Measuring and preventing N-nitrosamine exposure at home
Official title: Project 4: Measurement and Engineering Solutions to Detect and Prevent N-Nitrosamine Exposure
Funded at Massachusetts Institute of Technology · NIH-11398626 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A project at MIT aims to detect and reduce harmful N-nitrosamines in people’s homes by improving measurement methods and developing ways to destroy these chemicals before exposure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Cambridge, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2017 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $561,349 |
| NIH project number | 5P42ES027707-10 |
| Project ID | NIH-11398626 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants include communities and households whose water or indoor environments could be affected by N-nitrosamines and who can contribute water samples or environmental data.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without exposure to N-nitrosamines or those not involved in environmental sampling may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
If funded, this work would develop advanced methods to detect a broad range of N-nitrosamines using multi-dimensional gas chromatography with mass spectrometry and flame ionization detection. It also plans to collect water samples through community partnerships and new concentration techniques to feed exposure models. The goal is to understand and cut the amount of these mutagenic chemicals people might encounter in their daily environment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to better detection and lower exposure to potent cancer-causing chemicals in homes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that improved measurement can guide exposure reduction, but broader, more sensitive methods are still needed.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Plata, Desiree — Massachusetts Institute of Technology
- Study coordinator: Plata, Desiree
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.