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Richard C. Pleus, Ph.D. |
Education
Postdoctoral training, University of Nebraska Medical Center, 1992, Neuropharmacology
Ph.D., University of Minnesota, 1991, Environmental Toxicology
M.S., University of Minnesota, 1983, Environmental Health
B.S., Michigan State University, 1977, Physiology, Honors Graduate
Experience Highlights
25 years experience in human health risk assessments.
Fields of Expertise include: Human Health Risk Assessment; General Toxicology; Respiratory Toxicology; Reproductive/ Developmental, Endocrinological, and Neurological Toxicology and Pharmacology; Risk Communication
Biographical Sketch
RICHARD C. PLEUS, PH.D., Intertox managing director and toxicologist, is an expert in neurological and reproductive toxicology with over 25 years experience assessing the risk to humans exposed to chemical and biological agents via food, consumer products, therapeutic agents, and the environment. He has a proven ability to communicate risks of toxicants to a variety of audiences—skillfully facilitating both public forums and industry meetings, in litigation support, on expert panels, and as an expert witness. His clients include companies from the nanotechnology, pulp and paper, utility, cement manufacturing, mining, building material, water, and chemical industries; law firms; citizen groups; and governmental agencies both national and international. He continues to be involved in research, publications, and education.
Dr. Pleus’ research focuses on human health risk, including mode-of-action studies aimed at quantifying exposure to critical organ systems, with particular interest in human and laboratory animal nervous system development. His recent work has been focused primarily on emerging contaminants, especially in water, such as endocrine disruptors, pharmaceuticals, and personal care products. Additionally, he has unique experience in developing environmental health and safety (EHS) standards for nanomaterials and assisting in the evaluation of EHS risks from exposure to intentionally and non-intentionally derived nanoparticles. Dr. Pleus focuses his work on the application of academic research results to protect human health and resolve public health issues. He has presented the results of his research at national and international meetings in Australia, France, South Africa, and the Czech Republic.
Dr. Pleus’ contribution to peer reviewed journals and books include his work regarding perchlorate, published in Environmental Health Perspectives and his chapter contribution, Perchlorate Regulation and Regulatory Activity (Chapter IX) to GFS Chemicals book Perchloric Acid and Perchlorate. He has also contributed chapters to Biological Risk Engineering Handbook: Infection Control and Decontamination (Lewis Publishers), chapter 4, Toxicology, and chapter 5, Risk Assessment. Dr. Pleus has served as an expert on a U.S. EPA scientific advisory panel to review human health risks related to pesticide exposures and as an expert on two peer review panels assessing the human health risks of resorcinol. Additionally, he served as a stakeholder advisory committee ember for the WateReuse Foundation, to review the development of indicators and surrogates for chemical contaminant removal during wastewater treatment and reclamation.
Dr. Pleus’ current focus is on developing environmental health and safety (EHS) standards for nanomaterials and assisting in the evaluation of EHS risks from exposure to engineered nanoparticles. His evaluation of EHS is made possible through his participation as a U.S. delegate on the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee (TC) 229, Nanotechnologies. While serving on TC 229, Dr. Pleus is leading the U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) Working Group 3 to develop a comprehensive list of physical and chemical characterization parameters of engineered nano-objects for toxicologic assessment. Intertox is also assisting on a number of product-related nanotechnology issues with companies around the world. Dr. Pleus is a co-founder of the Nanotechnology Health and Safety Forum. Held in June 2009, the forum focused on the science of nanotechnology, government regulations, insurance and risk management, as well as the roles of corporations and non-profit organizations as related to the future of nanotechnology. Recently, Dr. Pleus has been asked to serve on the review panel for NIOSH intramural proposals for the NIOSH Nanotechnology Research Center.
Dr. Pleus was an instructor for 10 years at the University of Minnesota where he taught human science classes for both lower and upper level undergraduate students. In addition, he taught courses in physiological psychology and psychopharmacology for Metropolitan State University. He is an adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, as well as a faculty member of the Center for Environmental Toxicology at the University of Nebraska. He is an elected member of the Delta Omega Honorary Society in Public Health.
Dr. Pleus’ credentials include a B.S. with Honors from Michigan State University, an M.S. in Environmental Health, a Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology from the University of Minnesota, and postdoctoral research in neuropharmacology at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.
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Recent Publications
Book Chapters
Pleus R.C. Risk Communication. In Robles H. and Braun F. J., Eds. Toxicology for Environmental Professionals. In Preparation.
Belzer R.B., Bruce G.M., Peterson M.K. and Pleus R.C. 2004. Using Comparative Exposure Analysis to Validate Low-Dose Human Health Risk Assessment: The Case of Perchlorate. In Linkov, I. and Ramadan, A., Eds. Comparative Risk Assessment and Environmental Decision Making. Kluwer. Pgs. 57-74.
