Unraveling hexavalent chromium formation and fate in fire-impacted soil

六价铬是一种致癌毒素。 它可以通过加热天然（未污染）土壤在火灾期间形成。 然而，很少有人知道的过程和因素，其形成和行为的火影响土壤。该项目结合了实地调查、创新实验和尖端分析方法，旨在系统地探索通过火灾引起的土壤加热形成六价铬，并研究其在土壤系统中的火灾后命运。研究结果将改变我们对地球表面铬循环的理解，并将有助于准确评估和减轻火灾影响土壤中六价铬形成所带来的风险。

Hexavalent chromium is a cancer-causing toxin. It can form via heating of natural (unpolluted) soil during bushfires. However, little is known of the processes and factors which govern its formation and behavior in fire-impacted soil. Using a combination of field-based investigations, innovative experiments and cutting edge analytical approaches, this project aims to systematically explore hexavalent chromium formation via fire-induced heating of soil and to examine its post-fire fate in soil systems. The results will transform our understanding of the chromium cycle at the Earth’s surface, and will facilitate accurate assessment and mitigation of the risks posed by hexavalent chromium formation in fire-impacted soil.