Superfund Research Program

Research Support Core: Synthesis Core

Project Leader: Hans-Joachim Lehmler
Co-Investigator: Xueshu Li
Grant Number: P42ES013661
Funding Period: 2006-2025

Project-Specific Links

Final Progress Reports

Year:   2019  2014  2009 

The Synthesis Core is responsible for providing the Research Projects and the other two Research Support Cores with test compounds and analytical standards. The Specific Aims of this Research Support Core are to maintain PCB mixture and analytical standards (Aim 1); synthesize pure PCB congeners (Aim 2); synthesize methoxylated and hydroxylated PCB metabolites (Aim 3); and prepare miscellaneous compounds, including PCB quinones, PCB glutathione/N-acetyl cysteine conjugates, PCB immunogens, PCB sulfates and diazomethane (Aim 4). Since funding began in 2006, the Synthesis Core has synthesized, purified and characterized numerous PCB congeners and metabolites and published several manuscripts describing improved approaches to highly pure PCB derivatives and their intermediates. These compounds–some in large quantities–were made available to five of the six Research Projects of the University of Iowa Superfund Research Program for in vitro and in vivo studies and to researchers at other institutions, including several NIEHS-funded Centers. Ongoing synthetic efforts by the Synthesis Core include the synthesis of PCBs, hydroxylated PCBs and PCB sulfates for in vitro and in vivo studies (for PCBs: Metabolism, Genotoxicity, and Gene Expression in vivo; PCBs and Hydroxysteroid (Alcohol) Sulfotransferases; and Phytoremediation to Degrade Airborne PCB Congeners from Soil and Groundwater Sources), the preparation of diazomethane as a derivatization agent (Analytical Core in support of Atmospheric Sources of PCB Congeners and Characterization of Exposures of Urban and Rural Cohorts to Airborne PCBs), and the maintenance of PCB mixtures for inhalation toxicology studies (Inhalation Toxicology Core).