Borak J.B. and Pleus R.C. 2003. Toxicology (Chapter 39). In McCunney R.J., Eds. A Practical Approach to Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 3rd Edition. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Publishers. Pgs. 554-570.
Published Articles
Belzer, R.B., Bus, J.C., Cavalieri, E.L., Lewis, S.C., North, D.W., Pleus R.C. 2008. The Naphthalene State of the Science Symposium: Objectives, Organization, Structure, and Charge. Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology 51 (2; Suppl. 1): 1-5.
Snyder, S.A., Vanderford B.J., Drewes J., Dickenson E., Snyder E.M., Bruce G.M., Pleus R.C. 2008. State of Knowledge of Endocrine Disruptors and Pharmaceuticals in Drinking Water, Awwa Research Foundation, Denver, CO.
Linkov, I., Satterstrom F.K., Steevens J, Ferguson, E., Pleus, R.C. 2007. Mulit-criteria decision analysis and environmental risk assessment for nanomaterials. Jounral of Nanoparticle Research.
Snyder S.A., Pleus R.C., Vanderford B.J., Holady J.C. 2006. Perchlorate and chlorate in dietary supplements and flavor enhancing ingredients. Analytica Chimica Acta 567 (1) 26–32.
Snyder, E.M., Pleus, R.C., Snyder, S.A. 2005. Pharmaceuticals and EDCs in the US water industry- an update. Journal of the American Water Works Association. 97(11): 32-36.
Chow JC, Watson JG, Savage N, Solomon CJ, Cheng Y, McMurry PH, Corey LM, Bruce GM, Pleus RC, Biswas P, Wu C. 2005. Critical Review: Nanoparticles and the Environment. Air & Waste Management Association. 55: 1411-1417
Wahlsten D., Colbourne F. and Pleus R.C. 2003. A robust, efficient and flexible method for staining myelinated axons in blocks of brain tissue. J. of Neurosci. Methods. 123: 207-214.
Greer M.A., Goodman G., Pleus R.C. and Greer S.E. 2002. Health Effects Assessment for Environmental Perchlorate Contamination: The Dose Response for Inhibition of Thyroidal Radioiodine Uptake in Humans. Environm. Health Perspect. 110: 927-937.
Greer M.A., Goodman G., Pleus R.C. and Greer S.E. 2000. Does environmental perchlorate exposure alter human thyroid function? Determination of the dose-response for inhibition of radioiodine uptake. Endocrine J. 47: 148.
Technical Papers
Pleus R.C., Bruce G.M., Peterson M.K., and Dodge D.G. 2004. Comparative Contribution of Perchlorate and Anti-Thyroid Agents in American Diets to Iodide Uptake Inhibition. Paper presented at the 32nd Propellant Development & Characterization Subcommittee (PDCS) and the 21st Safety & Environmental Protection Subcommittee (S&EPS) Joint Meeting, Seattle, WA, July 25-29.
Bruce G.M., Johnson D. and Pleus R.C. 2002. Assessment of the Validity of U.S. EPA’s Interpretation of an Effect of Altered Neurobehavior in Offspring Treated with Perchlorate in utero: A Critical Review of the Argus (1998) and Bekkedal et al. (2000) Studies. Submitted to Eastern Research Group, Inc. for the U.S. EPA/ORD Peer Review Workshop-Perchlorate Environmental Contamination: Toxicological Review and Risk Characterization, March 5-6, Sacramento, CA. February 19.
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Recent Presentations
Conference Presentations & Posters
2009. Pleus, R.C. Global Standardization: ISO TC 229. Nanotechnology Symposium California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC). Sacramento, CA, November 16.
2009. Pleus, R.C. Nanomaterials: Steps to Address EHS Concerns That Businesses Should Consider Before Placing Nanomaterials on the Market. Nanotech in the Marketplace Webinar. June 4.
2009. Pleus, R.C. Hexavalent Chromium and Mercury in the Cement Industry – Recent Concerns About Human Health Issues. Presented at the 2009 IEEE-IAS/PCA 51st Cement Industry Technical Conference. Palm Springs, CA, June 2.
2009. Pleus, R.C. Pharmaceuticals & Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) in Water: Development of Health Risk-Based Screening Levels. Presented at the Water Quality Committee Program 2009 ACWA Spring Conference. Sacramento, CA, May 19-22.
2009. Pleus, R.C. EHS: Policy, Regulation & Product Safety. Presented at the Nano Science and Technology Institute (NSTI) 2009 Products and Liability Panel. Houston, TX, May 5.
2009. Pleus, R.C. Environmental Health & Safety and Nanotechnology: Possible Issues in the Water Industry. Presented at the Washington Innovation Summit 2009. Bellevue, WA, April 9.
2009. Pleus, R.C. Perchlorate, Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products, Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals, and Nanotechnology in Water. Presented for the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA). Sacramento, CA, February 9.
