C2H2 EAGER: Gadolinium Contamination in the Middle Rio Grande Valley: Understanding Environmental Fate and Human Exposure

气候变化不断升级的影响对全球淡水供应构成了前所未有的挑战，特别是在已经经历水资源紧张的地区，如新墨西哥州。该提案解决了与医疗废物污染水资源有关的紧迫问题，特别是钆（Gd），这是一种有毒元素，是磁共振成像中使用的造影剂的重要成分。本研究的重点是对新墨西哥州中格兰德河流域的河流、溪流和地下水进行分析，以调查未充分研究的干旱半干旱地区地表和地下水资源中人为钆的命运及其对生态和人类健康的影响。研究工作包括实地观察、河流和地下水取样以及实验室实验工作。重点将是检查和追踪天然沃茨中Gd的来源，并确定其在环境中的分布。将研究释放到水处理设施并最终通过接受MRI的人的尿液释放到环境中的钆的影响，并将通过人体消化液/胃液的暴露和毒理学研究确定其对人类健康的影响。该研究的更广泛影响包括更好地了解医疗废物对水质和公共健康的影响。这项工作将为缓解计划提供急需的数据，并为促进环境可持续性和公共福利的国家利益服务。它还将让当地的高中生，许多来自该地区的美洲土著部落，参与水项目，以培养兴趣，并在一个已经经历严重水资源压力的地区增加对水问题的理解。拟议的研究将解决有关命运，分布，和Gd污染的毒性，所述Gd污染源自于来自包含元素钆（Gd）的对比增强磁共振成像（MRI）流体的医疗废物，对人类有毒的元素在MRI液体中，Gd被螯合成一种化合物，使其对人类无害。然而，这种液体在成像后从尿液中排出体外，并通过污水和污水处理厂进入地表和地下水系统。Gd水溶液物种然后被释放到自然环境中，在那里它们经历与天然材料和过程的相互作用，可以改变物种形成，使其成为生物可利用的。本研究提供了对新墨西哥州格兰德河流域地表和地下沃茨中Gd分布和形态的研究，并解决了低浓度Gd天然样品形态分析的挑战。它包括胃肠液对钆形态的影响及其毒性的研究。主要成果包括：（1）表征了天然沃茨中Gd的浓度和形态（地表水和地下水）和阿尔伯克基和象丘之间的格兰德河沿着沉积物，（2）人类暴露途径和通过饮用水源摄入Gd相关的潜在健康风险评估，以及（3）提高对Gd暴露的毒理学意义的理解，重点关注胃肠道及其对人类健康的影响。这项工作将大大有助于我们对Gd医疗废物在环境中所构成的风险的理解。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The escalating impacts of climate change pose unprecedented challenges to freshwater supplies globally, particularly in areas already experiencing water stress, such as New Mexico. This proposal addresses a pressing concern related to the contamination of water resources by medical waste, specifically gadolinium (Gd), a toxic element that is an important component of contrast agents used in magnetic resonance imaging. This research focuses on the analysis of river, stream, and groundwater of the Middle Rio Grande Valley in New Mexico to investigate the fate of anthropogenic Gadolinium in surface and subsurface water resources of understudied arid to semiarid areas and its impact on ecologocal and human health. The research involves field observations and sampling of river and groundwaters and laboratory experimental work. A focus will be to examine and trace the sources of Gd in natural waters and determine its distribution in the environment. The impact of Gadolinium, released to water treatment facilities and ultimately to the environment via the urine of those who have under gone MRI, will be studied and its impact on human health will be determined through exposure and toxicological studies of human digestive/gastric fluids. Broader impacts of the reserach include improved understanding the consequences of medical waste on water quality and public health. The work will provide much needed data for mitigation plans and serve the national interest in promoting environmental sustainability and public welfare. It will also engage local high school students, many from Native American tribes in the area, in water projects to foster interest and to increase understanding of water issues in a region already experiencing significant water stress.The proposed research will address critical research questions regarding the fate, distribution, and toxicity of Gd contamination stemming from medical waste from contrast enhancing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) fluids containing the element Gadolinium (Gd), a toxic element to humans. In MRI fluids, Gd is chelated into a compound that renders it harmless to humans. However, this fluid is excreted from the body in urine, post imaging, and enters surface and groundwater systems through sewars and sweage treatment plants. Gd aqueous species are then released into the natural environment where they experience interactions with natural materials and processes that can change the speciation allowing it to become bioavailable. This resaerch provides a study of the Gd distribution and speciation in New Mexico Rio Grande Valley surface and ground waters and addresses analytical challenges of speciating natural samples with low-concentrations of Gd. It includes investigation into the effects of gastrointestinal fluids on speciation of Gadolinium and its toxicity. Key outcomes include (1) characterizing the concentrations and species of Gd in natural waters (surface water and groundwater) and sediments along the Rio Grande between Albuquerque and Elephant Butte, (2) an assessment of human exposure pathways and potential health risks associated with Gd ingestion through drinking water sources, and (3) improved understanding of the toxicological implications of Gd exposure focusing on the gastrointestinal tract and its effects on human health. The work will contribute significantly to our understanding of the risks posed by Gd medical waste in the environment.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.