Collaborative Research: Methylmercury Interactions with Marine Plankton

甲基汞(MeHg)对暴露的人类和野生动物造成各种不利的健康影响，但其在海洋水域中的形成和循环尚未得到充分的表征或量化。这项研究计划旨在更好地了解海洋环境中甲基汞的生产、去向、浮游植物吸收和转移的控制因素。实验室、实地研究和模拟工作相结合，将调查水生食物网中的生物积累、营养转移，以及这可能对这种强有力的神经毒素的全球转移产生的影响。实验室和沿海地区对甲基汞与不同类型浮游植物的相互作用、与特定有机化合物的相互作用、光和温度的影响都预计会影响甲基汞与浮游植物的结合和/或吸收。这项工作的广泛影响包括：1)提供政策相关信息，支持监测和评估人为汞排放的努力；2)通过开展海洋环境汞案例研究，向海洋保护和可持续性教育提供信息；以及3)培训下一代跨学科科学家

Methylmercury (MeHg) causes a variety of adverse health effects in exposed humans and wildlife but its formation and cycling in oceanic waters have not been fully characterized or quantified. This research program seeks to better understand factors controlling the production, fate, phytoplankton uptake, and transfer of MeHg in the marine environmentA combination of laboratory, field studies and modeling efforts will investigate the bioaccumulation, trophic transfer in aquatic food webs, and implications that this may have on the global transport of this potent neurotoxin. Laboratory and coastal field studies of MeHg interactions with different types of phytoplankton, interaction with specific organic compounds, effects of light and temperature are all expected to influence MeHg binding and or uptake into phytoplankton.Broader impacts of the work include: 1) provision of policy relevant information in support of monitoring and evaluation efforts for control of anthropogenic mercury releases; 2) informing education on marine conservation and sustainability by developing a case study on mercury in the marine environment; and 3) training the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists