Rolf Halden studies the impact of dangerous chemicals on human health. More specifically, Halden, directorHalden is also a professor in the School for Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment in the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering and senior sustainability scientist in the Global Institute of Sustainability at ASU. of the Center for Environmental Health Engineering at ASU’s Biodesign Institute, monitors sewage in hundreds of locations around the U.S. to measure the health of cities and their people — what he calls “urban metabolism.”
In this episode of ASU Now’s “Thought Huddle” podcast, host Mary-Charlotte Domandi explores with Halden the scale and range of toxic chemicals observed in wastewater and their impact on human health, various approaches to deal with these chemicals, and how he and his teams are working to improve public health. The episode, “Yes, We Monitor What Goes Down the Drain,” offers an in-depth, one-on-one conversation on critical environmental health issues.
“The chemical and biological information that is contained in the wastewater, as ugly as it sounds, is actually very informative,” Halden said. “It can tell us what people are doing in the city, how many people are there, what the health issues are, what types of chemicals they get exposed to, and what types of bacteria might lurk in the city that endangers the health of the people.”
Find more episodes at thoughthuddle.com.
More Science and technology
Unlocking new pathways in regenerative medicine
In the quest to advance regenerative medicine, the Harris Lab at Arizona State University is making groundbreaking strides. Focused on tissue regeneration and the intricate biology of cell death, the…
Brilliant move: Mathematician’s latest gambit is new chess AI
Benjamin Franklin wrote a book about chess. Napoleon spent his post-Waterloo years in exile playing the game on St. Helena. John Wayne carried a set and played during downtime while filming “El…
ASU team studying radiation-resistant stem cells that could protect astronauts in space
It’s 2038.A group of NASA astronauts headed for Mars on a six-month scientific mission carry with them personalized stem cell banks. The stem cells can be injected to help ward off the effects of…