Ecosystems Research
Susan D. Richardson
My research has focused on identifying new disinfection by-products (DBPs) in drinking water, determining formation mechanisms, and integrating toxicological characterization with chemical characterization approaches. From 2002 to 2010, my work has focused on the toxicity-based identification of new DBPs, the toxicological and chemical evaluation of alternative disinfectant treatment scenarios, the occurrence of iodinated DBPs in chloraminated drinking waters, and mechanisms of formation for toxicologically significant halonitromethane and iodinated DBPs. New work involves the formation of highly genotoxic and cytotoxic iodo-acids and iodo-trihalomethanes from iodinated X-ray contrast media (ICM) used for medical imaging. ICM are used in high quantities and are found in source waters for drinking water (up to ppb levels). Chlorine or chloramine can react with them to produce these highly toxic iodo-DBPs.
Biographical Information
Name: Susan Richardson
Title: Research Chemist
Contact Info:
Ecosystems Research Division
National Exposure Research Laboratory
Office of Research and Development
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
960 College Station Road
Athens, Georgia 30605-2700\
Phone: 706-355-8304
Email: richardson.susan@epa.gov
Education
Ph.D. Physical Organic Chemistry, Emory University, 1989
B.S. Chemistry & Mathematics (Magna cum Laude), Georgia College, 1984
Professional Experience
Research Chemist, USEPA, ORD, NERL-ERD, Athens, GA. 1989-Present
Professional Affiliations
Editorial Advisory Board: Environmental Science & Technology, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Comprehensive Analytical Chemistry book series (Elsevier)
Editorial Board: Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry (Wiley)
Associate Editor: Water Research, Encyclopedia of Analytical Chemistry (Wiley)
National Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Industrial Research: Chair - Source Water Quality Monitoring and Advanced/Emerging Technologies for Drinking Water Treatment.
National Academy of Sciences Expert Panel: Emerging Contaminants: Opportunities for a National Research Council Assessment. Washington, D.C. 2011.
Reviewer: Environmental Science & Technology, Analytical Chemistry, Water Research, Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry, Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry, The Journal of Chromatography A, Chemosphere, The Journal of the American Water Works Association, The Journal of Mass Spectrometry, The Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, Analytica Chemica Acta, and The Journal of AOAC lnternational.
Reviewer: National Science Foundation proposals, government agency proposals, international government agency-funded proposals and state-sponsored proposals.
Selected Awards and Honors
American Chemical Society Award for Creative Advances in Environmental Science & Technology. 2008
Honorary Doctorate (Doctor of Letters, honoris causa), Cape Breton University, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, 2006
Editorial Advisory Board, Environmental Science & Technology. 2009-
Associate Editor, Water Research. 2009-
Analytical Chemistry, Top 20 Most Accessed Articles in 2009, 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004
USEPA, STAA Awards, 2010, 2009, 2004, 2003, 2001, 2000, 1998, 1997
Chemist of the Year, Northeast Georgia Section of the American Chemical Society. 2008
Environmental Science & Technology, Top 20 Most Accessed Articles in 2007, 2006, 2004
Editorial Board, Rapid Communications in Mass Spectrometry (Wiley). 2006-2012
U.S. EPA, National Exposure Research Laboratory Special Achievement Award (Leader in the Environmental Research Community). 2006
USEPA, Bronze Medal, 2003.
Publications and Presentations