The Exposure and Environmental Analyses (E&EA) Service provides exposure assessment equipment and laboratory analyses of environmental and biological samples. Through its Laboratories and Engineering/Physiology Group, it supports collaborative research, provides assistance and training to Center investigators, develops new experimental apparatus, supports methods development and collection of pilot data, and maintains facilities such as clean rooms and exposure chambers.
Equipment and Capabilities
Organic Chemistry
- organochlorine
- polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)
- volatile organic compounds (VOCs)
- polybrominated diphynl ethers (PBDEs)
- aldehydes
- polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH)
- metabolites of PAH, naphthalene, pesticides
Contact: Larisa Altshul
Inorganic Chemistry
- particle mass counts by fractionated sizes
- black carbon, sulfate, nitrates
- elemental and organic particles
- trace elements
Contact: J. (Mike) Mikhail Wolfson
Trace Metals
- biological (human, vegetation, food, fish and animal) and environmental (water, air, dust, soil and sediment) measurements of metals (e.g., Pb, Cd, As, Mn, Cr, Ni, Zn, Hg)
Contact: James Shine
Environmental Microbiology
- fungal and bacterial cultures and identification
- vaccinia and influenza viruses
- endotoxin
- allergens (cat, mite, mouse, dog, cockroach, alternaria)
In addition to the laboratory instruments this service maintains equipment for field and chamber studies.
Contact: James McDevitt
Engineering/Physiology Group
The following facilities supporting the Center research are also maintained by the service:
- Microbalance Room is a temperature and humidity controlled environment for precise electronic microbalance mass measurements.
- Harvard Fine Particle Concentrators supply inhalation exposure chambers with test environments where ambient particle concentrations have been increased by up to 50 times.
- Four Inhalation Chambers are used for exposures of animals (<=20kg) to air pollutants while continuously monitoring several physiologic responses.
- Bioaerosol Test Chamber is used for full-room scale evaluation of survival studies of aerosolized infectious organisms.
- Ultra Clean Lab facilities provide contaminant-free conditions for sample preparation for trace metal analyzes.
- Mobile Laboratory that transports sampling equipment, conditioning chambers and animal exposure chambers to investigate the effects of actual emissions from power plants.
- A PULSE computer-based cognitive screening test and mini-laptop based cognitive function screening tool are available for cognitive/physiological measurements.
In addition, the service arranges access to analysis and research support available elsewhere. Through close collaborations with Boston University, our HSPH Center faculty have access to a newly installed High Resolution ICP/MS at their Medical School and the scientific instrument Machine Shop in their Physics Department.
Access to Services and Equipment
Please contact John Spengler, James Shine or Stephanie Shore for guidance to the appropriate laboratory or facility maintained by this service.
People
- Director: John Spengler, Akira Yamaguchi Professor Environmental Health and Human Habitation
- Organic Lab Coordinator: Larisa Altshul
- Instrument Development Coordinator: Stephen Ferguson
- Microbiological Lab Coordinator: James McDevitt
- Physiologic/Cognitive Measurements Coordinator: Eileen McNeely
- Trace Metals Lab Coordinator: James Shine
- Inhalation Facilities Coordinator: Stephanie Shore
- Field Monitoring Equipment Coordinator: Jose Vallarino
- Inorganic Lab Coordinator: J. Mikhail Wolfson
