# Assessment of Cured-In-Place Pipe Installation Emissions and Toxicity

> **NIH NIH R03** · PURDUE UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $74,605

## Abstract

Project Abstract
Nationwide and globally there is a growing need for repair of sanitary sewer, storm sewer, and drinking water
pipes. The cured-in-place pipe (CIPP) method has become the most popular method to repair deteriorated water
pipes. This process involves the onsite chemical fabrication of a polymer composite plastic pipe within the
damaged pipe. Recent evidence has indicated public health incidences related to chemical air contamination
emitted from CIPP sites. These incidents span 29 states and have prompted evacuations of office buildings,
homes, and schools. Our recent evaluations of CIPP worksites have identified emissions containing numerous
hazardous air pollutants, carcinogens, endocrine disrupting compounds, and others that are being released into
the environment. Further, our preliminary in vitro examination of emission-related toxicity demonstrated site-
specific responses suggesting the impact of CIPP operational procedures. Specifically, the differential toxicity
was determined via alterations in cytotoxicity, as well as gene and protein expression changes in markers of
inflammation and oxidative stress. The multitude of resins, curing approaches, and environmental conditions
along with the transient nature of worksites, impacts the ability to perform systematic evaluation of emissions
and toxicity. Therefore, we have produced a novel curing chamber to characterize CIPP-related emissions and
examine adverse biological responses. The central objective of this proposal is to investigate CIPP operational
procedures that influence emissions and toxicity. Our hypothesis is that commonly utilized resin materials
(styrene or non-styrene based) produce distinct emissions during the curing process that result in differential
toxicity following inhalation. To address our hypothesis, we propose the following specific Aims: 1. Evaluation of
differential CIPP-related emission profiles due to resin materials, and 2. Assessment of adverse health effects
following inhalation exposure to CIPP-emissions. In Aim 1, tubing impregnated with either styrene or non-styrene
based resin will be thermally cured within the curing chamber and emissions will be characterized via
photoionization detectors and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. In Aim 2, male and female mice will be
exposed to filtered air (controls), CIPP emissions, or styrene-only and examined for pulmonary and liver toxicity
(inflammation and oxidative stress) as well as alterations in serum metabolites. At the completion of this project,
it is our expectation that we will have begun to elucidate the relationship between CIPP resin materials, emission
profiles, and toxicity. Ultimately, the long-term impact of this research will be the potential to regulate risk, related
to CIPP emission exposures by the general public through defining safe operational procedures.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9959436
- **Project number:** 5R03ES030783-02
- **Recipient organization:** PURDUE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Jonathan Henry Shannahan
- **Activity code:** R03 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $74,605
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-07-01 → 2022-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9959436

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9959436, Assessment of Cured-In-Place Pipe Installation Emissions and Toxicity (5R03ES030783-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9959436. Licensed CC0.

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