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Publications

Dr. Specht’s research is widely recognized and published in several highly ranked scientific journals. Across his work, he has built a strong record of scholarly contributions and leadership in his field. Equally central to his mission is mentoring students across diverse disciplines, many of whom have gone on to earn awards, present at professional conferences, publish their research, and launch successful careers.

Publications

Selected peer-reviewed publications by Specht Lab members. *Indicates primary author; uundergraduate student; ggraduate student; ppostdoctoral scientist. Impact factors are based on the Incites Journal Citation Report (Clarivate Analytics).

  1. Sayam ASMg, Bhargava AVu, Pedigo GNg, Specht AJ*. Comparative assessment of different quantification methods in Micro-XRF. Applied Radiation and Isotopes. 2025. 112289. (Impact Factor = 1.8)
  2. Grier Tg, Costa SSu, Faber Bu, Cooper S, Dean K, Martin M, Jackson BP, Katzner TE, Specht AJ*.  Feasibility and Accuracy of In Vivo and Ex Vivo XRF Bone Lead Assessment in Wil Birds: An Example with Black Vultures, Coragyps atratus. Journal of Trace Elements in Medicine and Biology. 127730. 2025. (Impact Factor = 3.5)
  3. Podgorski I, Garmo LC, Herroon MK, Mecca S, Wilson A, Allen DR, Sayam ASMg, Specht AJ, Schlezinger JJ, Petriello MC. Per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS) promote osteoclastogenesis and bone loss through PPARα activation. Toxicology Reports. 2025. 102071. (Impact Factor = 1.7)
  4. Adesina KEg, Specht AJ*, Olaniyan SD, Ignatius C, Idowu OP, Jubril RD, Hamzat TT, Ndoma EG, Olatunji O. Residential and occupational exposure to indoor radon and associated human health risk in Nigeria buildings assessed by multiple monitoring techniques. Science of the Total Environment. 2025. 981:179478. (Impact Factor = 10.8)
  5. Katzner TE*, Blackford AV, Donahue M, Gibbs SEJ, Lenoch J, Martin M, Rocke TE, Root JJ, Styles D, Cooper S, Dean K, Dvornicky-Raymond Z, Keller D, Sanchez C, Dunlap B, Grier Tg, Jones MP, Nitzel G, Patrick E, Purcell M, Specht AJ, Suarez DL. Safety and immunogenicity of poultry vaccine for protecting critically endangered avian species against highly pathogenic avian influenza virus, United States. Emerg Infect Dis. 2025 Jun. (Impact Factor = 7.2)
  6. Adesina KEg, Parducci SAu, Brain JD, Molina RM, Weisskopf MG, Specht AJ*. Comparison between inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and benchtop X-ray fluorescence (XRF) performance for trace elemental exposure in rat tissues. Journal of Trace Elements and Minerals. In Press. (Impact Factor = 2.8)
  7. Adesina KEg, Lanzer JMu, Zetlen HL, Rebuli ME, Rice MB, Specht AJ*. Nasosorption as a Non-Invasive Approach to Measure Metals and Metalloids in the Airway by Benchtop Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence. Exposure and Health. 2025. 1-12. (Impact Factor = 6.7)
  8. Specht AJ*, Sayam ASMg, Antipova OA, Nguyen VT, Hoover CGg, Punshon T, Jackson B, Weisskopf MG. Sub-micrometer Scale Synchrotron X-ray Fluorescence Measurements of Trace Elements in Teeth Compared with Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. Journal of Exposure Sciences and Environmental Epidemiology. 2025. 1-5. (Impact Factor = 4.9)
  9. Adesina KEg, Burgos CJg, Grier TRg, Sayam ASMg, Specht AJ*. Ways to Measure Metals: From ICP-MS to XRF. Current Environmental Health Reports. 2025. 12 (1), 7. (Impact Factor = 7.9)
  10. Specht AJ*, Sayam ASMg, Parish CN, Hauck TJ, Watson RT, McClure CJW, Weisskopf MG. Bone lead measurements of live condors in field to assess cumulative lead exposure. Environmental Science and Pollution Research. 2024 31(44), 56308-56313. (Impact Factor = 5.2)
  11. Adesina Kg, Celis JE, Espejo W, Montes IY, Sandoval M, Specht AJ*. First report of metals and metalloids on bone and claw tissues of Humboldt penguins (Spheniscus humboldti). Austral Journal of Veterinary Sciences. 56, 2024. (Impact Factor = 0.8)
  12. Wise JP*, Speer RM, Hoffert Au, Wise JTF, Specht AJ. Elevated Metal Levels in U.S. Honeys: Is There a Concern for Human Health? Biological Trace Element Research. 2024. 1-9. (Impact Factor = 3.7)
  13. Specht AJ*, Grier Tg, Hoover CGg. Portable x-ray fluorescence for bone lead measurement: A review of current methods. Current Environmental Health Reports. 2024. 1-9. (Impact Factor = 7.9)
  14. Specht AJ*, Adesina Kg, Read Du, Weisskopf MG. Benchtop x-ray fluorescence to quantify elemental content in nails non-destructively. Science of the Total Environment. 2024: 918, 170601. (Impact Factor = 10.8)
  15. Burgos CJg, Read DEu, Grier TRg, Khan MMHg, Taylor KM, Weisskopf MG, Specht AJ*. Dosimetry Testing for a new In Vivo X-Ray Fluorescence Measurement System. Health Physics. 2023: 10.1097. (Impact Factor = 2.2)

Presentations

Selected presentations by Specht Lab members. *Indicates primary author; uundergraduate student; ggraduate student; ppostdoctoral scientist. Impact factors are based on the Incites Journal Citation Report (Clarivate Analytics).

