Investigators in NYU Langone’s Center for the Investigation of Environmental Hazards, in collaboration with the Division of Environmental Pediatrics, conduct research and guide policies concerning the disruptive effects that pollution and chemicals can have on the health and wellbeing of children.

Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS)

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as “forever chemicals,” are a class of dangerous chemicals found in consumer goods and industrial processing. Children can be exposed to PFAS through contaminated food and water sources and consumer products. Pediatric health impacts of PFAS include stunted child growth, disruptions in healthy development, and obesity. Learn more about our research on exposure, health effects, and health costs of PFAS.

Air Pollution and Preterm Birth

Exposure to air pollution in pregnancy has been associated with risk of premature birth. Using data from the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, our investigators were the first to conduct a study to estimate the economic burden to society associated with preterm births attributable to air pollution. Learn more about our research on air pollution and preterm birth in the United States.

Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals Disease Burden and Costs

Leonardo Trasande, MD, MPP, director of the Center for the Investigation of Environmental Hazards, has conducted a series of studies published in The Lancet Diabetes and Endocrinology and The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism that document disease costs due to endocrine-disrupting chemicals. His research findings indicate that exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals resulted in a median cost of €157 billion (or $209 billion) per year. Learn more about disease burden and costs due to endocrine-disrupting chemicals.

Economic Costs of Childhood Lead Exposure

Exposure to lead has a permanent negative impact on children's developing brains. Our researchers focused on the neurodevelopmental impacts of lead and estimated the decrease in earning potential from children affected by lead, to underscore the importance of this public health issue and the magnitude of its impact. Learn more about the economic costs of childhood lead exposure in low- and middle-income countries.

Partner Initiatives with the Department of Population Health

The New York City Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, or NYC HANES, is a citywide health survey that incorporates clinical and laboratory measurements to capture data about New Yorkers’ disease burden, risk factors, and exposure to toxic chemicals like lead, complete with a biorepository. NYU Langone’s Department of Population Health works on the NYC HANES with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene.