Claudiu Lungu

Dr. Claudiu Lungu is a Professor in the Department of Environmental Health Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB), with a secondary appointment in Mechanical Engineering. He holds a Ph.D. in Environmental Health Sciences from the University of South Carolina. His research focuses on environmental and occupational exposure to gaseous/vapor contaminants, nanomaterials for air sampling (e.g., photothermal desorption), activated carbon fibers for respiratory protection, and composite materials for environmental remediation. He directs the NIOSH-funded Deep South Center for Occupational Health and Safety, a multi-university consortium.

Dr. Lungu’s work includes developing novel samplers for volatile organic compounds (VOCs), evaluating occupational heat stress, and analyzing psychosocial job stress in healthcare workers. He teaches courses such as Environmental Sampling & Analysis and oversees interdisciplinary field studies. His grants include projects on occupational safety training, airborne heavy metals, and environmental exposures in the Deep South.

His research emphasizes practical applications like thermoregulative textiles, plasma-treated carbon fibers for aerosol remediation, and biomass waste utilization. He advises numerous graduate students and collaborates on studies ranging from Sri Lankan birth cohorts (linking PM2.5 exposure to low birth weight) to nanocomposite microsponges for water remediation.