Metal isotope fractionation at ecosystem and organism levels

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Trace metals like copper, zinc, cadmium and mercury can be potentially toxic to many organisms.  They are distributed widely throughout our environment via many different physical and biological processes. While we can measure the presence of those metals in the environment, it is much more difficult to measure the mechanisms by which they get transferred from one environmental compartment to another. This research program is designed to develop new analytical tools to measure metal transfer processes both within organisms and among various environmental compartments.  Most elements have more than one stable isotope and hence we can measure their isotope ratios.  Until now, however, the equipment and methods to do so have been lacking.  My research will develop new methods for measuring isotope ratios of Cu, Zn, Hg, Cd and Se in biological samples, particularly those from aquatic ecosystems.  The data thus gathered can be used to follow transfer of metals throughout a food chain or among the various organs and tissues of a plant or animal. Of particular interest in the initial phase of this work will be the transfer of metals between trophic levels of aquatic ecosystems. With these data we can gain a much better understanding of the ecological cycling of potentially toxic trace metals and develop stronger environmental management tools. This work is of interest and relevance to those in the fields of ecology, ecotoxicology, metal-protein biochemistry, geochemistry and analytical chemistry.