CCEE Department Head Dr. Jacqueline MacDonald Gibson was recently featured in a story by the Daily Tar Heel about detected lead levels in water sources on UNC Chapel Hill’s campus. The paper reported that the university has found lead in the water of drinking fountains and sinks in eight of its buildings.
MacDonald Gibson, whose research focuses on the intersection of water quality and human health, said the amount of lead found in the water was “very high, and definitely it’s good that the university is testing these faucets and ought to work on finding the source of lead.”
“Lead is really the biggest concern for children aged six and under because it’s a neurotoxin that really interferes with development of the brain,” MacDonald Gibson said. “Once you’re in college, your circuits are pretty well developed. Ideally, you still aren’t exposed to a lot of lead, but you’re beyond the riskiest phase.”