Email: markl@vims.edu Office: Chesapeake Bay Hall, S309 Phone: (804) 684-7728 Supervisor: Dr. Robert Hale

Mark J. La Guardia Environmental Research Scientist Senior B.S., Old Dominion University M.S., College of William and Mary

Research Interests Current Projects Selected Publications Presentations Seminars / Training Professional Memberships

Research Interests

Sources, effects, fate and analysis of contaminants of emerging concerns (CECs) including:  brominated flame-retardants (e.g. PBDEs), personal care products (e.g. nonylphenols (NPs) and triclosan) and pharmaceuticals (e.g. synthetic and natural estrogens) associated with the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries.

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Current Projects

• PCBs, PAHs and chlorinated pesticides in biota and sediments of Virginia's tributaries, in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality 
  http://www.deq.virginia.gov/fishtissue/fishtissue.html http://www.vdh.state.va.us/epi/publichealthtoxicology/fishingadvisories.asp 

• Identification, persistence and mobility of anthropogenic contaminants associated with wastewater treatment effluent receiving streams and sludge (biosolids) used in agriculture 

• Environmental degradation products of anthropogenic contaminants (e.g. PBDEs and NPs)

• Developing analytical methodologies for the detection of CECs in diverse matrixes by gas and liquid chromatography mass spectroscopy
  • Spectra Library - ECNI PBDEs

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Selected Publications

• La Guardia M. J. 2008. Use of electron capture negative ion mass spectra to establish the identities of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame-retardant and their degradation products. Spectroscopy (in press)
• Hale, R. C.; S. L. Kim; E. Harvey; M. J. La Guardia; T. M. Mainor; E. O. Bush; E. M. Jacobs 2008. Antarctic research bases: Local sources of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants Environ. Sci. Technol. 42: 1452-1457.
• La Guardia, M. J.; R. C. Hale; E. Harvey 2007. Evidence of Environmental Debromination of Decabromodiphenyl Ether (BDE-209) in a Wastewater Receiving Stream. Environ. Sci. Technol. 41: 6663 - 6670.
• Nerissa Wu.; T. Herrmann; O. Paepke; J. Tickner; R. Hale; E. Harvey; M. J. La Guardia; M. D. McClean; T. F. Webster 2007. Human Exposure to PBDEs: Associations of PBDE Body Burdens with Food Consumption and House Dust Concentrations. Environ. Sci. Technol. 41: 1584 - 1589.

  • ES&T Most-Accesses Article for 2007, #16
    http://pubs.acs.org/journals/esthag/promo/most/most_accessed/index.html

• La Guardia, M. J.; R. C. Hale; E. Harvey  2006.  Detailed polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congener composition of the widely used penta-, octa- and deca-PBDE technical flame-retardant mixture.  Environ. Sci. Technol. 40: 6247 – 6254.

  • ES&T Most-Accesses Article for 2007, #11
    http://pubs.acs.org/journals/esthag/promo/most/most_accessed/index.html

• Hale, R. C.; M. J. La Guardia; E. Harvey; M. O. Gaylor; T. M. Mainor  2006. Brominated flame retardant concentrations and treads in abiotic media.  Chemosphere 64: 181 – 186.
• La Guardia, M. J.; R. C. Hale; E. P. Harvey; E. O. Bush; T. M. Mainor; M. O. Gaylor  2004.  Organic contaminants of emerging concern in land-applied sewage sludge (biosolids).  J. Residuals Sci. Technol. 1(2): 111 – 122.
• Hale, R. C.; M. J. La Guardia; E. Harvey; T. M. Mainor  2002.  The potential role of fire retardant-treated polyurethane foam as a source of brominated diphenyl ethers to the US environment.  Chemosphere 46: 729 – 735.
• Hale, R. C. and M. J. La Guardia  2002.  Emerging contaminants of concern in costal and estuarine environments.  Chapter 3, Risk Assessment in Costal and Estuarine Environments.  ed. M. C. Newman, M. H. Roberts Jr. and R. C. Hale. CRC Press Inc. pp. 41 – 72.
• La Guardia, M. J.; R. C. Hale; E. P. Harvey; T. M. Mainor  2001.  Alkylphenol ethoxylate degradation products in land-applied sewage sludge (biosolids).  Environ. Sci. Technol. 35(24): 4798 – 4804.
• Hale, R. C.; M. J. La Guardia; E. P. Harvey; T. M. Mainor; W. H. Duff; M. O. Gaylor  2001.  Brominated diphenyl ether fire retardant burdens in Virginia freshwater fish (USA). Environ. Sci. Technol. 35(23): 4585 – 4591.
• Hale, R. C.; M. J. La Guardia  2001. Directions in science: Synthetic organic pollutants in land-applied sewage sludges.  The Scientific World 1, 10 –13.
• Hale, R. C.; M. J. La Guardia; E. P. Harvey; M. O. Gaylor, T. M. Mainor; W. H. Duff  2001. Persistent pollutants in land-applied sludges. Nature. 412: 140 – 141.
• Hale, R. C.; C. L. Smith; P. O. de Fur; E. Harvey; E. O. Bush; M. J. La Guardia; G. G. Vadas  2000.  Nonylphenols in sediments and effluents associated with diverse Virginia (USA) wastewater outfalls.  Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 19:946 – 952.

