Environmental mobility of arsenic and antimony

目的：本研究将阐明控制砷和锑是否稳定在矿山尾矿、土壤和沉积物中，或是否被浸出到自然水体中，或转化为生物可利用形式（一种可以进入生物体血液的形式）的因素。工作性质：我的研究包括对污染物质进行实地取样和详细表征，以确定砷和锑的化学形态，并了解其在变化的环境条件下的转化。我将以我们最近开发的同步加速器微分析的成功为基础。实地工作是在耶洛奈夫和新斯科舍省的废弃金矿进行的。重要性：这项研究很重要，因为这些有毒元素的可溶性形式更容易被鱼类或人类等生物吸收。砷是一种剧毒元素，其环境行为仍未完全了解。该项目将解决我们对锑物种形成的理解中的研究空白，锑元素的毒性和流动性正受到越来越多的关注。本研究将有助于矿业行业改进修复设计，并有助于监管机构进行风险评估。Yellowknife社区对区域土壤中砷的形态非常感兴趣。在新斯科舍省，人们在娱乐活动中暴露在富含砷的尾矿粉尘中，一个联邦-省委员会表示迫切需要确定砷是如何结合的。预期成果：预计将产生四篇硕士论文和两篇博士论文。根据以往的经验，每位硕士将发表两篇期刊论文，每位博士将发表三到四篇论文。益处：这项研究将增强我们对砷和锑相关的生态和人类健康风险的理解。我们的新同步加速器方法将适用于加拿大光源的工业应用。研究结果将有助于解决加拿大北部的一个大环境问题，即黄刀地区的砷问题，并解决新斯科舍省正在出现的一个问题。

Objectives: This research will clarify the factors that control whether arsenic and antimony are stabilized in mine tailings, soils and sediments or whether they are leached to natural waters, or transformed into a bioavailable form (a form that can enter the bloodstream of an organism). Nature of Work: My research involves field sampling and detailed characterization of the contaminated materials to determine the chemical form of the arsenic and antimony, and understand its transformation under changing environmental conditions. I will build on the success of the synchrotron-based microanalysis that we have recently developed. The fieldwork is based at abandoned gold mines in Yellowknife and Nova Scotia.   Why This is Important: This research is important since soluble forms of these toxic elements are more available for uptake by organisms such as fish or humans. Arsenic is a highly toxic element whose environmental behaviour is still not completely understood. This project will address the research gaps in our understanding of antimony speciation, an element whose toxicity and mobility are receiving increased attention. This research will help the mining industry improve remediation design, and help regulators conduct risk assessment. The Yellowknife community is very interested in the form of arsenic in regional soil. In Nova Scotia, where people are exposed to arsenic-rich tailings dust during recreational activities, a federal-provincial committee has expressed an urgent need to determine how the arsenic is bound. Anticipated Outcomes:  Four MSc and two PhD theses are expected to result. Based on previous experience, each MSc will produce two journal publications and each PhD produce three or four. Benefits: This research will enhance our understanding of ecological and human health risk associated with arsenic and antimony.  Our new synchrotron methods will be suitable for industrial application at the Canadian Light Source. The results will help solve a large environmental problem in the Canadian North, namely arsenic in the Yellowknife area, and address an emerging one in Nova Scotia.