Research Briefs: University of California-Berkeley

Superfund Research Program

Toxic Substances in the Environment

Center Director: Martyn T. Smith
Grant Number: P42ES004705
Funding Period: 1987-2027

Program Links

Research Briefs

• 333 - Combining Arsenic Data Across Populations Sheds Light on Exposure Sources -- van Geen, Cardenas, Lewis
  Release Date: 09/07/2022

  By combining data across three different populations, NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) researchers were able to better characterize sources of arsenic exposure that should be included in risk assessments. The study was a collaboration among the University of California (UC), Berkeley, University of New Mexico (UNM), and Columbia University SRP centers.

• 321 - First-of-its-Kind Arsenic Meta-Analysis Paves the Way for Future Data Integration -- Cardenas, Gamble
  Release Date: 09/01/2021

  Researchers from NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) centers at the University of California (UC), Berkeley and Columbia University used advanced analysis techniques to combine data from populations in Chile and Bangladesh. The purpose was to detect common DNA methylation (DNAm) signatures associated with arsenic exposure.

• 309 - Treating Water with Chemical Oxidation May Produce Harmful By-Products -- Sedlak
  Release Date: 09/02/2020

  Chemical oxidation is a process commonly used to treat water contaminated with aromatic compounds like benzene. But, unexpected and potentially harmful breakdown products may result from this treatment process, according to a recent study from the NIEHS-funded University of California, Berkeley Superfund Research Program Center.

• 305 - Arsenic Complicates Groundwater Bioremediation -- Alvarez-Cohen
  Release Date: 05/06/2020

  A common groundwater contaminant, trichloroethene (TCE), can be reduced by certain bacteria, a process known as bioremediation. But, according to a new NIEHS Superfund Research Program (SRP) study, this process may stall when arsenic is present. TCE, a widely used industrial solvent, pollutes groundwater from improper handling practices.

• 297 - Identifying Key Characteristics of Chemicals that Harm Male and Female Reproduction -- Smith
  Release Date: 09/04/2019

  Researchers from the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley) Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center developed and applied a “key characteristics” framework to help risk assessors better identify, organize, and summarize the potential reproductive health risks of different chemicals.

• 280 - Toxic Byproducts Formed During UV Water Treatment -- Sedlak
  Release Date: 04/04/2018

  Common water treatment methods that remove phenols and other hazardous compounds may produce low levels of toxic byproducts, according to a new study by the University of California (UC), Berkeley Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center.

• 277 - Using Saliva to Understand Exposures and Monitor Health -- Rappaport
  Release Date: 01/10/2018

  Collecting saliva may be a practical alternative to blood for characterizing a person's exposures, according to new research from the Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center at the University of California (UC), Berkeley. The researchers found that saliva contains a rich set of molecular information that can be used to construct individual exposure histories and discover risk factors for chronic diseases.

• 253 - Mapping Protein Targets of Environmental Chemicals Using Chemoproteomic Platforms -- Nomura
  Release Date: 01/06/2016

  Using a platform to map the reactivity of environmental chemicals across the proteome may uncover new ways environmental chemicals interact in humans, according to a study from the University of California (UC) Berkeley Superfund Research Program (SRP) Center. Researchers use reactivity-based strategies that mine for distinct sets of proteins throughout the proteome that may be particularly sensitive to environmental chemicals.

• 239 - Remediation of Contaminated Groundwater by Persulfate -- Sedlak
  Release Date: 11/05/2014

  Researchers at the University of California (UC) Berkeley Superfund Research Program (SRP) are one step closer to developing more efficient and effective treatment systems to remove organic contaminants from groundwater and soil. Findings from a new study, led by David Sedlak, Ph.D., provide insight into adding persulfate to groundwater to break down organic contaminants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls,1,4-dioxane, and components of petroleum, that may be difficult to treat with other methods and potentially harmful to human health.

• 234 - Gold Nanoparticles Offer a Simple and Inexpensive Way to Detect Mercury -- Koshland
  Release Date: 06/04/2014

  Researchers led by Catherine Koshland, Ph.D., from the University of California, Berkeley Superfund Research Program (SRP) have developed an inexpensive, easy to use, and highly sensitive sensor to measure how much mercury is in liquid or aqueous samples. The sensor uses a film of gold nanoparticles to measure mercury concentrations down to 1.5 nanograms per liter.

• 228 - Arsenic in Drinking Water and Cancer in Uniquely Exposed Northern Chile -- Steinmaus
  Release Date: 12/04/2013

  For the first time, findings by the University of California (UC) Berkeley Superfund Research Program (SRP) provide strong evidence in humans that ingested arsenic causes cancer in specific kidney and ureter cells, called transitional cells. Other recent findings from the group suggest that people exposed to both arsenic and other known or suspected carcinogens have very high risks of lung or bladder cancer.

• 178 - Arsenic Just as Risky Ingested as Inhaled -- Smith
  Release Date: 10/07/2009
  
  
• 172 - New Understandings of Benzene Metabolism and Implications for Risk Assessments -- Smith, Rappaport
  Release Date: 04/01/2009
  
  
• 155 - Assessing Bioremediation of Chloroethenes through Stable Carbon Isotope Fractionation -- Alvarez-Cohen
  Release Date: 11/07/2007
  
  
• 146 - Groundwater Contamination by Perchlorate from Brines -- Hunt
  Release Date: 02/07/2007
  
  
• 137 - Impacts of in utero and Early Childhood Exposure to Arsenic in Drinking Water -- Smith
  Release Date: 05/03/2006
  
  
• 127 - Using Laser Technology to Detect Lead in Soil -- Koshland
  Release Date: 07/06/2005
  
  
• 121 - Impacts of Low-Level Benzene Exposure -- Smith, Rappaport
  Release Date: 01/05/2005
  
  
• 95 - Multidisciplinary Studies of the Origins of Childhood Leukemia -- Smith, Buffler
  Release Date: 11/06/2002
  
  
• 93 - Monitoring In Situ Bioremediation of TCE -- Alvarez-Cohen
  Release Date: 09/11/2002
  
  
• 8 - Possible Explanation for Disease Susceptibility to Benzene Exposure -- Smith
  Release Date: 11/11/1997