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Program emphasis areas:

• Chemical Fate
• Biochemical Toxicology
• Ecological and Aquatic Toxicology

Chemical Fate

This research unit focuses on investigation of the chemical fate of inorganic and organic contaminants in aquatic and terrestrial environments. We seek an understanding of the biogeochemical processes and chemical speciation of contaminants affecting their transport and bioavailability, and intimately linked to today's top environmental issues concerning human and ecological health and climate change. A number of faculty specialize in one or more area, studying the fate of chemicals using environmental-(geo)chemistry, -microbiology, -molecular toxicology and bioremediation.

Biochemical Toxicology

This research unit focuses on investigation of the mechanisms of toxicants and their resultant perturbation of physiological, cellular, biochemical, and molecular processes. This group studies contaminants such as endocrine disrupting toxicants, pharmaceuticals in the environment and other emerging contaminants, as well as organics and heavy metals. The faculty specialize in one or more areas, including the study of detoxification enzymes, nuclear receptors, endocrine and immune systems, and microbes.

Ecological and Aquatic Toxicology

This research unit focuses on the interactions between organisms and environmental contaminants. These interactions include characterizing the environmental factors that control contaminant bioavailability, response of organisms to multiple stressors, recover of organisms from sublethal contaminant exposure, movement of contaminants through food webs, and the responses of organisms, populations, communities, and ecosystems to contaminant exposure. Faculty members work with a variety of contaminants including pesticides, metals, trace elements, pharmaceuticals, endocrine disrupting chemicals, and nanoparticles.