Rhea Hurnik
Originally from Prince Edward Island, Rhea completed a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Biology and Earth Sciences at Dalhousie University and then a Doctor of Naturopathic Medicine from Boucher Institute of Naturopathic Medicine (now Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine).
Following a few years of clinical practice and welcoming her son, she became increasingly interested in how exposure to environmental contaminants can impact human health and how this might change in the context of climate change, so she enrolled in the Masters of Environmental Toxicology (MET) program at SFU in 2024.
Her research is focused on characterizing exposure to disinfection byproducts and metals present in community drinking water systems on Bowen Island and the Gulf Islands of British Columbia. Disinfection by products, such as trihalomethanes (THM) and haloacetic acids (HAA), form from the oxidation of natural organic matter by disinfectants, such as chlorine, that are used to control microbial contaminants. Epidemiologic studies have associated disinfectant byproduct exposure in drinking water with increased risk of cancer, particularly bladder and colon cancer, and development effects, such as small for gestational age. Water quality reports from Bowen Island and other Gulf Islands suggest that levels of THMs and HAAs may be frequently above the water quality guidelines set by Health Canada, indicating there may be potential risk of health effects to residents of these islands.