The health of people and the planet are intertwined. In addition to protecting our natural ecosystems, research conducted at the Nicholas School of the Environment has the power to answer questions about how to treat human ailments like infections, inflammation, and cancer. Studying our natural environment can also shed light on how climate change and chemicals in the food we eat and air we breathe may affect our health.
Our donors and friends at the Nicholas School of the Environment play a crucial role in all of these discoveries and accomplishments. We are tremendously grateful for all they do to help both our environment and the people who depend on it for their health and well-being.
Nishad Jayasundara
Since the 1990s, the epidemic of chronic kidney disease of unknown origin (CKDu) has been unfolding in farming and agricultural communities – most notably in Sri Lanka, India, and Central America. Often without warning, agricultural workers, particularly men in their 30s and 40s, are succumbing to chronic kidney disease. Jayasundara is working to find out why, and he says the culprit is likely a combination of extreme heat and exposure to toxic pesticides. Work is underway to look at whether agricultural workers in North Carolina might also be at risk. Read more in Magnify, the online magazine of the Duke School of Medicine.
Grant to Study Heat Stress and Kidney Health
Jayasundara, along with Renzo Guinto of the Duke-National University of Singapore (NUS) Medical School, received funding in February 2025 to explore connections between heat stress and kidney health in communities on the frontlines of climate change in Sri Lanka. Their project was one of five selected to receive a collaborative pilot project grant from Duke and Duke-NUS to conduct climate-related health research.
The current estimates indicate that more than 20,000 people [in Sri Lanka] are at end-stage kidney failure, with no alternatives left, while 6 to 10 percent of the population in impacted communities are diagnosed with CKDu. – Nishad Jayasundara, Al Jazeera
Avner Vengosh
Avner Vengosh and Zhen Wang, Ph.D.’23, co-authored a study examining the environmental impact of coal fly ash. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the research explored how different types of ash particles can release harmful trace metals into water systems, impacting ecosystems and human health. The findings emphasize the need for better management of coal ash, recommending dry landfills over disposal methods that could pollute aquatic environments. Read more in Environmental Pollution.
Toxic Substances Found Near NC Daycare
Vengosh analyzed coal ash samples near a daycare facility in Mooresville, N.C., where he found elevated levels of arsenic and radium. The mixture of tiny toxic particles in coal ash can become airborne over time, exposing children to potential illnesses and cancers that can take years to surface, Vengosh told WCNC in Charlotte.
Geochemical ‘Fingerprint’ Traces Toxic Contaminants in Fertilizer
An international team of scientists, including Vengosh, uncovered toxic metals in mineral phosphate fertilizers worldwide. They did this by using isotopes to identify the spread and impact of contaminants like cadmium, uranium, and arsenic in soil and water. “Strontium isotopes essentially are a ‘fingerprint’ that can reveal contamination in groundwater and soil worldwide,” Vengosh said.
Vengosh Named 2025 Recipient of Clair C. Patterson Award
The Geochemical Society presents this award annually for an innovative breakthrough in environmental
geochemistry, particularly in service to society. Vengosh and his team have conducted pioneering research on the environmental impact of hydraulic fracturing, coal mining and coal ash disposal.
Having [kids] chronically exposed to dust and even direct into the mouth touching soil containing coal ash could be really problematic for the health of the children. – Avner Vengosh, WCNC
Heather Stapleton
The American Chemical Society (ACS) named Heather Stapleton the winner of the 2025 ACS Award for Creative Advances in Environmental Science and Technology in March 2025. This award recognizes significant creativity in research and technology, particularly in developing methods or technologies that contribute to informed environmental decision-making or reduce health risk factors.
Stapleton’s Team Investigates Human-Made Chemicals in North Carolina’s Haw River
Research conducted by Duke and other local universities over the past few years found that the Haw River, which provides drinking water for several communities in North Carolina’s Piedmont region, is contaminated with several types of human-made chemicals such as PFAS. This collaboratory, led by Stapleton, conducted a study to understand the source of PFAS in the river and determine if this contamination is leading to exposure in Pittsboro residents.
Recycled Materials Used in Food Storage Containers May Contain Harmful Chemicals
Flame retardants are often found in plastics used in electronic products in order to prevent fires. However, Stapleton noted in The Week that these plastics, such as the outer casings of large TVs, are being recycled into food storage containers and black plastics utensils. This could potentially lead to the ingestion of harmful chemicals.
While it’s critical to develop sustainable approaches…, we should exert some caution and ensure we’re not contributing to additional exposures to these hazardous chemicals in recycled materials. – Heather Stapleton, The Week
Junfeng Zhang
Zhang was awarded a grant by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in September 2024 to research mental and respiratory health impacts of the Maui Wildland Urban Interface (WUI) Fire in children and adults. The wildfire caused widespread destruction, took over 100 lives, and devastated the historic town of Lahaina in August 2023. The wildfires were also expected to have considerable impacts on the island’s residents, including heightened stress and anxiety, as well as respiratory issues due to smoke, ash, and debris.
Air Pollution Exposure During Pregnancy May Raise Risk of Childhood Obesity
A study published in Environmental Research in January 2025 revealed that exposure to air pollution in the three months preceding pregnancy may raise the risk of obesity in children up to two years old. Researchers evaluated data from over 5,000 woman-and-child pairs from 28 maternity clinics in Shanghai. Making lifestyle modifications to reduce pollution exposure, such as staying indoors or wearing masks on high-pollution days, may be effective in lowering risks, researchers said.
With special thanks to our benefactors:
- Fred and Alice Stanback
- Grainger Family Descendants Fund
- Michael and Annie Falk Foundation
- Cornell Douglas Foundation
