-cost tools for community and personal air pollution monitoring more accessible. They have produced a multitude of resources to help people find the right tool to use and to make sure they’re using it correctly. These include the Air Sensor Toolbox for Citizen Scientists, air sensor performance evaluations, and a set of curriculum materials for teachers on air quality and climate change. EPA also recently awarded six community air monitoring grants to organizations around the country addressing the challenges of using low-cost tools to monitor local air quality.

Demonstrating air sensors at the 2016 Summit to Revitalize Vulnerable Communities.

Aside from grant funding, one of the best ways we can help individuals understand their exposure to air pollution is to meet with community leaders and help them address their air quality monitoring needs. I had just such an opportunity recently, when I attended the 2016 Summit to Revitalize Vulnerable Communities. My colleague Dan Bator, an Environmental Health Fellow for the Association of Schools and Programs of Public Health, and I demonstrated two low-cost monitoring technologies for airborne fine particulate matter. One was an air sensor for educational purposes only (pictured) that you can build yourself using these simple instructions and parts you can buy online. The other was the AirBeam, an off-the-shelf device developed by the non-profit group HabitatMap. Over the course of an evening, Dan and I spoke to numerous community leaders about how low-cost air sensors work and how they can measure air quality in communities and provide data to address environmental justice issues.

The problems described by community leaders varied. One was worried about the volume of traffic from a nearby port while children are going to and from school. One was concerned about industrial facilities. Another was interested in the impacts of a highway in her community. All were excited to learn that there were tools they could use to conduct their own air quality monitoring. These low-cost air quality monitors are not as accurate as the high-precision instruments used for regional and national monitoring, but the ability to monitor air quality at the local level empowers communities to address their concerns with real data.

Measuring my own air quality is important to me too. I built a particulate matter sensor using the instructions above. I’ve used it to measure the air inside my house and on my block. This gives me an idea of when pollution around me is high and when I should think about reducing my exposure, such as avoiding strenuous exercise outdoors. To help me understand my sensor readings and what actions to take, EPA has launched a pilot project to develop a scale for air sensors that provide data in short time increments. I also check the regional air quality forecast on AirNow.gov. Both can help me protect my health.

About the author: Joel Creswell is an environmental chemist and a AAAS Fellow on the EPA Office of Research and Development’s Innovation Team. Prior to coming to EPA, he worked on developing environmental trace metals analyzers for a scientific instrument company.

Dec 16, 2016

This Week in EPA Science

0 Comments

By Kacey Fitzpatrick

Want to impress your relatives at the next holiday get-together? Wow them with some of these EPA science stories! Here’s the latest.

Final Report of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources
This week, EPA took an important step forward in our mission to protect clean drinking water. With the release of our final assessment of the impacts of hydraulic fracturing on drinking water resources, EPA is providing a strong scientific foundation for states and local decision makers to better protect drinking water resources in areas where hydraulic fracturing occurs or is being considered. Read more about the report in the blog EPA Releases Final Report of the Potential Impacts of Hydraulic Fracturing on Drinking Water Resources.

EPA Research Highlighted in New York Times
EPA biologist Dianne Nacci’s recent studies showing killifish adaptations to polluted water was featured in the New York Times article Rapid Evolution Saved This Fish from Pollution. Dr. Nacci co-authored of a study which found that over just a few decades, distinct populations of killifish independently developed similar genetic adaptations that make life possible in the most unlikely environments. Check out the study published last week in Science.

Compete to Improve Arsenic Sensing in Water
The Arsenic Sensor Prize Competition seeking innovative ways to improve arsenic sensing in water is now open! Led by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, EPA experts helped in the prize competition’s design and development. Read more about the Competition in the blog We’re Sensing a Change in Water Monitoring: Introducing the Arsenic Sensor Prize Competition and then sign up to become a solver here.

EPA Researchers at Work
Do you ever wonder who’s behind all the amazing science at EPA? Meet some of our researchers! Check out who we are highlighting this week.

Worth Calfee, Ph.D. is a microbiologist working in EPA’s National Homeland Security Research Center. His research focuses on improving decontamination methods for decontamination, sampling, and waste management after a bioterrorism incident. Meet EPA Microbiologist Worth Calfee!
Lukas Oudejans, Ph.D. is a physical scientist working in EPA’s National Homeland Security Research Center. His research focuses on preparing cleanup options for the agency following a disaster incident. Meet EPA Physical Scientist Lukas Oudejans!

