Krystal Pollitt, PhD, P.Eng.

Associate Professor of Epidemiology (Environmental Health)

DownloadHi-Res Photo

Additional Titles

Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health

Contact Info

krystal.pollitt@yale.edu

Environmental Health Sciences

60 College Street

New Haven, CT 06510

United States

About

Titles

Associate Professor of Epidemiology (Environmental Health)

Affiliated Faculty, Yale Institute for Global Health

Biography

My research applies exposomic approaches to investigate the influence of environmental factors on disease. Robust, reliable, reproducible, and rigorous analytical and computational techniques are required to operationalise the exposome framework for application in population studies. My work has focused on addressing the technical hurdles of performing systematic and comprehensive measurements of environmental chemicals using high resolution mass spectrometry. My research team has pioneered technologies for exposomics, including a wearable passive sampler (Fresh Air wristband) to assess personal exposure to thousands of contaminants in the environment, including pesticides and phthalates, and software for non-targeted analysis (FluoroMatch) to expand coverage of emerging chemicals in environmental and biological matrices.

Last Updated on September 16, 2025.

Appointments

Environmental Health Sciences
Associate Professor on Term
Primary
Environmental Health Sciences
Chemical and Environmental Engineering
Associate Professor on Term
Secondary
Chemical and Environmental Engineering

Education & Training

Canadian Thoracic Society Post-Doctoral Research Fellow: University of Toronto (2014)

PhD: King's College London, Environmental Toxicology (2012)

MSc: University of Toronto, Chemical Engineering (2008)

BSc: University of Toronto, Chemical Engineering (2005)

Research

Overview

Medical Research Interests

Air Pollution; Environmental Exposure; Exposome; Mass Spectrometry

Public Health Interests

Chronic Diseases; Environmental Health; Global Health; Infectious Diseases; Community Engagement; COVID-19

ORCID
0000-0001-7332-2228
Pollitt Lab
View Lab Website

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Frequent collaborators of Krystal Pollitt's published research.

Jeremy P. Koelmel
View Full Profile
View 29 Common Publications
Nicole Deziel, PhD, MHS
View Full Profile
View 7 Common Publications
Caroline Helen Johnson, PhD
View Full Profile
View 6 Common Publications
Pengfei Guo
Former YSM
View 5 Common Publications
Dong Gao, PhD, MS, BS
View Full Profile
View 4 Common Publications
Zeyan Liew, PhD, MPH
View Full Profile
View 4 Common Publications

Publications

2026

Levels and Sources of Airborne Volatile Organic Compounds in Fifty Homes Following the 2025 Los Angeles Wildfires
Pei G, Azimi P, Keshavarz Z, Vallarino J, Kessler W, Park S, Ferguson L, Zhu Y, Pollitt K, Misztal P, Ruiz L, Jerrett M, Sung D, Deveraux E, Nadeau K, Allen J. Levels and Sources of Airborne Volatile Organic Compounds in Fifty Homes Following the 2025 Los Angeles Wildfires. ACS ES&T Air 2026, 3: 1552-1563. DOI: 10.1021/acsestair.5c00508.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
Targeted and non-targeted analyses of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances in newborn dried blood spots and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Vieira V, Liu S, Morimoto L, Koelmel J, Binczewski N, Wiemels J, Ma X, Godri Pollitt K, Metayer C. Targeted and non-targeted analyses of per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances in newborn dried blood spots and risk of childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Journal Of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology 2026, 1-11. PMID: 41981048, PMCID: PMC13123734, DOI: 10.1038/s41370-026-00891-6.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
Association of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure with cognitive function in firefighters
Pan X, Pollitt K, Liu S, Armstrong F, Amin B. Association of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) exposure with cognitive function in firefighters. Journal Of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology 2026, 1-11. PMID: 41882280, DOI: 10.1038/s41370-026-00861-y.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
Evaluating 1,4-Dioxane Exposure in Long Island, New York: Integrating Environmental, Biological, and Metabolomic Measures
Deziel N, Liu S, Johnson N, Berardi D, Clark C, Loughlin C, Sorrentino K, Lin E, Ning X, Warren J, Liew Z, Johnson C, Pollitt K. Evaluating 1,4-Dioxane Exposure in Long Island, New York: Integrating Environmental, Biological, and Metabolomic Measures. Environmental Science And Technology 2026, 60: 9048-9060. PMID: 41824932, PMCID: PMC13045016, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5c15309.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
MeSH Keywords
Quantifying PFAS-Omics Burden Scores for Nontargeted Analysis Using Multidimensional Item Response Theory: An Exploratory Analysis of Novel and Legacy PFAS in Cord Blood
Liu S, Chen Y, Feuerstahler L, Koelmel J, Pollitt K, Xu Y, Lanphear B, Yolton K, Chen A, Pennell K, Braun J, Manz K. Quantifying PFAS-Omics Burden Scores for Nontargeted Analysis Using Multidimensional Item Response Theory: An Exploratory Analysis of Novel and Legacy PFAS in Cord Blood. Environmental Science And Technology 2026, 60: 6322-6340. PMID: 41705714, PMCID: PMC13045749, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5c06490.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
MeSH Keywords
Approaching a 0% False Positive Rate for PFAS Determination Leveraging Only MS1 Data
Schiessel D, Chevallier O, Kummer M, Liu S, Chang P, Pyke J, Klein C, Rodowa A, Ragland J, Godri D, Stelben P, Williams A, Rennie E, Pollitt K, Koelmel J. Approaching a 0% False Positive Rate for PFAS Determination Leveraging Only MS1 Data. Environmental Science And Technology 2026, 60: 5063-5074. PMID: 41612774, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5c12047.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
MeSH Keywords
Measuring the exposome: a practical guide for using wearable passive samplers to assess environmental influences
Okeme J, Lin E, Koelmel J, Guo A, Gao D, Pollitt K. Measuring the exposome: a practical guide for using wearable passive samplers to assess environmental influences. Exposome 2026, 6: osag002. DOI: 10.1093/exposome/osag002.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research

