Superfund Research Program

Robert H. Hurt

Brown University
School of Engineering
Barus & Holley Building
182 Hope St., Box D
Providence, Rhode Island 02912
Phone: 401-863-2685
Email: robert_hurt@brown.edu

Projects

• Brown University: Administrative Core (2005-2021)
• Brown University: Mechanisms of Hg Adsorption and Metals Exposure from Mixed Pollutant Streams (2005-2009)
• Brown University: Nanomaterial Design for Environmental Health and Safety (2009-2021)

Research Briefs

• 323 - New Passive Sampling Device for PFAS
• 164 - New Nanomaterials to Capture Mercury Vapor Released from Compact Fluorescent Lamps
• 160 - High-Performance Carbon-Based Mercury Sorbents

Patents

• Graphene Nanosacks for Encapsulation of Cargo Materials for Delivery of Multifunctional Materials, Methods of Making and Using
• Lighting Apparatus for Capturing and Stabilizing Mercury
• Mercury Recovery
• Mosquito Bite Prevention through Graphene Barrier Layers
• Nanostructured Sorbent Materials for Capturing Environmental Mercury Vapor
• Nanostructured Sorbent Materials for Capturing Environmental Mercury Vapor
• Nanostructured Sorbent Materials for Capturing Environmental Mercury Vapor
• Nanostructured Sorbent Materials for Capturing Environmental Mercury Vapor
• Nanostructured Sorbent Materials for Capturing Environmental Mercury Vapor
• Nanostructured Sorbent Materials for Capturing Environmental Mercury Vapor
• Substrate with Graphene-based Layer
• Substrate with Graphene-based Layer

Hazardous Waste Sites

Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island

• Brown University: Nanomaterial Design for Environmental Health and Safety

Publications

2022

• Shukla V, Stone A, McGrath M, Kane AB, Hurt RH. 2022. Chemical degradation kinetics for two-dimensional materials in natural and biological environments - a data-driven review. Environ Sci Nano 23:doi:10.1039/d1en01171e

2021

• Becanova J, Saleeba Z, Stone A, Robuck AR, Hurt RH, Lohmann R. 2021. A graphene-based hydrogel monolith with tailored surface chemistry for PFAS passive sampling. Environ Sci Nano 14:doi:10.1039/D1EN00517K
• Browning CL, Green A, Gray EP, Hurt RH, Kane AB. 2021. Manganese dioxide nanosheets induce mitochondrial toxicity in fish gill epithelial cells. Nanotoxicology 15(3):400-417. doi:10.1080/17435390.2021.1874562 PMID:33502918 PMCID:PMC8026737
• Castilho CJ, Li D, Xie Y, Gao H, Hurt RH. 2021. Shear Failure in Supported Two-Dimensional Nanosheet Van der Waals Thin Films. Carbon N Y 173:410-418. doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2020.10.079 PMID:33223559 PMCID:PMC7678926
• Kwon Y, Castilho CJ, Liu M, Saleeba Z, Hurt RH, Kulaots I. 2021. Controlling pore structure and conductivity in graphene nanosheet films through partial thermal exfoliation. Carbon N Y 174:227-239. doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2020.12.050 PMID:33633411 PMCID:PMC7901814
• Liu M, Fernandes DC, Saleeba Z, Hurt RH. 2021. Controlled release of molecular intercalants from two-dimensional nanosheet films. ACS Nano doi:10.1021/acsnano.1c07888 PMID:34870425
• Liu M, Weston P, Hurt RH. 2021. Controlling nanochannel orientation and dimensions in graphene-based nanofluidic membranes. Nat Commun 12:507. doi:10.1038/s41467-020-20837-2 PMID:33479231 PMCID:PMC7820404

2020

• Flores-Chaparro C, Castilho CJ, Kulaots I, Hurt RH, Rangel-Mendez JR. 2020. Pillared graphene oxide composite as an adsorbent of soluble hydrocarbons in water: pH and organic matter effects. J Environ Manage 259:8. doi:10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.110044 PMID:31929029 PMCID:PMC7517627
• Gray EP, Browning CL, Vaslet CA, Gion K, Green A, Liu M, Kane AB, Hurt RH. 2020. Chemical and colloidal dynamics of MnO2 nanosheets in biological media relevant for nanosafety assessment. Small doi:10.1002/smll.202000303 PMID:32191401 PMCID:PMC7461694

