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Staci Simonich standing in front of black backdrop

Chemist speaks out on NPR about dangers of drifting air pollutants

Staci Simonich, Chemist and Associate Vice President for Research here at OSU

The toxic air pollutants, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), that are produced by combustion have been linked to lung cancer and other serious health problems. They’re mostly seen as a local bad air issue, but a recent research study by Chemistry Professor and Associate Dean Staci Simonich suggest that these tiny particles travel long distances and significantly increase overall health risks.

Simonich explained her findings in an interview with Living on Earth, an independent media program that aired on Oregon Public Broadcasting and carried globally. You can also read the transcript of that interview.

Read Simonich's editorial on the apparent lack of concern for scientific evidence, which she asserts poses a challenge to environmental management. The op-ed appeared in the journal Environmental Science & Technology Letters, published by the American Chemical Society.