Hazardous Materials Chemistry and Exposure Laboratory

 

Lovelace Respiratory Research Institute’s (LRRI’s) Hazardous Materials Chemistry and Exposure Laboratory is one of the few facilities in the nation with the specialized equipment and security to handle highly toxic and hazardous chemical agents (such as sulfur mustard). This laboratory is one of only three centers awarded in the United States as part of the Specialized Center Cooperative Agreement from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to establish a CounterACT (Countermeasures Against Chemical Threats) Research Center of Excellence.

 

Key Capabilities

The laboratory provides state-of-the art capabilities in:

 

·         Aerosol inhalation exposure system for studying effects on the lungs

·         Aerosol external exposure systems for examining effects on skin and eyes

·         A cell culture system for in vitro studies

·         Chemical synthesis, purification, and characterization for development and analysis of specialized chemicals (such as sulfur mustard)

 

For each route of aerosol exposure, a customized aerosol characterization system allows direct measurement of gases, vapors (including gas-vapor distribution), and particles in near real-time at or below occupational exposure limits.

 

Under the CounterACT Center of Excellence, LRRI is developing a comprehensive program for the development of countermeasures to treat sulfur mustard injury in the three most affected organs: lungs, skin,

and eyes. This research includes:

 

§         Identification of diagnostic markers to indicate exposure to sulfur mustard and the development of reliable, simple tests for these markers

 

§         Evaluation of potential known therapeutic agents    

 

§         Research into the molecular and cellular mechanisms of sulfur mustard injury and pathology in the lung, eye, and skin

 

This facility is a national resource for studying and understanding chemical agents and potential therapies. There are very few facilities that integrate the ability to characterize and understand such hazardous chemicals with the ability to develop and characterize treatments all in one place.