Environmental Health Research Programs at the University of Louisville

1. Emerging Environmental Issues Affecting Women and Children’s Health Environmental Health Research Programs at the University of Louisville Russell A. Prough, Ph.D.

2. Background and History • What is unique about Louisville environmentally? • Major river port on the Ohio; Falls of the Ohio • Henry Ford and the first Ford Truck Plant • Vinyl monomer production

3. Background and History • Mid-point between Detroit and St. Louis • Heavy Forge industry until 1960s • Ford, CSX, Allis Chalmers

4. The West Louisville Riverport • Barge and rail terminals in Rubbertown area • Large chemical industry complex for • production of materials to make synthetic • rubber, plastics, unique metals and metal • alloys • Petrochemical production facilities • Borden products (binding, bonding, and • coating materials for wood, paper, etc.)

5. Production of Vinyl Monomers • Limestone heated at over 6000 C to make calcium carbide • Required for vinyl monomers like vinyl chloride for plastics and rubber • Other chemicals are brought to Louisville by highway, rail and river transport • Most companies provide individually about $1 M in taxes per year to the Commonwealth of Kentucky and Metro Louisville • Important source of employment

6. 1,3-butadiene for production of synthetic rubber • A Louisville Company makes 1,3-butadiene for synthetic rubber and other products • Jefferson County is the second largest production facility in the U.S. after Houston Texas (about 10% of U.S. Production of 1,3-BD) • Plant expansion to increase prevention of release • 1,3-BD levels in Louisville air declines when plant is closed for maintenance (KIESD Air Monitoring)

7. History of Environmental Health Sciences Research at UofL • 1971: Condit Moore, M.D., J. Graham Brown Cancer Center Foundation • 1974: VC-Induced Hepatic Angiosarcomas at BFG; C.H. Tamburro, M.D., M.P.H. Recruited as Occupational Toxicologist at UL • 1991: Kentucky Institute for the Environment and Sustainable Development Founded at UL • 1994: NIEHS Center Development Grant: Recruitment of B.J. Clark and C.M. Klinge • 1996: V.A. Center for Study of Environmental Hazards to Reproductive Health: Fred J. Hendler

8. Central Theme for UofL CEOHS • The Central Theme of the UofL Center for Environmental Health Sciences was to use biochemical, chemical, genetic and molecular biological biomarkers to define the exposure of human populations to chemicals and the subsequent risk of these populations • Apply this information for counseling or therapeutic intervention in these populations

9. Air Monitoring in West Louisville • KIESD and COEHS performed first trials of air monitoring as part of NIEHS P20 Center • KIESD and COEHS working with the West End Taskforce, Metro Air Pollution Control District, and State EPA • Fenceline monitoring in West End and throughout Louisville • Industry having to account for air toxics release • Courier Journal Reports

10. Air Monitoring Stations 12 Monitoring sites

11. Other KIESD Activities • Pollution Prevention Center (Speed School of Engineering) • Center for Sustainable and Urban Develop (CSUN, Kent School) • Center for Environmental Policy and Management (Southeast Regional Environmental Finance Center ) • Center for Environmental Education (Green Cities Initiative) • Center for Environmental Engineering (Speed School of Engineering) • Center for Watershed Research (Arts & Sciences

12. Recent EOH Recruitments • 1997: Recruitment of David Hein, Chair of Pharmacology & Toxicology • 1998: Recruitment of Aruni Bhatnagar, Cardiology; Paul Epstein, Pediatrics; James Kang, Gastroenterology; Chris States, Pharmacology; Glenn McGregor, Pharmacology • Challenge for Excellence or Bucks for Brains Program initiated by Governor Patton • 2002: Establishment of the School of Public Health and Information Sciences • Recruitment of David Tollerud, Chair of Environmental and Occupational Health, School of Public Health and Information Sciences

13. Recent EOH Recruitments • 2003: Hepatotoxicity Research Group with Craig McClain, Gavin Arteel, Shirish Barve in Pharmacology & Toxicology and Gastroenterology/Medicine • 2004: Recruitment of Kenneth S. Ramos, Chair of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Thomas Knudsen, Birth Defects Center; Ramesh Gupta, Cancer Center; Irma Ramos, Public Health • 2005: Several Research Working Groups activated

14. Initiatives for Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences • Alcohol Center • Superfund Basic Research Project Grant focused on chemical exposure of the fetus • Center for Environmental Systems Biology • EPA Particulate Center to study particulate air pollution from coal-fired power plants • Birth Defects Center • EPA Bioinformatics Center

15. Where are we now? • Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences is now a Challenge area for UofL • A cadre of strong scientists have been recruited to Louisville to build this area • Success at obtaining Federal and Foundation grants • Links to the Community • Community Outreach • The West Louisville Laboratory

16. VOC of Concern Risk greater than one in a million • 1,3 Butadiene 500 • Chloroprene NA* • Acrylonitrile 130 • Chloroform 77 • Perchloroethylene 39 • Ethyl acrylate 33 • Benzene 32 • 1,4 Dichlorobenzene 19 • Methylene chloride 17 • Trichloroethylene 16 • Vinyl Chloride 5* Non-carcinogen, 13.9 greater than Hazard Quotient