Environmental health

News and Updates

Spotlight: Tracking Methylmercury, a Toxic Substance in Natural Waters

August 16, 2021

Mercury — the only metal that exists in liquid form at room temperature — may move like water, but its effect on the environment certainly isn’t replenishing

Multicolored plastic polymers on a pink background, as shown through a microscope.

Spotlight: The Behavior of Polymers in Our Recycled Plastics

August 10, 2021

Not all plastics are the same, and they don’t all blend together well during recycling. At NIST, researchers are looking for ways to make recycled plastic

Carbon Dioxide Sensors in 2 Urban Areas Registered Big Drop in Emissions During COVID-19 Pandemic

June 7, 2021

Carbon dioxide emissions in Los Angeles fell 33% in April of 2020 compared with previous years, as roads emptied and economic activity slowed due to the COVID

Projects and Programs

NCNR DAC and CCUS efforts

Overview Capture of carbon dioxide from the air (direct air capture; DAC) combined with energy efficiency and carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS)

Isotopes as Environmental Tracers in Biological Specimens

High precision stable isotope ratio measurements are being used in biological specimens to provide new insights into environmental and climate processes and

Support of Industry Compliance with the EU Directive on Restriction of Certain Hazardous Substances (RoHS)

The Chemical Sciences Division is involved in development of standards and reference materials for restricted hazardous substances through participation in

Organic Contaminants in Human Serum, Milk, and Urine

NIST and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are collaborating to develop seven new SRMs to meet the expanding needs for the measurement of

Publications

Critical Capability Needs for Reduction of Transmission of SARS-CoV-2 Indoors

September 30, 2021

Author(s)

Jayne B. Morrow, Aaron Packman, Kenneth F. Martinez, Kevin V. Wymelenberg, Darla Geores, Delphine K. Farmer, Jade Mitchell, Lisa Ng, Yair Hazi, Monica Schoch-Spana, Sandra Quinn, Bill Bahnfleft, Paula Olsiewski

Coordination of efforts to assess the challenges and pain points felt by industries from around the globe working to reduce COVID-19 transmission in the indoor

New guidance brings clarity to environmental hazard and behaviour testing of nanomaterials

September 29, 2021

Author(s)

Elijah Petersen, Greg Goss, Alan Kennedy

Certification of Standard Reference Material® 1936 Great Lakes Sediment

September 23, 2021

Author(s)

Jacqueline Bangma, Debra Ellisor, Michael Ellisor, N. Alan Heckert, Jennifer Hoguet, Kevin Huncik, Jennifer Ness, Jessica L. Reiner

Standard Reference Material (SRM) 1936 Great Lakes Sediment is intended for 1) use in validating calibration and validation materials for sediment analysis

Comparative study of multiwall carbon nanotube nanocomposites by Raman, SEM, and XPS measurement techniques

March 3, 2021

Author(s)

Yanmei Piao, Vipin Tondare, Chelsea S. Davis, Justin Gorham, Elijah Petersen, Jeffrey W. Gilman, Keana Scott, Andras Vladar, Angela R. Hight Walker

Substantial ongoing research efforts are investigating the production of novel composite material enhanced by the incorporation of nanomaterial fillers such as

Awards

Elijah Petersen Honored with PECASE

For pioneering measurement methods of nanomaterials toxicity that now underpin industry and public sector assessments of the environmental

David Long Honored with PECASE

For outstanding contributions to the fields of trace gas analysis, the carbon cycle, atmospheric studies and pollution monitoring through