Center for Leadership in Environmental Awareness and Research

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Abstract: Evidence suggests that exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs), such as benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX), trichloroethylene (TCE), and tetrachloroethylene (PCE), is an important determinant of maternal-offspring health, with implications for preterm birth (PTB) and associated adverse health outcomes. VOCs emanate from landfills, brownfields, and Superfund sites, contaminating shallow soils and groundwater below residential, commercial, and industrial properties, leading to exposures via vapor intrusion. The Center for Leadership in Environmental Awareness and Research (CLEAR) is dedicated to understanding and mitigating this serious environmental health problem with a focus on post-industrial urban centers. Headquartered in Detroit, Michigan, CLEAR will use Detroit as a study site, which has the highest PTB rate in the country (15.2%) and is located in a state where 37 of the 67 Superfund sites must manage VOC contamination. CLEAR hypothesizes that VOC exposure through vapor intrusion during early life incites inflammatory responses in maternal tissues and/or the developing offspring that re-program the developing immune and other critical systems, setting the stage for PTB and/or associated adverse health outcomes. Five integrative environmental science and engineering and biomedical research projects (E1, E2, B1, B2, B3), supported by five cores, will investigate toxic mechanisms, exposure pathways, biomarkers, and strategies to prevent exposures and improve public health outcomes by: (1) developing and testing new detection methodologies, including phytoscreening (E1); sensor technology that integrates Internet of Things and edge computing for real-time contaminant detection and rapid-response, mitigation, and remediation (E2); and a controlled toxicity bioassay using WSU-designed sealed chambers for evaluating reproductive, neurological, behavioral, immunological and multigenerational responses in zebrafish (B1); (2) studying mechanistic effects of VOC exposure in a pregnant mouse model (B2); (3) applying epidemiologic methods for estimating exposure effects via human biological specimen analysis (B3); applying advanced chemical analysis, statistical approaches and visualization tools to obtain and integrate project data (Chemical Analysis, and Data Management and Analysis Cores), thereby establishing the impact of VOC exposures on PTB and associated adverse health outcomes; (4) creating an innovative model for transdisciplinary education and workforce diversity by engaging new trainees to solve complex environmental health problems (Research Experience and Training Coordination Core); (5) engaging stakeholders and the community to inform our inquiry/analysis, participate in sampling, and employ health interventions (Community Engagement Core); and (6) uniting around an Administrative Core that conducts targeted research translation to ensure a legacy of scientific awareness and supports the Superfund Research Program to improve public health in urban centers impacted by environmental contamination to protect affected communities.