The Critical Role of Local Environmental Health and the Power of Partnerships
The role of local environmental health has always been important, but it’s becoming more critical as the challenges we face become increasingly complex. Through a Memorandum of Understanding, EPA and the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) are working together to address these challenges. Check out this video of EPA Science Advisor Dr. Tom Burke and NEHA Executive Director David T. Dyjack discussing the new partnership at the signing last week.

About the Author: Kacey Fitzpatrick is a writer on the science communication team in EPA’s Office of Research and Development.

Dec 9, 2016

This Week in EPA Science

1 Comment

By Kacey Fitzpatrick

Need a break from holiday shopping? Check out some of this cool EPA science! Here’s the latest.

Partnering to Protect the Environment and Public Health
This week, EPA signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the National Environmental Health Association, an organization representing local environmental health practitioners. This partnership will strengthen ties between EPA and local environmental health practitioners. Read more about the new partnership in the blog Protecting the Environment and Public Health: The Critical Role of Local Environmental Health and the Power of Partnerships.

Planting the Seeds of Innovation
Through the Small Business Innovation Research Program, EPA awards contracts to help science and technology-based small businesses develop and commercialize environmental technologies. This year’s 13 recipients will develop solutions to a wide range of current environmental challenges, ranging from greener manufacturing of plastics to low-cost air sensors. Read more about the program in the blog Planting the Seeds of Innovation: EPA Awards Contracts to 13 Small Businesses to Support Environmental Research.

National Student Design Competition
As part of its People, Prosperity and the Planet (P3) Award Program, EPA is seeking applications proposing to research, develop, and design solutions to real world challenges involving sustainability. To learn more about this student design competition, check out this request for application.

Science to Achieve Results Funding Opportunity
Through its Science to Achieve Results program, EPA is seeking applications for research on how pollution affects human health in the context of the total environment – built, natural, and social environments interacting together with inherent characteristics and interactions. For more information, check out this request for application.

Making a Visible Difference in Proctor Creek Watershed Through Community Engagement
EPA is working to bring focused attention and coordinated action in more than 50 environmentally overburdened, underserved, and economically distressed communities. This involves listening to community leaders and residents to understand their needs and then working with local, state, and other federal partners to leverage our collective resources in support of local goals. In this video, watch how we are working with Proctor Creek Watershed community by providing information and data.

Need more science? Check out some of these upcoming events at EPA.

About the Author: Kacey Fitzpatrick is a writer on the science communication team in EPA’s Office of Research and Development.

Dec 8, 2016

Upcoming Events at EPA

0 Comments

By Michaela Burns

Our holiday gift to you—the last EPA events of the year.

Black Carbon’s Role in Global to Local Scale Climate and Air Quality
Friday, December 9^th at 12:00 p.m. ET

Black carbon—the sooty material emitted from combustion processes—can affect human health and the climate. In 2010, EPA awarded ten grants through the Science to Achieve Results program to universities and organizations to address Black Carbon’s role in global to local scale climate and air quality. Grantees focused on various black carbon research issues, such as better accounting for emissions and uncertainty, tracking how black carbon “ages” or reacts in the atmosphere, and better representing its ability to impact cloud droplet formation. Highlights from the research findings will be summarized in this four-part webinar series. Register for the latest webinar here.

Using Systems Dynamics and Systems Modeling to Create Sustainable Solutions
Monday, December 12^th at 4:00 p.m. ET

EPA is providing training on the theory, methods, and tools of systems thinking and system dynamics. These approaches are useful for modeling and analyzing socio-economic and environmental issues. This webinar will provide a basic understanding of systems dynamics, systems modeling, and the use of Causal Loop Diagrams to analyze real-world complex systems. The trainer, Andrea Bassi, is an internationally known thought leader on systems dynamics. Register for the webinar.

Small Drinking Water Systems
Tuesday, December 13^th at 2:00 p.m. ET

As part of the Science to Achieve Results grant program, EPA has funded two National Research Centers for Small Drinking Water Systems: The Design of Risk Reducing, Innovative Implementable Small System Knowledge Center at the University of Colorado Boulder and the Water Innovation Network for Sustainable Small Systems Center at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. These centers will develop and demonstrate innovative technologies to better reduce, control, and eliminate groups of chemical or microbial contaminants in small water systems. This month’s small drinking water systems webinar will present some of the centers’ drinking water treatment technology research efforts. Register now to learn more.

The Toxic Substances Control Act Stakeholder Meeting – New Chemicals Review Program
Wednesday, December 14^th at 9:00 am

EPA is holding a meeting to obtain input into the Agency’s implementation of new requirements for the New Chemicals Review Program under the Toxic Substances Control Act as amended by the Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21st Century Act. EPA will describe its review process for new chemicals under the amended statute, as well as discuss issues, challenges, and opportunities that the Agency has identified in the first few months of implementation. Register to attend by Tuesday, December 13^th.

