Heather M. Stapleton
- Office Location: A220 LSRC
- Office Phone: (919) 613-8717
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Email Address:
Research Area(s): environmental chemistry
environmental health
environmental toxicology
Dr. Stapleton's research focuses on understanding the fate and transformation of organic contaminants in aquatic systems and in indoor environments. Her main focus has been on the bioaccumulation and biotransformation of brominated flame retardants, and specifically polybrominated diphenyl ethers,(PBDEs). Her current research projects explore the routes of human exposure to flame retardant chemicals and examine the way these compounds are photodegraded and metabolized using mass spectrometry to identify breakdown products/metabolites. She uses both in vivo techniques iwth fish, and in vitro techniques with cell cultures to examine metabolism of this varied class of chemicals. Also of interest to Dr. Stapleton is the study of the fate of PBDEs in the environment which may lead to bioaccumulation in aquatic systems and examining their bioavailability under different environmental conditions.
TEACHING (Spring 2010)
ENVIRON 160.01, ENVIRON CHEM/TOXICOL,CE 240.01, CHEM FATE ORG COMPOUNDS,
Recent Publications (More Publications)
- Stapleton, H.M. Kelly, S.M., Pei, R., Letcher, R.J., Gunsch, C.K., Metabolism of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) By Human Hepatocytes In vitro, Environmental Health Perspectives, (2009)
- Allen, J.G., McClean, M.D., Stapleton, H.M., Webster, T.F, Longitudinal Analysis of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) in Household Microenvironments: Characterization of Dust and Relationship to Indoor Air., Environment International, vol. 34 no. 8 (2008), ppt. 1085-1091
- Allen, J.G., McClean, M.D., Stapleton, H.M., Webster, T.F, Linking PBDEs in House Dust to Consumer Products using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF), Environmental Science & Technology, vol. 42 no. 11 (2008), ppt. 4222-4228
- Huwe, J.K., Hakk, H., Smith, D.J., Diliberto, J.J., Richardson, V., Stapleton, H.M., Birnbaum, L.S., Comparative Absorption and Bioavailability of Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers Following Ingestion Via Dust and Oil in Male Rats., Environmental Science & Technology, vol. 42 no. 7 (2008), ppt. 2694-2700
- Stapleton, H.M., Sjodin, A., Jones, R.S., Niehauser, S., Zhang, Y., Patterson, D.G., Serum PBDE Levels in Occupationally Exposed Individuals in the United States, Environ Sci & Technol, vol. 42 no. 9 (2008), ppt. 3453-3458
Education:
- PhD Environmental Chemistry, University of Maryland, 2003
- MS Environmental Chemistry, University Maryland, 2000
- BS Marine Chemistry, Southampton College, 1997
