Toxic air chemicals and heart, blood vessel, liver, and metabolic health
Project 1 - Cardiometabolic Injury due to VOCs
This project will look at whether breathing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) near Superfund and industrial sites harms heart, blood vessel, liver, and metabolic health in people living in Jefferson County, Kentucky.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Louisville NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Louisville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11112447 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be invited to join about 1,200 Jefferson County residents to see how exposure to volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from Superfund and industrial areas relates to heart, blood vessel, liver, and metabolic health. The team will measure air and biological markers of VOC exposure, take blood pressure readings and blood tests, and use imaging and other clinical measures to detect vascular and liver injury over time. The study specifically includes participants who live near known Superfund sites (Lee’s Lane, Distillery Farm) and the high-emission Rubbertown neighborhood to compare higher- and lower-exposure areas. Results will be compared with prior animal work that suggested chronic low-dose VOCs can raise blood pressure, speed atherosclerosis, and cause liver changes.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults who live in Jefferson County, especially those residing near Superfund sites or high VOC-emission neighborhoods like Rubbertown.
Not a fit: People who do not live in Jefferson County or who have no meaningful exposure to VOCs from nearby Superfund or industrial sites are unlikely to be eligible or to directly benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could identify environmental exposures that raise cardiometabolic risk and support actions to reduce or prevent harm in affected communities.
How similar studies have performed: Animal studies and prior toxicology work have shown that chronic low-dose VOC exposure can raise blood pressure and accelerate atherosclerosis, but robust longitudinal human data are limited.
Where this research is happening
Louisville, United States
- University of Louisville — Louisville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Bhatnagar, Aruni — University of Louisville
- Study coordinator: Bhatnagar, Aruni
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 below.