Mobility of metals in northern environments

这个环境地球科学研究项目的目标是了解加拿大北极地区含金属颗粒的性质和流动性。总体目标是捕获和表征微小的矿物颗粒，包括矿物纳米颗粒，这些矿物颗粒从矿山废物和风化矿床中释放出来，并作为空气中的灰尘和水性胶体运输。重点将放在含有砷或铅等潜在有害元素的颗粒上，目的是澄清对人类和生态健康的风险。就人类健康而言，直接摄入或吸入微小矿物颗粒会对健康产生负面影响，这取决于粉尘颗粒中金属的化学形态。在生态影响方面，风尘可能是金属从点源向地表水迁移的重要机制，而胶体颗粒可以随地下水移动，造成金属污染。

The objective of this environmental earth science research program is understand the nature and mobility of metal-bearing particles in the Canadian Arctic. The overall aim is to capture and characterize tiny mineral particles, including mineral nanoparticles, which are released from mine waste and weathering mineral deposits and transported as airborne dust and waterborne colloids.The emphasis will be on particles that contain potentially hazardous elements such as arsenic or lead, with the aim of clarifying the risk to human and ecological health. In terms of human health, direct ingestion or inhalation of tiny mineral particles can lead to negative health effects which depend on the chemical form of the metal in the dust particles. In terms of ecological impact, windblown dust may be an important mechanism of metal transport from a point source to surface water, and colloidal particles can move with groundwater and contribute to metal contamination.