2019

• Castilho CJ, Li D, Liu M, Liu Y, Gao H, Hurt RH. 2019. Mosquito bite prevention through graphene barrier layers. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 116(37):18304-18309. doi:10.1073/pnas.1906612116 PMID:31451645 PMCID:PMC6744866
• Kabadi PK, Rodd AL, Simmons AE, Messier N, Hurt RH, Kane AB. 2019. A novel human 3D lung microtissue model for nanoparticle-induced cell-matrix alterations. Part Fibre Toxicol 16(1):15. doi:10.1186/s12989-019-0298-0 PMID:30943996 PMCID:PMC6448215
• Toral-Sanchez E, Hurt RH, Ascacio Valdes JA, Aguilar CN, Cervantes FJ, Rangel-Mendez R. 2019. Improved reductive transformation of iopromide by magnetite containing reduced graphene oxide nanosacks as electron shuttles. Colloids and Surfaces A: Physicochemical and Engineering Aspects 566:188-195. doi:10.1016/j.colsurfa.2019.01.026 PMID:31662597 PMCID:PMC6818722

2018

• Chen P, Zhang M, Liu M, Wong IY, Hurt RH. 2018. Ultrastretchable graphene-based molecular barriers for chemical protection, detection, and actuation. ACS Nano 12:234-244. doi:10.1021/acsnano.7b05961 PMID:29165991 PMCID:PMC5780244 (in press)
• Gray EP, Browning CL, Wang M, Gion K, Chao EY, Koski K, Kane AB, Hurt RH. 2018. Biodissolution and cellular response to MoO3 nanoribbons and a new framework for early hazard screening for 2D materials. Environ Sci Nano 5(11):2545-2559. doi:10.1039/C8EN00362A
• Kane AB, Hurt RH, Gao H. 2018. The asbestos-carbon nanotube analogy: An update. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 361:68-80. doi:10.1016/j.taap.2018.06.027 PMID:29960000 PMCID:PMC6298811
• Rodd AL, Castilho CJ, Chaparro CE, Rangel-Mendez JR, Hurt RH, Kane AB. 2018. Impact of emerging, high-production-volume graphene-based materials on the bioavailability of benzo(a)pyrene to brine shrimp and fish liver cells. Environ Sci Nano 5(9):2144-2161. doi:10.1039/C8EN00352A
• Toral-Sanchez E, Rangel-Mendez JR, Hurt RH, Ascacio Valdes JA, Aguilar CN, Cervantes FJ. 2018. Novel application of magnetic nano-carbon composite as redox mediator in the reductive biodegradation of iopromide in anaerobic continuous systems. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 1-11. doi:10.1007/s00253-018-9250-8 PMID:30058007

2017

• Chen P, Liu M, Wang Z, Hurt RH, Wong IY. 2017. From Flatland to Spaceland: Higher Dimensional Patterning with Two-Dimensional Materials. Advanced Materials 29:doi:10.1002/adma.201605096 PMID:28244157 PMCID:PMC5549278
• Qui Y, Moore S, Hurt RH, Kulaots I. 2017. Influence of external heating rate on the structure and porosity of thermally exfoliated graphite oxide. Carbon N Y 111:651-657. doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2016.10.051 PMID:28042164 PMCID:PMC5198721
• Steinberg R, Cruz M, Mahfouz NG, Qui Y, Hurt RH. 2017. Breathable vapor toxicant barriers based on multilayer graphene oxide. ACS Nano 11:5670-5679. doi:10.1021/acsnano.7b01106 PMID:28582974
• Wang Z, Zhang Y, Liu M, Peterson A, Hurt RH. 2017. Oxidation suppression during hydrothermal phase reversion allows synthesis of monolayer semiconducting MoS2 in stable aqueous suspension. Nanoscale 9:5398-5403. doi:10.1039/c7nr01193h PMID:28426079

