Episode Summary: It’s no secret that industrialization has taken a heavy toll on the planet and our bodies. But just how extensive and pervasive is chemical exposure? On this episode of Definitely not the Ivory Tower, Natalie Meisner sits down with chemists Nausheen Sadiq and Catharina Venter to discuss how we are exposed to toxic chemicals and metals on a daily basis, through water, food and cosmetics. This episode takes a look at the history of chemical contamination in everyday products, what the situation is like today, how our bodies and the environment are affected and how it can impact us over a lifetime. The two researchers also give advice on how we can deal with this reality and what to watch out for as consumers.  Show notes:The Berkeley Pit, Butte, Montana Mercury in hats – Mad HattersRadium girlsBioaccumulation Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) – Forever ChemicalsSuperfund sitesContaminated Sites Map – CanadaCanadian Indigenous Nations water quality crisisSuperfood qualities of blueberriesInductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) ChitosanSadiq’s NSERC Discovery Grant Discussion segment timestamps:1:44: Episode and guest intro4:16: Real world applications of research 6:13: Being a changemaker 10:11: Lightbulb moments 12:57: History of toxic elements in food and cosmetics 17:02: How are food and cosmetics contaminated in the first place19:57: What do toxic elements do to our bodies22:37: How widespread is the issue of toxic elements in food and cosmetics 26:25: What elements are most concerning28:14: Superfund sites 34:27: Testing food and cosmetics in the lab 42:20: Lab methods 46:15: Chitosan 51:48: Importance of student research53:39: How being a chemist affects everyday life59:55: Conclusion and episode outro Nausheen Sadiq selected publications: Multi-elemental bio-accessibility from long-grain rice for realistic risk assessment using on-line continuous leaching coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry: The non‐arsenic side of the storySadiq, N. W., & Beauchemin, D. (2025). Multi-elemental bio-accessibility from long-grain rice for realistic risk assessment using on-line continuous leaching coupled to inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry: The non‑arsenic side of the story. Food Chemistry, 144637.Realistic risk assessment of arsenic in riceAlthobiti, R. A., Sadiq, N. W., & Beauchemin, D. (2018). Realistic risk assessment of arsenic in rice. Food chemistry, 257, 230-236.Multi-elemental risk assessment of various baby rice cereals: some cause for concern?Sadiq, N. W., & Beauchemin, D. (2021). Multi-elemental risk assessment of various baby rice cereals: some cause for concern?. Canadian Journal of Chemistry, 99(999), 742-750.Characterization of the Phenolic Content Across Commercial Food Extracts Using Liquid Chromatography – Mass SpectrometrySadiq, N. W., Karboune, S., & Bayen, S. Characterization of the Phenolic Content Across Commercial Food Extracts Using Liquid Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry. Available at SSRN 4978097.Dissolution of Selected Trace Elements from Simulated Atmospheric Aerosol Aging and Human Exposure of Mineral Dust and Coal Fly AshSadiq, N. W., Venter, C., Mohammed, W., Khalaf, Y., & Al-Abadleh, H. A. (2023). Dissolution of selected trace elements from simulated atmospheric aerosol aging and human exposure of mineral dust and coal fly ash. ACS ES&T Air, 1(1), 5-15.

Ver todos los episodios