Rebecca Hoehn in the Stapleton lab
Rebecca Hoehn, 3rd-year ITEHP PhD student, is the lead author of the now highly-publicized study, “Flame Retardant Exposure in Vehicles Is Influenced by Use in Seat Foam and Temperature.” Rebecca, in collaboration with researchers from Duke, Green Science Policy Institute, and the University of Toronto, published this study which demonstrates that flame retardant chemicals used in vehicle seats are released into the cabin air, where drivers can breathe them in. Levels were significantly higher during the hot summer months, and several of the chemicals are suspected carcinogens. This study has been covered by 100+ news outlets, including CBS News, Newsweek, The Guardian, and our local news station, WRAL. You can read the study HERE. Congratulations to Rebecca and the team of researchers on the publication of this study!