2016

• Lv X, Qiu Y, Wang Z, Jiang GM, Chen YT, Xu XH, Hurt RH. 2016. Aerosol synthesis of phase-controlled iron-graphene nanohybrids through FeOOH nanorod intermediates. Environ Sci Nano 3(5):1215-1221. doi:10.1039/C6EN00178E PMID:28133538 PMCID:PMC5260819
• Qiu Y, Felten C, Hurt RH, Kulaots I. 2016. Thermochemistry and kinetics of graphite oxide exothermic decomposition for safety in large-scale storage and processing. Carbon N Y 96:20-28. doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2015.09.040 PMID:28090118 PMCID:PMC5227653
• Wang Z, Tonderys D, Leggett S, Williams EK, Kiani M, Steinberg R, Qui Y, Hurt RH, Wong IY. 2016. Wrinkled, wavelength-tunable graphene-based surface topographies for directing cell alignment and morphology. Carbon N Y 97:14-24. doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2015.03.040 PMID:25848137 PMCID:PMC4384125
• Wang Z, von dem Bussche A, Qiu Y, Valentine TM, Gion K, Kane AB, Hurt RH. 2016. Chemical dissolution pathways of MoS2 nanosheets in biological and environmental media. Environ Sci Technol 50(13):7208-7217. doi:10.1021/acs.est.6b01881 PMID:27267956 PMCID:PMC5217159
• Wang Z, Zhu W, Qiu Y, Yi X, von dem Bussche A, Kane AB, Gao H, Koski K, Hurt RH. 2016. Biological and environmental interactions of emerging two-dimensional nanomaterials. Chem Soc Rev 45(6):1750-1780. doi:10.1039/c5cs00914f PMID:26923057 PMCID:PMC4820079
• Zhu WP, von dem Bussche A, Yi X, Qiu Y, Wang Z, Weston P, Hurt RH, Kane AB, Gao H. 2016. Nanomechanical mechanism for lipid bilayer damage induced by carbon nanotubes confined in intracellular vesicles. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 113(44):12374-12379. doi:10.1073/pnas.1605030113 PMID:27791073 PMCID:PMC5098676

2015

• Wang Z, Lv X, Chen Y, Liu D, Xu X, Palmore TR, Hurt RH. 2015. Crumpled graphene nanoreactors. Nanoscale 7(22):10267-10278. doi:10.1039/c5nr00963d PMID:25992964

2014

• Guo F, Creighton M, Chen Y, Hurt RH, Kulaots I. 2014. Porous structures in stacked, crumpled and pillared graphene-based 3D materials. Carbon N Y 66:476-484. doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2013.09.024 PMID:26478597 PMCID:PMC4606457
• Qiu Y, Guo F, Hurt RH, Kulaots I. 2014. Explosive thermal reduction of graphene oxide-based materials: mechanism and safety implications. Carbon N Y 72:215-223. doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2014.02.005 PMID:25018560 PMCID:PMC4088991
• Qiu Y, Wang Z, Owens AC, Kulaots I, Chen Y, Kane AB, Hurt RH. 2014. Antioxidant chemistry of graphene-based materials and its role in oxidation protection technology. Nanoscale 6(20):11744-11755. doi:10.1039/c4nr03275f PMID:25157875 PMCID:PMC4312421
• Rodd AL, Creighton M, Vaslet CA, Rangel-Mendez JR, Hurt RH, Kane AB. 2014. Effects of surface-engineered nanoparticle-based dispersants for marine oil spills on the model organism Artemia franciscana. Environ Sci Technol 48(11):6419-6427. doi:10.1021/es500892m PMID:24823274 PMCID:PMC4046867
• Velazquez-Jimenez LH, Hurt RH, Matos J, Rangel-Mendez JR. 2014. Zirconium-carbon hybrid sorbent for removal of fluoride from water: oxalic acid mediated Zr(IV) assembly and adsorption mechanism. Environ Sci Technol 48(2):1166-1174. doi:10.1021/es403929b PMID:24359079 PMCID:PMC4009989

2013

• Li Y, Yuan H, von dem Bussche A, Creighton M, Hurt RH, Kane AB, Gao H. 2013. Graphene microsheets enter cells through spontaneous membrane penetration at edge asperities and corner sites. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 110(30):12295–12300. doi:10.1073/pnas.1222276110 PMID:23840061 PMCID:PMC3725082
• Wang Z, von dem Bussche A, Kabadi PK, Kane AB, Hurt RH. 2013. Biological and environmental transformations of copper-based nanomaterials. ACS Nano 7(10):8715–8727. doi:10.1021/nn403080y PMID:24032665 PMCID:PMC3894052

