Heather M. Stapleton

Professor of Environmental Health

Professor Heather Stapleton is an environmental chemist and exposure scientist in the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University.  Her research interests focus on identification of halogenated and organophosphate chemicals in building materials, furnishings and consumer products, and estimation of human exposure, particularly in vulnerable populations such as pregnant women and children.  Her laboratory utilizes mass spectrometry, including targeted and nontargeted approaches, to characterize chemical burdens in both environmental samples and biological tissues to support environmental health research. Currently she serves as the Director for the Duke Superfund Research Center, and Director of the Duke Environmental Analysis Laboratory, which is part of NIH’s Human Health Environmental Analysis Resource.

 

 

Appointments and Affiliations

  • Ronie-Richele Garcia-Johnson Distinguished Professor
  • Professor in the Division of Environmental Natural Sciences
  • Professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
  • Member of the Duke Cancer Institute

Contact Information

  • Office Location: 9 Circuit Drive, Box 90328, LSRC Room A207, Durham, NC 27710
  • Email Address: heather.stapleton@duke.edu
  • Websites:

Education

  • B.S. Long Island University, Southhampton College, 1997
  • M.S. University of Maryland, College Park, 2000
  • Ph.D. University of Maryland, College Park, 2003

Research Interests

  • Human exposure in indoor environments
  • Use of silicone wristbands to measure human exposure
  • Chemical exposures and cancer risk
  • Targeted & Nontargeted mass spectrometry methods applied to environmental samples
  • Effects of halogenated organic contaminants (e.g. BFRs, PFAS) on thyroid hormone regulation

Awards, Honors, and Distinctions

  • Highly Cited Researcher in the field of Environment. Clarivate. 2021
  • Thomas Langford Lectureship Award. Duke University. 2020
  • Highly Cited Researcher. Clarivate. 2019
  • Best Paper of the Year Award. Environmental Science & Technology. 2011

Courses Taught

  • ENVIRON 899: Master's Project
  • ENVIRON 898: Program Area Seminar
  • ENVIRON 560: Environmental Health: Pollutant Chemistry and Toxicology
  • ENVIRON 540: Chemical Fate of Organic Compounds
  • ENVIRON 360: Environmental Health: Pollutant Chemistry and Toxicology
  • CEE 563: Chemical Fate of Organic Compounds

In the News

Representative Publications

  • Lin, E. Z., N. J. Herkert, D. Hay, E. M. Cooper, H. M. Stapleton, and K. J. Godri Pollitt. “Comparative Assessment of Personal Exposures to Environmental Contaminants Using Silicone Wristbands and Fresh Air Wristbands.” Environmental Science and Technology 60, no. 37 (September 22, 2026): 26269–80. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6c09387.
  • DeSantiago, Melissa, Grant D. Tore, Nicholas J. Herkert, Heather M. Stapleton, Duncan Hay, Margarita Valenzuela, Jenny Ruedlinger, et al. “A Pilot Study to Explore the Application of Silicone Wristband-Based Chemical Exposure Assessment to Kidney Disease Epidemiology in Agricultural Workers.” Environmental Health Perspectives, August 20, 2026. https://doi.org/10.1021/ehp.6c00319.
  • Bauer, Rachel A., Zhao Yang, Michael Petriello, Sharon Zhang, Heather M. Stapleton, John L. Adgate, and Courtney C. Carignan. “Associations of serum PFAS with COVID-19 antibody levels among fully vaccinated adults.” Environmental Research 298 (June 2026): 124154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2026.124154.
  • Miller, Joshua D., Kate Hoffman, Samantha M. Samon, Robert C. Hill, Grace A. Hall, Gary S. Dwyer, Nelson A. Rivera, Heather M. Stapleton, and Heileen Hsu-Kim. “Polyurethane Foam Wristbands as Personal Passive Samplers of Ambient Particulate Exposures to Lead and Other Metals.” Environmental Science & Technology 60, no. 25 (June 2026): 17756–65. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6c05099.
  • Gronske, M. C., W. Stutts, D. Jima, J. Palumbo, H. M. Stapleton, and S. W. Kullman. “Triphenyl phosphate promotes lipid accumulation in human mesenchymal stem cells through metabolic stress pathways.” Archives of Toxicology, June 2026. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00204-026-04445-5.