2025

Lipidome changes indicate oxidative stress, inflammation, and specific loss of glycerophosphoserine inflammatory protection in patients with lupus
Koelmel J, Ramos P, Costa K, Godri-Pollitt K, Kamen D, Bowden J. Lipidome changes indicate oxidative stress, inflammation, and specific loss of glycerophosphoserine inflammatory protection in patients with lupus. Journal Of Pharmaceutical And Biomedical Analysis 2025, 270: 117302. PMID: 41389493, DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2025.117302.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
Shedding Light on PFAS Dark Matter Using a Novel GC-HRMS Approach
Koelmel J, Lin E, Chang P, Johnson E, Stelben P, Liu S, Nishida K, Tsugawa H, Lin A, Newton S, Casey J, Nikiforov V, Roberts D, Aksenov A, Okeme J, Metayer C, Vieira V, Manz K, Braun J, Pennell K, Robey N, Bangma J, Strynar M, Townsend T, Bowden J, Pollitt K. Shedding Light on PFAS Dark Matter Using a Novel GC-HRMS Approach. Environmental Science And Technology 2025, 59: 25296-25308. PMID: 41249893, PMCID: PMC12810681, DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5c11712.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research
MeSH Keywords
Emerging PFAS in songbird eggs from a Belgian hotspot site
Cappelli F, Groffen T, Buytaert J, Prinsen E, Eens M, Bervoets L, Zhao L, Yin S, Koelmel J, Kummer M, Godri Pollitt K, Covaci A. Emerging PFAS in songbird eggs from a Belgian hotspot site. Environmental Research 2025, 291: 123156. PMID: 41110788, DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.123156.
Peer-Reviewed Original Research

See All Publications

Academic Achievements & Community Involvement

Activities

activity
Environmental factors in placental pathology
01/01/2019 - PresentResearch
Details
Toronto, ON, Canada
Collaborators
Karl JobstOntario Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change
John SledHospital for Sick Children
Abstract/Synopsis
The placenta is an organ that develops during pregnancy. It transfers oxygen and nutrients from the mother to the fetus and allows for the removal of waste products from the fetus. Placental changes during pregnancy are normal and important to a healthy pregnancy. Abnormal changes can occur when the mother is exposed to certain risk factors and toxins, resulting in placental dysfunction. Placental dysfunction often involves changes to the blood vessels of the placenta, leading to reduced oxygen and nutrient exchange between the mother and the fetus. This may not only affect fetal growth and survival, but also long-term health following delivery. This study will screen environmental contaminants in blood samples collected from a prospective cohort of pregnant women. The association between environmental exposures and placental dysfunction will be evaluated.
activity
Shunyi Birth Cohort
10/01/2018 - PresentResearch
Details
activity
VHEMBE Birth Cohort
09/01/2018 - PresentResearch
Details
Thohoyandou, LP, South Africa
Collaborators
Jonathan ChevrierMcGill University
Abstract/Synopsis
Household Air Pollution and Immune Function in South African Children
activity
BAPE Study
08/01/2018 - PresentResearch
Details
Jinan, Shandong, China
Collaborators
Song TangChinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Xiaoming ShiChinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention
Abstract/Synopsis
Evaluation of biomarkers of air pollutants exposure in the Chinese aged 60-69
activity
Biomass Exposure and Cardiovascular Health in Children
04/01/2018 - PresentResearch
Details

View full list of activities

Honors

honor
Joan M. Daisey Outstanding Young Scientist Award
10/03/2022International AwardInternational Society of Exposure Science
Details
honor
Early Career Research Award
05/01/2021Yale University AwardYale School of Public Health
Details

News & Links

Media

News

See All News

Get In Touch

Contacts

krystal.pollitt@yale.edu

Mailing Address

Environmental Health Sciences

60 College Street

New Haven, CT 06510

United States

Locations

LEPH
Lab
60 College Street, Fl 5, Rm 510
New Haven, CT 06510
Get Directions

Additional Titles

Contact Info

Titles

Biography

Appointments

Environmental Health Sciences

Chemical and Environmental Engineering

Other Departments & Organizations

Education & Training

Overview

Medical Research Interests

Public Health Interests

ORCID

Pollitt Lab

Research at a Glance

Yale Co-Authors

Jeremy P. Koelmel

Nicole Deziel, PhD, MHS

Caroline Helen Johnson, PhD

Pengfei Guo

Dong Gao, PhD, MS, BS

Zeyan Liew, PhD, MPH

Publications

2026

2025

Activities

Environmental factors in placental pathology

Shunyi Birth Cohort

VHEMBE Birth Cohort

BAPE Study

Biomass Exposure and Cardiovascular Health in Children

Honors

Joan M. Daisey Outstanding Young Scientist Award

Early Career Research Award

Media

Biomass exposure assessment in India

Fresh Air Wristband

News

Early life exposure to PFAS associated with common childhood leukemia

YSPH study finds airborne chemicals from wildfires linger inside homes

Exposome research comes of age

Are aluminum pans safe to cook with? We consulted experts on different types of aluminum cookware

Contacts

Locations

LEPH