Exposure Research

About EPA's exposure research program

EPA's exposure science leads to improved methods, measurements and models to assess and predict exposures of humans and ecosystems to harmful environmental stressors. Environmental stressors can include chemical pollutants, microbes and pathogens, physical agents such as land use, and processes such as alteration of wildlife habitat.

Exposure science also provides the foundation for the development of approaches to reduce these exposures, and safeguard human health and the environment.

Science Features

EPA exposure scientists present research at 21st Annual ISES Conference

A diverse group of EPA’s exposure scientists will participate in the 2011 International Society of Exposure Science (ISES) Conference. This year’s meeting is held in Baltimore, Oct. 23-27, and will feature symposia, workshops, platform discussions, and poster sessions on topics ranging from nanomaterials to research on air quality near roadways. (October 21, 2011)

EPA Releases Air Quality Model to Study Harmful Air Pollution

Model will help scientists protect public health

Release Date: 10/19/2011

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a new version of its Community Multi-scale Air Quality model (CMAQ) that uses up-to-the minute meteorology and air chemistry data to determine how weather conditions affect pollution, and how pollution can affect and change weather. Version 5.0 of CMAQ allows scientists to analyze air quality at smaller, finer-resolution settings for individual towns and cities, and model air quality for the entire northern hemisphere. Currently, scientists use CMAQ to estimate air quality levels at the regional and national scales.

Read more of this EPA News Release...

EPA Greenversations Blog | Modeling Matters: See Mack Run the Half-Marathon

By Tanya Otte

Lots of people like running. I’m not one of them…unless it involves running models! Since I was hired, I’ve been a part of a team that develops and runs models to help understand interactions between meteorology, natural and anthropogenic (“human-caused”) emissions, and air quality. (October 19, 2011)

Read the full story on the Greenversations Blog...

Innovative Tools Help EPA Scientists Determine Total Chemical Exposures

EPA scientists work to advance the science of chemical risk assessment.

Everyday activities – actions as simple as biting into an apple, or walking across a carpeted floor – may expose people to a host of chemicals through a variety of pathways. The air we breathe, the food and water we consume, and the surfaces we touch all are the homes of natural and synthetic chemicals, which enter our bodies through our skin, our digestive systems, and our lungs. (August 10, 2011)

Read the full story in EPA’s Science Matters Newsletter...

EPA’s Greenversations Blog | Modeling Matters: It Was Supposed to Rain!

Post By Tanya Otte:

By early June, my yard was already parched. The drought-tolerant annuals planted to brighten things up were suffering, but relief was on the way. Yielding to the forecast and my shortage of time, I skipped watering the plants. When I got home, the rain gage was bone dry. Eyeing the wilted flowers, I muttered: "But it was supposed to rain today!" (Posted August 3, 2011)

Read the full story on the Greenversations Blog...

EPA, Notre Dame researchers discuss challenges in adopting DNA-based methods for monitoring invasive species in U.S. water bodies

DNA-based technology helps people solve problems. It can be used to correctly match organ donors with recipients, identify victims of natural and man-made disasters, and detect bacteria and other organisms that may pollute air, soil, food, or water.

Regardless of what crime show courtrooms present about DNA-based technology, the reality is that it can open doors to limited opportunities for error. Scientists at EPA and the University of Notre Dame have investigated DNA-based methods and how they can be used to monitor water quality. (July 25, 2011)

Read the full article on DNA-based methods...

EPA scientists collaborate with NASA to improve view of air pollution from space

Scientists from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and NASA are collaborating on a project aimed at improving satellite capability to interpret air quality conditions near the earth’s surface.

The project — known as "DISCOVER-AQ" — stands for Deriving Information on Surface Conditions from COlumn and VERtically Resolved Observations Relevant to Air Quality. NASA is the lead on this five-year project. (June 23, 2011)

Read more on Discover-AQ...

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