Heather M. Stapleton

Associate 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

  • Tore, Grant D., Melissa DeSantiago, Heather M. Stapleton, Wassim Obeid, Chirag R. Parikh, Jordan R. Kuiper, Margarita Valenzuela, et al. “Associations between exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and biomarkers of acute kidney injury among Chilean agricultural workers.” International Journal of Hygiene and Environmental Health 274 (May 2026): 114791. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijheh.2026.114791.
  • Stapleton, Heather M., Nicholas J. Herkert, Duncan Hay, Kate Hoffman, and R Bryan Ormond. “Volatile per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and other semi-volatile organic chemicals in indoor air of fire stations: the influence of gear storage conditions.” Environmental Science. Processes & Impacts, April 2026. https://doi.org/10.1039/d6em00069j.
  • Hoxie, Taylor, Sharon Zhang, Ellen M. Cooper, Daniel Ehrlich, Nicholas Herkert, Kate Hoffman, and Heather M. Stapleton. “Assessing Nondietary Exposure to Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFASs) in Firefighters Using Silicone Wristbands.” Environment & Health (Washington, D.C.) 4, no. 4 (April 2026): 684–93. https://doi.org/10.1021/envhealth.5c00316.
  • DeSantiago, Melissa, Margarita Valenzuela, Duncan Hay, Heather M. Stapleton, Grant Tore, Ana M. Rule, Jordan R. Kuiper, Catterina Ferreccio, Sandra Cortés A, and Lesliam Quirós-Alcalá. “Pesticide Exposure Characterization Among Adult Males in a Chilean Agricultural Community Using Paired Silicone Wristbands and Urine Samples.” Environmental Science & Technology 60, no. 14 (April 2026): 10576–94. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5c18101.
  • Meyer, Joel N., Elizabeth F. Boxer, Kevin M. Crofton, Richard T. Di Giulio, Allie Gartland-Gray, Amelia M. Foley, Laura E. Jameson, et al. “How can academic researchers more effectively contribute to environmental toxicology and health efforts for regulatory decisions, policymakers, nonprofits, and communities?” Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. Part B, Critical Reviews, March 2026, 1–28. https://doi.org/10.1080/10937404.2026.2636513.