Predicting Mercury Retention and Bioaccumulation in Aquatic Ecosystems

预测水生生态系统中的汞滞留和生物累积

• 批准号: 341960-2013
• 负责人: ODriscoll, Nelson
• 金额: $ 2.91万
• 依托单位: Acadia University
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2013
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2013-01-01 至 2014-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=527545
• 关键词: Predicting; Mercury; Retention; Bioaccumulation; Aquatic

Mercury is a globally dispersed contaminant that bioaccumulates to harmful levels in aquatic organisms in both industrially impacted and remote locations. The prediction of mercury retention in aquatic ecosystems with changes in climate is a key knowledge gap. The long-term goal of my proposed NSERC-funded research program is the prediction of aquatic ecosystems that will retain mercury, resulting in contaminated food webs. My research program will achieve this through an examination of two critical biogeochemical processes: mercury retention in ecosystems; and methyl mercury production and its bioavailability to the food web. My group's newly developed methodologies will allow quantitative measurements of mercury retention and bioavailability and factors that affect them over time. This will lead to a better understanding of the sensitivity of ecosystems to mercury inputs and will facilitate the identification and management of remote ecosystems at risk of contamination. My proposed research program will provide necessary tools for predicting these mercury-sensitive ecosystems, such that food-web impacts can be mitigated.

汞是一种分布在全球的污染物，在受工业影响的地区和偏远地区，汞在水生生物体内的生物积累达到有害水平。随着气候变化对水生生态系统中汞存留的预测是一个关键的知识缺口。我提出的NSERC资助的研究计划的长期目标是预测将保留汞的水生生态系统，导致污染的食物网。我的研究计划将通过对两个关键生物地球化学过程的研究来实现这一目标：汞在生态系统中的保留;甲基汞的生产及其对食物网的生物利用度。我的小组新开发的方法将允许对汞的保留和生物利用度以及随着时间的推移影响它们的因素进行定量测量。这将有助于更好地了解生态系统对汞输入的敏感性，并将有助于确定和管理面临污染风险的偏远生态系统。我提出的研究计划将提供必要的工具来预测这些汞敏感的生态系统，从而减轻食物网的影响。