2012

• Guo F, Silverberg G, Bowers S, Kim S, Datta D, Shenoy V, Hurt RH. 2012. Graphene-based environmental barriers. Environ Sci Technol 46(14):7717–7724. doi:10.1021/es301377y
• Liu J, Wang Z, Liu FD, Kane AB, Hurt RH. 2012. Chemical transformations of nanosilver in biological environments. ACS Nano 6:9887-9899. doi:10.1021/nn303449n PMID:23046098 PMCID:PMC3508364
• Sanchez V, Jachak A, Hurt RH, Kane AB. 2012. Biological interactions of graphene-family nanomaterials: an interdisciplinary review. Chem Res Toxicol 25(1):15-34. doi:10.1021/tx200339h PMID:21954945 PMCID:PMC3259226

2011

• Guo F, Kim F, Han TH, Shenoy V, Huang J, Hurt RH. 2011. Hydration-responsive folding and unfolding in graphene oxide liquid crystal phases. ACS Nano 5:8019-8025. doi:10.1021/nn2025644 PMID:21877716 PMCID:PMC3202056
• Liu J, Pennell KG, Hurt RH. 2011. Kinetics and mechanisms of nanosilver oxysulfidation. Environ Sci Technol 45(17):7345–7353. doi:10.1021/es201539s PMID:21770469 PMCID:PMC3164758 (Completed with ARRA Funds)
• Liu X, Sen S, Liu J, Kulaots I, Geohegan D, Kane AB, Palmore TR, Hurt RH. 2011. Antioxidant deactivation on graphenic nanocarbon surfaces. Small 7(19):2775-2785. doi:10.1002/smll.201100651 PMID:21818846 PMCID:PMC3634619 (Completed with ARRA Funds)
• Pietruska JR, Liu X, Smith A, McNeil K, Weston P, Zhitkovich A, Hurt RH, Kane AB. 2011. Bioavailability, intracellular mobilization of nickel, and HIF-1α activation in human lung epithelial cells exposed to metallic nickel and nickel oxide nanoparticles. Toxicol Sci 124(1):138-148. doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfr206 PMID:21828359 PMCID:PMC3196652 (Completed with ARRA Funds)
• Sanchez V, Weston P, Yan A, Hurt RH, Kane AB. 2011. A 3-dimensional in vitro model of epithelioid granulomas induced by high aspect ratio nanomaterials. Part Fibre Toxicol 8:17. doi:10.1186/1743-8977-8-17 PMID:21592387 PMCID:PMC3120675 (Completed with ARRA Funds)
• Shi X, von dem Bussche A, Hurt RH, Kane AB, Gao H. 2011. Cell entry of one-dimensional nanomaterials occurs by tip recognition and rotation. Nat Nanotechnol 6:714-719. doi:10.1038/nnano.2011.151 PMID:21926979 PMCID:PMC3215144

2010

• Hower JC, Senior CL, Suuberg EM, Hurt RH, Wilcox JL, Olson ES. 2010. Mercury capture by native fly ash carbons in coal-fired power plants. Prog Energy Combust Sci 36(4):doi:10.1016/j.pecs.2009.12.003 PMID:24223466 PMCID:PMC3820115
• Liu J, Sonshine D, Shervani S, Hurt RH. 2010. Controlled release of biologically active silver from nanosilver surfaces. ACS Nano 4(11):6903-6913. doi:10.1021/nn102272n PMID:20968290 PMCID:PMC3004478 (Completed with ARRA Funds)
• Liu X, Hurt RH, Kane AB. 2010. Biodurability of single-walled carbon nanotubes depends on surface functionalization. Carbon N Y 48(7):1961-1969. doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2010.02.002 PMID:20352066 PMCID:PMC2844903

2009

• Hoover E, Brown P, Averick M, Kane AB, Hurt RH. 2009. Teaching small and thinking large: effects of including social and ethical implications in an interdisciplinary nanotechnology course. J Nano Educ 1(1):86-95. doi:10.1166/jne.2009.013 PMID:23585917 PMCID:PMC3624993
• Jakubek L, Marangoudakis S, Raingo J, Liu X, Lipscombe D, Hurt RH. 2009. The inhibition of neuronal calcium ion channels by trace levels of yttrium released from carbon nanotubes. Biomaterials 30(31):6351-6357. doi:10.1016/j.biomaterials.2009.08.009 PMID:19698989 PMCID:PMC2753181
• Lee B, Sarin L, Johnson NC, Hurt RH. 2009. A nano-selenium reactive barrier approach for managing mercury over the life-cycle of compact fluorescent lamps. Environ Sci Technol 43(15):5915-20. doi:10.1021/es9013097 PMID:19731697 PMCID:PMC3595539
• Liu X, Vinson D, Abt D, Hurt RH, Rand DM. 2009. Differential toxicity of carbon nanomaterials in Drosophila: larval dietary uptake is benign, but adult exposure causes locomotor impairment and mortality. Environ Sci Technol 43(16):6357-63. doi:10.1021/es901079z PMID:19746737 PMCID:PMC3147226
• Sanchez V, Pietruska JR, Miselis NR, Hurt RH, Kane AB. 2009. Biopersistence and potential adverse health impacts of fibrous nanomaterials: what have we learned from asbestos?. Wiley Interdiscip Rev Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 1(5):511-529. doi:10.1002/wnan.41 PMID:20049814 PMCID:PMC2864601

