# Analytical Chemistry Core (ACC)

> **NIH NIH P42** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $214,595

## Abstract

Abstract
The Duke University Superfund Research Center (DUSRC) will examine the neurodevelopmental health impacts
of early-life co-exposures to PAHs and metals. The overall function of the Analytical Chemistry Core (ACC) is
to provide routine sample analysis of Superfund-relevant contaminants as well as biomarkers of exposure for
Research Projects within the DUSRC. Furthermore, the ACC provides analytical expertise in identifying
transformation products and/or metabolites of these Superfund contaminants using high-resolution mass
spectrometry techniques. The ACC has been an essential component of DUSRC over the past funding period,
including the development of new analytical protocols for organic and inorganic compounds and the analysis of
more than 2,000 samples for a wide variety of analytes (e.g., flame retardants, organophosphate pesticides,
PAHs, and trace metals) in biological and environmental samples. Progress has been made in applying high-
resolution mass spectrometry and other methods for non-targeted and effects-directed analysis of novel
contaminants and transformation products of Superfund-relevant chemicals in environmental and biological
media. Here, we propose to continue and extend the activities of the ACC, with a focus on targeted analysis of
PAHs, metals, neurotransmitter biomarkers in biological and environmental samples as well as non-targeted and
transformation product analysis of PAH compounds. In addition, we propose an increased role for the ACC to
coordinate cross-project collaborations through the analysis of complex environmental mixtures (e.g., leachates
of house dust, PAH biodegradation products) that will be generated by Projects 1 and 5, and shared to Project
2, 3, and 4 for evaluation of toxicity potential. The ACC will engage with the Research Experience and Training
Core by leading training and consulting activities related to analytical chemistry. The ACC team will also offer
informal hands-on instruction for training on sample preparation methods and instrumental analyses. We
anticipate that these interactions will help guide researchers on experimental design for their research activities
that will require chemical analyses. Finally, we will leverage our expertise to develop analytical methods and
perform analyses of other Superfund-relevant compounds that may emerge during the experimentation of
complex mixtures and study at Superfund sites. These activities will draw on our considerable success to date
in developing, validating, and applying methods for contaminant analysis in environmental and biological
samples.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10353157
- **Project number:** 2P42ES010356-20
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** P. Lee Ferguson
- **Activity code:** P42 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $214,595
- **Award type:** 2
- **Project period:** 2000-06-01 → 2027-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10353157

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10353157, Analytical Chemistry Core (ACC) (2P42ES010356-20). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10353157. Licensed CC0.

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