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健康影响，但其在海洋水域中的形成和循环尚未得到充分表征或量化。本研究项目旨在更好地了解控制海洋环境中甲基汞的产生、命运、浮游植物吸收和转移的因素。结合实验室、实地研究和建模工作，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效神经毒素的全球运输产生的影响。对MeHg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、光和温度的影响的实验室和沿海实地研究预计都将影响MeHg与浮游植物的结合和/或吸收。这项工作的更广泛影响包括：1)提供与政策有关的信息，以支持控制人为汞排放的监测和评价工作；2)开展海洋环境汞个案研究，为海洋保护和可持续发展教育提供信息；3)培养下一代跨学科的科学家

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