  1. Kolawole E. Adesina, J. A. DiNatale, S. S. Costa, B. Faber, T. E. Katzner, S. Cooper, M. Martin, T. R. Grier, and A. J. Specht (2025). Optically filtered Monochromatic portable X-ray fluorescence (MXRF) quantifies lead in wild bird bone with ICP-MS validation and defined detection limits. HSCI Research Seminar Oral Presentation, School of Health Sciences, Purdue University, November 18th 2025 held at West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
  2. TR Grier Exploring the Feasibility of using an XRF system to Identify Buried Lead Infrastructure under Soil. Purdue School of Health Sciences Seminar. Nov 18, 2025. West Lafayette, IN
  3. AJ Specht, N Batbaatar, TR Grier, C Jia, A Suarez, MP Anastario, JD Spengler. Tire and road emissions generation and characterization. Tire Emissions Research Conference. Sep 2025. Boston, MA
  4. Sayam,A.S.M., Garmo, L., Lin, J., Petriello, M., Podgorski, I., Lippert, F., Martinez Mier, E.A., Weisskopf, M., Specht, A.J. XRF applications in Fluoride and PFAS assessment in biological samples. ISES-ISEE 2025, August 17-20, 2025. Atlanta, GA
  5. Kolawole E. Adesina, James A. DiNatale, Thomas R. Grier, and Aaron J. Specht (2025). Feasibility of a novel optically filtered Monochromatic portable X-ray fluorescence (MXRF) to quantify lead in bone and soft tissues. International Society of Exposure Science (ISES) and International Society of Environmental Epidemiology (ISEE) Poster Presentation, August 17-20th 2025 held at Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
  6. TR Grier,CN Hadu, DT Novak, Y Zhang, AJ Specht, DI Goodman. Determination of Lead Use in Buried Water Service Lines. ISES-ISEE. Aug 2025. Atlanta, GA
  7. ​​AJ Specht, A Vogt, IC Lindsay, EM Wells, K Rubaii, TR Grier. Bone Lead and Uranium Measurements from Postwar Fallujah, Iraq. ISES-ISEE. Aug 2025. Atlanta, GA
  8. TR Grier, S Silva Costa, B Faber, S Cooper, K Dean, M Martin, B Jackson, TE Katzner, AJ Specht. Lead Exposure Assessment in Wild Black Vultures Using Portable and Benchtop X-Ray Fluorescence Compared to ICP-MS. Ohio Valley Society of Toxicology July 25, 2025
  9. Kolawole E. Adesina, James A. DiNatale, Thomas R. Grier, and Aaron J. Specht (2025). Feasibility of a novel optically filtered Monochromatic portable X-ray fluorescence (MXRF) to quantify lead in bone and soft tissues. Health Physics Society (HPS) Oral Presentation, July 13-16th 2025 held at Madison, Wisconsin, USA.
  10. Sayam, A.S.M., Park, J.H., Lee, C.G., Specht, A.J. Enhanced Exposure Assessment using Micro-XRF for Spatial Analysis of Metal Deposition on Air Filters. HPS 2025, July 13-17, 2025. Madison, WI
  11. TR Grier, CN Hadu, DT Novak, Y Zhang, AJ Specht, DI Goodman. Determination of Lead Use in Buried Water Service Lines. Health Physics Society Annual Meeting 2025. Madison, WI
  12. KE Adesina, AA DiNatale, TR Grier, AJ Specht. Feasibility of a novel optically filtered Monochromatic portable X-ray Fluorescence (MXRF) to quantify lead in bone and soft tissues. Health Physics Society Annual Meeting 2025. Madison, WI
  13. TR Grier, S Silva Costa, B Faber, AJ Specht, TE Katzner. Evaluating Bone Lead Measurements Using XRF in Black Vultures: Comparisons across Time and Analytical Methods. Purdue OIGP Spring Reception. May 7, 2025. West Lafayette, IN
  14. TR Grier, CJ Burgos, M Khan, MG Weisskopf, KM Taylor, AJ Specht. Experimental design and testing of a portable x-ray tube based KXRF system to measure lead in bone. Purdue JUWELS for Posterity Poster Session. Apr 10, 2025.  West Lafayette, IN
  15. DT Novak, TR Grier, AJ Specht.  Advancing the use of X-Ray Fluorescence in obscured lead pipe detection. Purdue OUR Spring 2025 Research symposium. Apr 8, 2025. West Lafayette, IN
  16. TR Grier, M Khan, G Osakwe, MG Weisskopf, AJ Specht. X-ray fluorescence measurements of blood samples: In-field and lab-based methods. Purdue HHS Life Inspired Week. Apr 4, 2025. West Lafayette, IN