Green Infrastructure Modeling Toolkit Webinar
Wednesday, December 14^th at 3:00 p.m. ET

This webinar will present a toolkit consisting of five EPA green infrastructure models and tools, along with communication material that can be used as a quick reference resource when making green infrastructure implementation decisions. Register now.

Systems View of Nutrient Management – Nutrient Recovery from Human Urine
Wednesday, December 14^th at 2:00 p.m. ET

Urine is the primary source of phosphorus and nitrogen in municipal wastewater. Accordingly, it is important to consider for nutrient management. This webinar will cover new science on recovering nutrients from human urine. This includes issues of source separation in buildings, use at a research farm in Vermont, review of health issues, and factors influencing the environmental sustainability of nutrient management strategies. This webinar is an update on preliminary scientific research and demonstrations from the EPA funded Centers for Water Research on National Priorities Related to a Systems View of Nutrient Management. Register now for this webinar.

For more events head on over to the EPA research event page.

Dec 7, 2016

Protecting the Environment and Public Health: The Critical Role of Local Environmental Health and the Power of Partnerships

memorandum of understanding, National Environmental Health Association 1 Comment

By Tom Burke, PhD, MPH

NEHA Executive Director David T. Dyjack and Tom Burke shake hands after signing the MOU.

As a former state environmental official and Deputy Health Commissioner, I know firsthand the important role that state and local government play in ensuring a clean environment and protecting public health. From safe water and air to cleaning up waste sites and beyond, environmental health practitioners at the local level are integral to keeping communities safe and healthy.

We as a nation have made tremendous progress in environmental protection over the past several decades. However, today’s environmental challenges – like climate change, air and water quality, and the built environment – are increasingly complex and can impact public health in numerous ways. To address them, we need to work together, and to do that, we need strong partnerships.

Today, I had the honor of signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA), a 5,000 member organization representing local environmental health practitioners and dedicated to advancing the environmental health and protection professional for the purpose of providing a healthful environment for all.

Through the MOU, NEHA and EPA’s Office of Research and Development will work together on issues that are important to us both – like making sure we have the science and tools needed to address today’s challenges. From partnering on webinars on topics like small drinking water systems to working together on educational materials and delivering critical science information and tools to those who need them, this partnership will strengthen ties between EPA and local environmental health practitioners. Importantly, this MOU will help connect us here at EPA with local environmental health professionals across the Nation who have boots-on-the-ground knowledge about the environmental health issues communities are facing.

The role of local environmental health has always been important, but it’s becoming more critical as the challenges we face become increasingly complex. This partnership will open the door for collaborations that will help us better understand and address these 21st century environmental challenges and strengthen public health protection now and into the future.

About the Author: Thomas Burke, Ph.D. is the Deputy Assistant Administrator of EPA’s Office of Research and Development as well as the Agency’s Science Advisor. He served as the Jacob I. and Irene B. Fabrikant Professor and Chair in Health, Risk and Society and the Associate Dean for Public Health Practice and Training at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health prior to coming to EPA. Before his time at Johns Hopkins, Dr. Burke was Deputy Commissioner of Health for the State of New Jersey and Director of the Office of Science and Research in the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection.

Dec 6, 2016

Planting the Seeds of Innovation: EPA Awards Contracts to 13 Small Businesses to Support Environmental Research

EPA Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR), Small Business Innovation Research 0 Comments

By Jim Johnson

We’ve all heard stories of how some of today’s biggest and most lucrative companies got their start in someone’s garage. With little more than the seeds of an idea and a passion to innovate, these small businesses grew to be classic examples of the American dream in action.

EPA is taking steps to help sow similar seeds in today’s fledgling startups, and advance environmental sustainability in ways that will boost prosperity nation-wide. EPA supports small businesses to develop innovative technologies through participation in the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program, awarding contracts to help science and technology-based firms develop and commercialize environmental technologies.

Now 13 companies have the opportunity to grow their own innovations with the help of contracts from EPA’s 2016 SBIR Phase I Solicitation. Each of these small businesses received funding of up to $100,000 to support six months of research for advancing a “proof of concept” for their proposed sustainable technology. This year’s recipients will develop solutions to a wide range of current environmental challenges, ranging from greener manufacturing of plastics to low-cost air sensors. The companies are eligible to apply for up to $300,000 of additional funding to further develop and commercialize their technologies through future SBIR Phase II Awards.

I am deeply excited by the potential exhibited by these small businesses, and I look forward to seeing the innovative environmental technologies that they are able to develop with their SBIR Phase I contracts. The seeds for the next revolutionary technologies are all around us – with a little help, they can grow into the environmental breakthrough of tomorrow.

