Grant: Research Tools and Instruments

Mercury is an acute neurotoxicant and endocrine-disrupting chemical that biomagnifies in food webs, resulting in neurological and reproductive effects in higher trophic level organisms. Mercury pollution is a global problem that will pose increasing health risks to humans and food webs in mercury sensitive ecosystems into the foreseeable future. While much is known about mercury entry in ecosystems much less is known about mercury loss from ecosystems and the net retention of mercury (often referred to as ecosystem sensitivity). Mercury loss to the atmosphere in the form of Hg(0) is a significant process that largely controls mercury retention in ecosystems and the global distribution of mercury in oceans. As such, the ability to measure Hg(0) in both ambient air and dissolved in trace levels in natural water is essential. Several national (e.g. Canadian Mercury Science Assessment) and international (UNEP Global Mercury Treaty) initiatives are resulting in an increased demand for mercury analyses.*Dr. O'Driscoll's mercury lab in Acadia's Center for Analytical Research on the Environment (CARE) is a collaborative hub for researchers examining mercury contaminants in Eastern Canada and globally. CARE provides advanced analytical equipment (from five successful CFI applications) for studying and measuring contaminants in the environment. This analysis capability is a key component of my ongoing research program; however, the existing Hg(0)-in-air analysis equipment at Acadia is now obsolete (discontinued by Tekran in 2015). The existing equipment requires many replacement parts which are no longer available from the supplier, and in addition does not have the detection limits and precision required for our research program. This is the only available analyzer of its kind in eastern Canada and it is critical to the completion of many ongoing research projects and theses. The requested upgraded mercury analyzer will also allow for increased accuracy and reproducibility of analyses required for our current projects. This upgraded equipment will provide state-of-the-art analysis capabilities and will support the work of many graduate students and the associated training of many visiting international collaborators and students. Many students (>10 students per year over next 5 years) with benefit from this equipment which will link graduate student training at several international universities. The science developed within this research program is directly incorporated into predictive models that are being used for policy development at national and international levels and will ultimately help to protect human and ecosystem health.*