  17. Kolawole E. Adesina, Jessie M. Lanzer, Hilary L. Zetlen, Meghan E. Rebuli, Mary B. Rice, and Aaron J. Specht (2025). Nasosorption as a Non-Invasive Approach to Measure Metals and Metalloids in the Airway by Benchtop Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence. Society of Toxicology (SOT) Poster Presentation, March 16-20th 2025 held at Orlando, Florida, USA.
  18. Kolawole E. Adesina, Jessie M. Lanzer, Hilary L. Zetlen, Meghan E. Rebuli, Mary B. Rice, and Aaron J. Specht (2025). Nasosorption as a Non-Invasive Approach to Measure Metals and Metalloids in the Airway by Benchtop Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence. Graduate Student Big Picture Oral Presentation. Purdue University HSCI 6th Annual Research Retreat, March 1st 2025 held at West Lafayette, Indiana, USA.
  19. TR Grier, S Silva Costa, B Faber, AJ Specht, TE Katzner. Evaluating Bone Lead Measurements Using XRF in Black Vultures: Comparisons Across Time and Analytical Methods. Purdue School of Health Sciences 6th Annual Research Retreat. Feb 28, 2025. West Lafayette, IN
  20. Grier T*g, Specht AJ. Dried blood spot metal measurements using benchtop x-ray fluorescence. International Society on Trace Element Research in Humans Meeting 2024. October 7, 2024. Murcia, Spain.
  21. Grier T*g, Specht AJ. Sex differences in Metal Accumulation and Risk Factors. International Society on Trace Element Research in Humans Meeting 2024. October 7, 2024. Murcia, Spain.
  22. Grier T*g, Specht AJ. Dried blood spot metal measurements using benchtop x-ray fluorescence. Health Physics Society Annual Meeting. July 8, 2024. Orlando, FL
  23. Sayam AS*g, Specht AJ. Micro-x-ray fluorescence of teeth using a lab-based method. Health Physics Society Annual Meeting. July 8, 2024 Orlando, FL
  24. Adesina K*g, Specht AJ. Benchtop x-ray fluorescence measurements of nail. Health Physics Society Annual Meeting. July 8, 2024 Orlando, FL
  25. Pedigo G*u,g, Frandina J*u,g, Specht AJ. Trends in high school students interest in physics and health physics. Health Physics Society Annual Meeting. July 8, 2024 Orlando, FL
  26. Grier T*g, Burgos Cg, Khan Mg, Specht AJ. A portable K-shell bone lead measurement system. Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting. March 11, 2024. Salt Lake City, UT
  27. Robinson S*u, Smith S, Stewart J, Roper C, Specht AJ. Assessing Lead Accumulation in Tissues Exposed to Gunshot Residue using Micro-XRF. Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting. March 11, 2024. Salt Lake City, UT
  28. Adesina K*g, Parducci Su, Brain J, Weisskopf MG, Specht AJ. Comparison between inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and benchtop X-ray fluorescence (XRF) performance for trace elemental exposure in rat tissues. Society of Toxicology Annual Meeting. March 11, 2024. Salt Lake City, UT
  29. Chang MY*u, Marquez CIu, Hoover CGg, Hoover GG, Specht AJ. Firearm-related lead exposure, neurocognition, and psychological health in veterans and service members. Harvard Psychiatry Research Day, Boston, MA, USA. March 9, 2024.
  30. Adesina K*g, Specht AJ. Comparison between inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and benchtop X-ray fluorescence (XRF) performance for trace elemental exposure in rat tissues. School of Health Sciences Seminar. March 5, 2024. West Lafayette, IN
  31. Grier T*g, Specht AJ. A portable K-shell bone lead measurement system. School of Health Sciences Seminar. March 5, 2024. West Lafayette, IN
  32. Adesina K*g, Specht AJ. Comparison between inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and benchtop X-ray fluorescence (XRF) performance for trace elemental exposure in rat tissues. Purdue Health Sciences Retreat. March 1, 2024. West Lafayette, IN
  33. Grier T*g, Specht AJ. A portable K-shell bone lead measurement system. Purdue Health Sciences Retreat. March 1, 2024. West Lafayette, IN

Patents

Specht AJ*, LH Nie. Metallic Bone Measurement System and Method. Serial Number: 18/384,073. 2023

Specht AJ*. Dried Blood Spot Measurement of Elements. Serial Number: 23/125,386. 2024

Specht AJ*. System and Method for Heavy Metal Quantification. Serial Number: 63/854,293. 2025.

Specht AJ*. Detection system and method. Serial Number: 19/033,121. 2025