About the Program

Goals:

Develop recommendations to prevent or limit exposure to semi-volatile airborne PCBs

Propose interventions that would mitigate the impacts of Superfund chemicals

Program Overview

The Iowa Superfund Research Program is comprised of 17 scientists and engineers from 5 colleges and 2 universities. Working with our partners, we bring a broad range of expertise to bear on public health problems associated with Superfund chemicals.

Our research will answer these five vital questions:

1. Where are the sources of airborne PCBs?
2. What are the levels of human exposures to these types of PCBs?
3. What are the potential roles of metabolism in biological responses to PCBs?
4. What are the human health effects?
5. How can we remediate PCB contaminated sites?

Our research projects are supported by six cores—Administration, Synthesis, Analytical, Training, Research Translation and Community Engagement.

The Iowa Superfund has had so far a direct impact on discovering the mechanisms of activation/toxicity of PCBs; the identification of biomarkers; the understanding of sources, movement, occurrence and exposure of PCBs in humans; helping establish regulatory policy; and in the training of the next generation of environmental scientists.

If you have any questions or would like more information about the program, please feel free to contact Dr. Larry Robertson, the Director of the Iowa Superfund Research Program, at larry-robertson@uiowa.edu or by calling 319-335-4346.