Unraveling hexavalent chromium formation and fate in fire-impacted soil

六价铬是一种致癌毒素。它可以在森林大火期间通过加热天然（未污染的）土壤形成。然而，在火灾影响的土壤中，控制其形成和行为的过程和因素知之甚少。结合实地调查、创新实验和前沿分析方法，该项目旨在系统地探索通过火灾引起的土壤加热形成的六价铬，并研究其在火灾后在土壤系统中的命运。这些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.