2008

• Guo L, Morris DG, Kane AB, Hurt RH, Liu X. 2008. Targeted removal of bioavailable metal as a detoxification strategy for carbon nanotubes. Carbon N Y 46(3):489-500. doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2007.12.018 PMID:19255622 PMCID:PMC2614279
• Guo L, von dem Bussche A, Buechner M, Kane AB, Hurt RH. 2008. Adsorption of essential micronutrients by carbon nanotubes and the implications for nanotoxicity testing. Small 4(6):721-727. doi:10.1002/smll.200700754 PMID:18504717 PMCID:PMC3209620
• Johnson NC, Manchester S, Sarin L, Gao Y, Kulaots I, Hurt RH. 2008. Mercury vapor release from broken compact fluorescent lamps and in situ capture by new nanomaterial sorbents. Environ Sci Technol 42(15):5772-5778. doi:10.1021/es8004392 PMID:18754507
• Kane AB, Hurt RH. 2008. Nanotoxicology: the asbestos analogy revisited. Nat Nanotechnol 3(7):378-379. doi:10.1038/nnano.2008.182 PMID:18654556
• Manchester S, Wang X, Kulaots I, Gao Y, Hurt RH. 2008. High capacity mercury adsorption on freshly ozone-treated carbon surfaces. Carbon N Y 46(3):518-524. doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2007.12.019 PMID:19255621 PMCID:PMC2614278

2007

• Guo L, Liu XY, Sanchez V, Vaslet CA, Kane AB, Hurt RH. 2007. A window of opportunity: designing carbon nanomaterials for environmental safety and health. Material Science Forum 544-545:511-516.
• Guo L, Morris DG, Liu X, Vaslet CA, Hurt RH, Kane AB. 2007. Iron bioavailability and redox activity in diverse carbon nanotube samples. Chemistry of Materials 19(14):3472-3478. doi:10.1021/cm062691p
• Jian K, Truong TC, Hoffman WP, Hurt RH. 2007. Mesoporous carbons with self-assembled surfaces of defined crystal orientation. Microporous Mesoporous Mater 108:143-151. PMID:19190761
• Liu X, Gurel V, Morris D, Murray DW, Zhitkovich A, Kane AB, Hurt RH. 2007. Bioavailability of nickel in single-wall carbon nanotubes. Advanced Materials 19:2790-96.
• Oberdorster G, Kane AB, Klaper RD, Hurt RH. 2007. Nanotoxicology. Chapter 28 in: Casarett & Doull's Toxicology: The Basic Science of Poisons. AK.
• Yan A, von dem Bussche A, Kane AB, Hurt RH. 2007. Tocopheryl polyethylene glycol succinate as a safe, antioxidant surfactant for processing carbon nanotubes and fullerenes. Carbon N Y 45:2463-70. PMID:19081834

2006

• Hurt RH, Monthioux M, Kane AB. 2006. Toxicology of carbon nanomaterials: Status, trends, and perspectives on the special issue. Carbon N Y 44(6):1028-1033. doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2005.12.023
• Jian K, Yan A, Kulaots I, Crawford GP, Hurt RH. 2006. Reconstruction and hydrophobicity of nanocarbon surfaces composed solely of graphene edges. Carbon N Y 44(10):2102-2106. doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2006.03.035
• Yan A, Lau BW, Weissman BS, Kulaots I, Yang NY, Kane AB, Hurt RH. 2006. Biocompatible, hydrophilic, supramolecular carbon nanoparticles for cell delivery. Advanced Materials 18:2373-78. doi:10.1002/adma.200600838