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Presentations (past five years)

• La Guardia, M. J.; R. C. Hale; E. P. Harvey; T. M. Mainor 2007. Evidence of Metabolic Debromination of Decabromodiphenyl Ether (BDE-209) Occurring in the Aquatic Environment. Abst. SETAC 28nd Annual Meeting, Milwaukee, WI.

• La Guardia, M. J.; R. C. Hale; E. P. Harvey; T. M. Mainor; P. D. Gerdes 2007. Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs) - Residual Trends in Sewage Sludge. WEF Compounds of Emerging Concern, Symposium 2007, Providence, RI.

• La Guardia, M. J. 2007. Compounds of emerging concern – An overview. VWEA LPC/VA-AWWA Good Laboratory Practice Conference. Charlottesville, Va.

• La Guardia, M. J.  2006.  Fate of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in wastewaters.  Endocrine Disruptors – What we know and what we don’t.  Mid-Atlantic Region Water Program, Fredrick, MD.

• La Guardia, M. J. and R. C. Hale.   2006.  Environmental monitoring for emerging contaminants – (polybrominated diphenyl ethers).  Virginia Water Monitoring Council 2006 Conference, Henrico, Va. 

• La Guardia, M. J.; R. C. Hale; E. P. Harvey  2005. Congener specific determination of PBDEs in four flame-retardant mixtures; DE-71, Bromkal 70-5DE, DE-79 and Bromkal 79-8DE.  The Seventh annual workshop on brominated flame-retardants (BFRs) in the environment.  National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD.

• La Guardia, M. J.; R. C. Hale; E. P. Harvey  2005. Congener specific determination of PBDEs in four flame-retardant mixtures; DE-71, Bromkal 70-5DE, DE-79 and Bromkal 79-8DE. Abst. SETAC 25nd Annual Meeting, Baltimore, MD.

• La Guardia, M. J.; R. C. Hale; E. P. Harvey  2004. Bioaccumulation and debromination of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) under environmental conditions. Abst. SETAC 25nd Annual Meeting, Portland, OR.

• La Guardia, M. J.; R. C. Hale; E. P. Harvey  2004. Environmental debromination of decabrominated diphenyl ether. Proc. The Third International Workshop on Brominated Flame Retardants (BFR2004), University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

• La Guardia, M. J.; R. C. Hale; E. P. Harvey  2003. Are wastewater treatment plants sources for polybrominated diphenyl ethers? Abst. SETAC 24nd Annual Meeting, Austin, TX.

• La Guardia, M. J.; R. C. Hale; E. P. Harvey; E. O. Bush; T. M. Mainor; M. O. Gaylor  2003.  Emerging chemicals of concern in biosolids. Proc. WEF/AWWA/CWEA Joint Residuals and Biosolids Management Conference, Baltimore, MD.

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Seminars / Workshops

• La Guardia, M. J. 2007. PBDEs, Persistent Organic Pollutants: Global and Regional Concerns. Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences Department Seminar. Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA.
• La Guardia, M. J. 2006.  Impact of CEC’s on wastewater treatment – An overview.  Compounds of emerging concern (CECs) in wastewater treatment (Present Status & Future Challenges). Water Environment Federation (WEF), Webcast Series. October 4, 2006.
• La Guardia, M. J.; R. C. Hale; D. Luellen; E. Harvey; T. M. Mainor; E. O. Bush 2006.  Aquatic exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in stream subjected to municipal wastewater effluent.  EAAH Department Seminar. VIMS, Gloucester, VA.
• La Guardia, M. J.  2005.  Laboratory calculations.  VWEA LPC/VA-AWWA Good Laboratory Practice Conference. Charlottesville, VA.
• La Guardia, M. J.  2004.  Laboratory calculations.  VWEA LPC/VA-AWWA Good Laboratory Practice Conference. Charlottesville, VA.
• La Guardia, M. J.  2003.  Laboratory calculations.  VWEA LPC/VA-AWWA Good Laboratory Practice Conference. Charlottesville, VA.
• La Guardia, M. J.; R. C. Hale; E. Harvey; T. M. Mainor; E. O. Bush; M. O. Gaylor; S. Ciparis; M. Jacobs  2002.  Fate of nonylphenol ethoxylate degradation products associated with agricultural application of sewage sludge.  EAAH Department Seminar. VIMS, Gloucester, VA.

Professional Memberships

• American Chemical Society (Environmental Chemistry Division)
• Water Environmental Federation (Committees: Compounds of Emerging Concern Community of Practice and Virginia Laboratory Practices Committee)

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