Exposure Assessment Facility Core

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Project Summary of the Exposure Assessment Facility Core (Exposure FC) The Exposure Assessment Facility Core (Exposure FC) enhances the research capabilities of investigators of the Center for Environmental Health in Northern Manhattan (CEHNM) by providing expertise in a number of inter-related exposure assessment services that are not available elsewhere in the University. The Core fosters new interdisciplinary projects and supports existing research projects that address important environmental health challenges. The Exposure FC works closely with the Integrated Health Sciences Facility Core (IHSFC), which is the port of entry and coordination for investigators seeking services. It also works with the Community Engagement Core (CEC), responding to their needs for better exposure assessment to address environmental health concerns of their community partners, as well as to support their outreach and educational activities. Finally, the Exposure FC works with the Study Design and Data Analytics FC to support CEHNM members’ investigations at multiple stages, starting from the initial planning of different field strategies at study start-up and ending with the final analysis, interpretation, and dissemination of results at study completion. The Exposure FC brings together the expertise and facilities necessary for collecting and analyzing a wide array of analytes required for exposure assessment by CEHNM investigators. The Exposure FC has three labs: 1) Environmental Geochemistry, 2) Allergen and Bioaerosols and 3) Trace Organics. The primary mission of the Exposure FC is to provide high-quality support for collection and analysis of environmental samples (air, dusts, water, soil, and other matrices). The Exposure FC also extends the wide array of bio- analyses offered by the IHSFC by providing expertise and capacity for analyzing trace organics in biological samples (in addition to environmental samples), and for bioaerosol analyses. The Exposure FC, building upon its long record of success, will provide new and continuing services to CEHNM members, CEHNM-supported young investigators and pilot awardees, trainees, and inter-center partners. An example of new services is our work developing and validating enhanced exposure assessment field methods. These include validating potential inhaled dose as a new exposure metric, as well as work on a modular array of air monitors for personal and residential sampling for both real-time data and integrative archives of particulate matter, bioaerosols and volatile organic compounds. Continuing services include: 1) consultation on exposure assessment field sampling strategies; 2) development and validation of new sampling equipment; 3) maintenance and loaning of equipment for collection of air, dust, water and soil samples; 4) laboratory analysis of environmental samples including methods development for airborne particulate mass, black carbon, elemental composition, isotope ratios, allergens, fungi, gas concentrations, trace organics; and analytes in biological samples not provided by the IHSFC; 5) training and mentoring of staff, trainees, and researchers; and 6) responding to exposure emergencies and the needs of the CEC.