Heather M. Stapleton
Dan and Bunny Gabel Associate Professor of Environmental Ethics and Sustainable Environmental Management
Dr. Stapleton's research focuses on understanding the fate and transformation of organic contaminants in aquatic systems and in indoor environments. Her main focus has been on the bioaccumulation and biotransformation of brominated flame retardants, and specifically polybrominated diphenyl ethers,(PBDEs). Her current research projects explore the routes of human exposure to flame retardant chemicals and examine the way these compounds are photodegraded and metabolized using mass spectrometry to identify breakdown products/metabolites. She uses both in vivo techniques iwth fish, and in vitro techniques with cell cultures to examine metabolism of this varied class of chemicals. Also of interest to Dr. Stapleton is the study of the fate of PBDEs in the environment which may lead to bioaccumulation in aquatic systems and examining their bioavailability under different environmental conditions.Appointments and Affiliations
- Dan and Bunny Gabel Associate Professor of Environmental Ethics and Sustainable Environmental Management
- Associate Professor of Environmental Sciences and Policy in the Nicholas School of the Environment
- Member of the Duke Cancer Institute
Contact Information
- Office Location: 9 Circuit Drive, Box 90328, LSRC Room A207, Durham, NC 27710
- Office Phone: (919) 613-8717
- Email Address: heather.stapleton@duke.edu
Education
- Ph.D. University of Maryland, College Park, 2003
- M.S. University of Maryland, College Park, 2000
- B.S. Long Island University Southhampton College, 1997
Specialties
environmental chemistry
environmental health
environmental toxicology
Awards, Honors, and Distinctions
- Highly Cited Researcher. Thomson Reuters. 2014
Courses Taught
- CEE 563: Chemical Fate of Organic Compounds
- ENVIRON 360: Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology
- ENVIRON 393: Research Independent Study
- ENVIRON 394: Research Independent Study
- ENVIRON 540: Chemical Fate of Organic Compounds
- ENVIRON 593: Independent Studies and Projects
- ENVIRON 780: Environmental Exposure Analysis
- ENVIRON 898: Program Area Seminar
- ENVIRON 899: Master's Project
In the News
- From Clean Up To Cutting Edge Research (Nov 3, 2017 | Nicholas School of the Environment )
- Superfund Center Wins Five-Year Renewal (Jul 11, 2017)
- Camping tents toxic? Duke study reveals troubling chemical exposure (May 18, 2016 | Gear Junkie )
- Four Pratt Faculty Listed Among Most Highly Cited (Jan 26, 2016)
- Heather Stapleton’s lab: Popular car seats found to contain flame retardant (Dec 21, 2015 | “CBS This Morning” )
- Are Flame Retardant Chemicals Fueling Thyroid Cancer? (Dec 14, 2015)
- Study finds toxic nail-polish chemicals in women's bodies (Oct 20, 2015 | Fox News )
- House dust chemicals activate receptor linked to obesity (Jul 30, 2015 | Chemical Watch )
- House Dust May Trigger Obesity Receptor (Jul 28, 2015)
- Why more scientists are speaking out on contentious issues (Jun 12, 2015 | National Geographic )
- How to test a couch for toxins (Sep 29, 2014 | The Atlantic )
- Moms and toddlers may be at risk -- from sofas (Sep 22, 2014 | The News & Observer )
Representative Publications
- Leonetti, CP; Butt, CM; Stapleton, HM, Disruption of thyroid hormone sulfotransferase activity by brominated flame retardant chemicals in the human choriocarcinoma placenta cell line, BeWo., Chemosphere, vol 197 (2018), pp. 81-88 [10.1016/j.chemosphere.2017.12.172] [abs].
- Frederiksen, M; Stapleton, HM; Vorkamp, K; Webster, TF; Jensen, NM; Sørensen, JA; Nielsen, F; Knudsen, LE; Sørensen, LS; Clausen, PA; Nielsen, JB, Dermal uptake and percutaneous penetration of organophosphate esters in a human skin ex vivo model., Chemosphere, vol 197 (2018), pp. 185-192 [10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.01.032] [abs].
- Bello, A; Carignan, CC; Xue, Y; Stapleton, HM; Bello, D, Exposure to organophosphate flame retardants in spray polyurethane foam applicators: Role of dermal exposure., Environment International, vol 113 (2018), pp. 55-65 [10.1016/j.envint.2018.01.020] [abs].
- Kassotis, CD; Kollitz, EM; Ferguson, PL; Stapleton, HM, Nonionic Ethoxylated Surfactants Induce Adipogenesis in 3T3-L1 Cells., Toxicological Sciences (Elsevier), vol 162 no. 1 (2018), pp. 124-136 [10.1093/toxsci/kfx234] [abs].
- Holzem, RM; Gardner, CM; Stapleton, HM; Gunsch, CK, Using laboratory-generated biosolids to evaluate the microbial ecotoxicity of triclosan in a simulated land application scenario., Environmental Science and Pollution Research (2018) [10.1007/s11356-017-1147-z] [abs].