2008. Pleus, R.C., Walker, N., and Canady, R. A Minimal Set of Characterization Parameters. Presented at the Ensuring Appropriate Material Characterization in Nano-Toxicity Studies: A Workshop, Washington, D.C., October 28.
2008. Pleus, R.C. What We Are Learning About Micro Constituents in Drinking Water: Pharmaceuticals and Endocrine Disruptors. Presented at the 2008 Water Quality and Regulatory Conference, Ontario, CA, October 16.
2008. Pleus, R.C. Pharmaceuticals, Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs), and Personal Care Products (PCPs) in Untreated and Treated Drinking Water: What We Know So Far. Presented at the AWWA / PNCW sponsored seminar, Pharmaceuticals in Water and Wastewater, Hillsboro, OR, September 11.
2008. Pleus, R.C. Endocrine Disrupting Compounds (EDCs) and Pharmaceuticals and Personal Care Products (PPCPs). AWWA Webcast, May 7.
2008. Pleus, R.C. Toxicology of Endocrine Disruptors (EDCs): Excerpts from Toxicological Relevance of Endocrine Disruptors and Pharmaceuticals in Drinking Water, project #3085. Presented at the EDC Communitaction - AwwaRF Research On EDC’s and Risk Communication for D.C. Region Stakeholders, Washington, D.C., April 11.
2008. Pleus, R.C. Toxicological Relevance of Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs) and Pharmaceuticals in Water. AwwaRF Project #3085 / WRF 04-003. AwwaRF Webcast, March 6.
2008. Pleus, R.C. Strategy Used to Build Toxicological Database for Emerging Toxic Chemicals in Litigation Focusing on the Mechanism of Action—Yes, This Is Rocket Science! Presented at the DRI Conference, Phoenix, AZ, February 6, 2008.
Short Courses
2004. To be presented through Aerotech Technical Institute’s continuing education program, Emerging Contaminants in Indoor Air.
2004. Lecturer for Department of Pharmacology, University of Nebraska Medical Center. Provided lectures on toxicology for medical, pharmacy, graduate and physician assistant students at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Department of Pharmacology.
2003. Lecturer for Department of Pharmacology, University of Nebraska Medical Center and Center for Environmental Toxicology, University of Nebraska. Provided a technical lecture entitled Making Sense of the Perchlorate Action Level Debate?
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Project Highlights
The Greer Study
Dr. Pleus is co-author of Greer et al., 2002 (the “Greer Study”), considered by many to be the most definitive study assessing the potential human health risk from exposure to perchlorate at environmental levels. As part of the effort to facilitate development of an RfD for perchlorate, acting under the guidance of U.S. EPA/NCEA and AFRL, developed a protocol for a clinical study of the dose-response of perchlorate effects on thyroid iodine uptake and perchlorate pharmacokinetics. The study was performed at Oregon Health Sciences University (OHSU).
Dr. Monte Greer of OHSU was the principal investigator and Dr. Gay Goodman was the co-investigator. A study report was submitted to U.S. EPA/NCEA in June of 2000, an abstract of this work was presented at the International Thyroid Congress in Kyoto, Japan, and a manuscript was published in 2002.
Advisory Positions
2009 – present Project Advisory Committee, WateReuse Foundation / Kennedy/Jenks Consultants, WRF 09-07: Risk Assessment Study of PPCPs in Recycled Water to Support Public Review.
2009 - present. Peer Review Panel Member for the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Intramural Proposal "International Coordination of Nanoscale Reference Materials" for the Nanotechnology Research Center (NTRC).
2008 - present. Project Advisory Committee, WateReuse Foundation, WRF 06-019: Monitoring for Microconstituents in an Advanced Wastewater Treatment (AWT) Facility and Modeling Discharge of Reclaimed Water to Surface Canals for Indirect Potable Use, Florida, USA
2008. Advisory Board Member, Center for Risk Communication Research, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, USA
2007 - present. International Advisory Board, USA, International Symposium on Nanotechnology in Environmental Protection and Pollution, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
2007 - present. Project Leader for Technical Report: Guidance on physico-chemical characterization of engineered nanoscale materials for toxicologic assessment. ISO/TC 229.
2006. Counselor to the Central States Chapter of the Society of Toxicology (CS-SOT).
2006. Stakeholder Advisory Committee Member, to review Development of Indicators and Surrogates for Chemical Contaminant Removal During Wastewater Treatment and Reclamation, WateReuse Foundation Project WRF-03-014. May 16-17, in Phoenix, Arizona.
2006. Technical Committee Member for the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) Accredited United States Technical Advisory Group (TAG) to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Technical Committee for nanotechnologies. Washington, D.C. The committee members contribute to the development of U.S. positions on technical and policy matters concerning nanotechnologies before the ISO. The ISO U.S. TAG committee is the Working Group with primary responsibility for development of health, safety, and environment (HSE) standards for nanotechnologies.
Conferences and Symposiums
Expert Peer Review Panels
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