About the Author: Dr. James H. Johnson Jr. is the Director of EPA’s National Center for Environmental Research.

Dec 2, 2016

This Week in EPA Science

0 Comments

By Kacey Fitzpatrick

Happy December! Here’s a quick recap of the latest in EPA science.

The Freshwater Cycle in the Marshall Islands
EPA research hydrologist Dr. Bill Shuster recently traveled to the Marshall Islands as an Embassy Science Fellow. He supported the US embassy there on science and technology matters and shared his scientific expertise to improve the island’s freshwater resource management. Learn more about his experience in the blog The Freshwater Cycle in the Marshall Islands.

Aquatic Robotics: Underwater Glider Helps Monitor Great Lakes Water Quality
EPA’s autonomous Slocum glider, the Nokomis, recently returned from a 40-day deployment in which it traveled over 1000 kilometers across Lake Superior collecting water quality data. The glider provides high resolution observations that complement our other Great Lakes science initiatives. Read more about the Nokomis in the blog Aquatic Robotics: Underwater Glider Helps Monitor Great Lakes Water Quality.

EPA Brings a Low-Cost Air Sensor Network to Memphis
As part of the CitySpace Air Sensor Network project, EPA researchers installed and field test a city-wide-network of low-cost sensors to measure air pollution across the greater Memphis, Tennessee area. The goal of the project is to examine the value of using a low-cost air sensor network to estimate the distribution of local air quality conditions. Read more about the project in the blog EPA Brings a Low-Cost Air Sensor Network to Memphis.

About the Author: Kacey Fitzpatrick is a writer on the science communication team in EPA’s Office of Research and Development.

Dec 1, 2016

The Freshwater Cycle in the Marshall Islands

2 Comments

By Christina Burchette

At just three to six feet above sea level and surrounded by the rising tides of the North Pacific, citizens of the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) are vulnerable to some of the most impending climate change impacts. They’re threatened by limited freshwater resources, persistent drought conditions, and the rising sea level. The need and desire to safeguard against these impacts is strong, but due to their very isolated location, there aren’t a lot of resources or expertise readily available to help the islanders adapt to their changing environment.

A team of people (an a dog!) pose for a photo

Dr. Bill Shuster (middle row, sitting) and the embassy staff. Photo credit: US Embassy – Majuro

Research hydrologist Dr. Bill Shuster went on detail as an Embassy Science Fellow to the US Embassy on Majuro, the most populous atoll in the Republic of the Marshall Islands, to support the embassy on science and technology matters and share his scientific expertise to improve the island’s freshwater resource management.

The people of Majuro rely on a limited number of freshwater sources: a reservoir fed by runoff from the airport runways, freshwater lenses (freshwater that floats on a saltwater table), tanks that collect runoff from roofs, imported water, and volume from reverse-osmosis units that convert seawater to potable water. Since the islands are low-lying, the reservoirs, lenses, and runoff tanks can become polluted or structurally damaged by over-wash of saltwater during storms. In addition, extreme drought conditions mean that managing and monitoring freshwater gains and losses are all critical to improving the island’s water security and drought resilience.

To help the island take steps toward security and resilience, Dr. Shuster worked through the Embassy with local government agencies, students, and residents to identify gaps in water resources data and barriers to filling these gaps. He also led a team of students and RMI Environmental Protection Authority staff to measure and understand the role that the soils play in the local freshwater cycle.

A sandy shore on the west side of the Majuro atoll.

What they found is that different areas of the island yielded different results about water quality. For instance, Dr. Shuster and colleagues showed how the freshwater lens located in the urban, east side of Majuro had little freshwater due to a lack of recharge, and any pumping would have drawn sea water in. On the other hand, the more productive freshwater lens on the rural, west side of the island, was situated under deep soils, allowing for freshwater recharge and making the lens a viable freshwater supply. Yet, the viability of this lens was threatened by over-pumping, saltwater intrusion, and pollution leaching in from agricultural development.

After gathering this sort of data, Dr. Shuster worked with staff at the Majuro and Sewer Company to identify gaps in an overall water balance model to plan for drought management and adaptation and develop strategies to manage and close data gaps.

While his trip to the islands was only seven weeks long, Dr. Shuster and his colleagues’ research efforts brought awareness to the island’s water resource issues and will help residents make data-based decisions that contribute to water security and a sustainable future on this remote atoll.

About the Author: Christina Burchette is an Oak Ridge Associated Universities contractor and writer for the science communication team in EPA’s Office of Research and Development.

1 2 3 4 5 >»