Collaborative Research: Methylmercury Interactions with Marine Plankton

甲基汞（MeHg）对暴露于海洋中的人类和野生动物造成各种不利的健康影响，但其在海洋沃茨中的形成和循环尚未得到充分的表征或量化。 这项研究计划旨在更好地了解控制因素的生产，命运，浮游植物的吸收和转移的甲基汞在海洋环境实验室，现场研究和建模工作相结合，将调查生物积累，营养转移水生食物网，和影响，这可能对这种强大的神经毒素的全球运输。关于甲基汞与不同类型浮游植物的相互作用、与特定有机化合物的相互作用、光照和温度的影响的实验室和沿海实地研究预计都会影响甲基汞与浮游植物的结合和/或浮游植物的吸收，这项工作的更广泛影响包括：1）提供与政策有关的信息，以支持为控制人为汞排放而开展的监测和评估工作; 2）通过开展关于海洋环境中汞的案例研究，为海洋养护和可持续性教育提供信息; 3）培训下一代跨学科科学家

Methylmercury (MeHg) causes a variety of adverse health effects in exposed humans and wildlife but its formation and cycling in oceanic waters have not been fully characterized or quantified. This research program seeks to better understand factors controlling the production, fate, phytoplankton uptake, and transfer of MeHg in the marine environmentA combination of laboratory, field studies and modeling efforts will investigate the bioaccumulation, trophic transfer in aquatic food webs, and implications that this may have on the global transport of this potent neurotoxin. Laboratory and coastal field studies of MeHg interactions with different types of phytoplankton, interaction with specific organic compounds, effects of light and temperature are all expected to influence MeHg binding and or uptake into phytoplankton.Broader impacts of the work include: 1) provision of policy relevant information in support of monitoring and evaluation efforts for control of anthropogenic mercury releases; 2) informing education on marine conservation and sustainability by developing a case study on mercury in the marine environment; and 3) training the next generation of interdisciplinary scientists