By Andres B. Sanchez Alvarado
Publication Date: 2026-02-27 13:22:00
In the United States, hundreds of sites on land or in lakes and rivers are heavily contaminated with hazardous waste generated by human activities. Many of these places designated as Superfund sites by the Environmental Protection Agency are in Houston, Texas, the city where my colleagues and I live and work.
These sites contain dangerous pollutants that can increase the risk of cancer – such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) – which are widespread in soil and water. Identifying these pollutants is just the first step toward eliminating them and protecting the environment.
For example, the EPA’s standard methods for analyzing water samples from a well involve expensive techniques that must be performed at a separate location for weeks.
Our chemistry research group is developing new methods that are more accessible and portable to detect toxic pollutants in soil, water and even blood.
My colleagues and I use machine learning methods to…