US-Ecuador Planning Visit for Understanding Effects of Particulate-Association on Mercury Transport and Transformation in the Environment: Quito, Ecuador, August 2010

尽管众所周知，汞主要与水生系统中的颗粒物有关，但令人惊讶的是，关于这如何影响水生系统中汞的甲基化和运输，人们知之甚少。厄瓜多尔受采矿影响的地区提供了独特的机会来审查胶体在汞运输中的作用，因为无衬砌的采矿蓄水池中汞含量很高。这次规划访问将为探索以下科学问题奠定基础：1)与胶体的关联是否显著改变了水下和表层水生系统中汞的运输距离？2)与胶体的关联是否显著改变了水生系统中汞的甲基化速度或程度？从这项研究中获得的知识可能有助于减轻美国和国际环境中的汞污染。这项工作将与厄瓜多尔国家理工大学的西梅纳·迪亚兹博士合作进行，并将让美国和厄瓜多尔的研究生参与项目开发活动。此次计划访问还将支持美国研究生撰写两篇博士论文和一篇硕士论文。

Despite the fact that mercury is well known to be dominantly associated with particulates in aquatic systems, surprisingly little is known regarding how this influences mercury methylation and transport in aquatic systems. Mining-impacted areas in Ecuador provide unique opportunities to examine the role of colloids in mercury transport due to the high levels of mercury in unlined mining impoundments. This planning visit will lay a platform to explore the following science questions: 1) Does association with colloids significantly alter the transport distances of mercury in subsurface and surface aquatic systems? 2) Does association with colloids significantly alter the rate or extent of methylation of mercury in aquatic systems? Knowledge gained from this research may help to mitigate mercury contamination in both U.S. and international settings. The work will be carried out in collaboration with Dr. Ximena Diaz of Ecuador's National Polytechnic University, and will engage U.S. and Ecuadorian graduate students in project development activities. This planning visit will also support the development of two Ph.D. theses and one M.S. thesis by U.S. grad students.