Increased Precision of Methyl Mercury Analysis for Assessment of Processes Controlling Bioavailability

汞污染是一个全球性问题，汞在加拿大东部的分布尤其显著，这是汞的热点地区。甲基汞(MeHg)是一种急性神经毒物和干扰内分泌的化学物质，在食物网中生物放大，导致营养水平较高的生物的神经和生殖影响。若干国家(如加拿大汞科学评估)和国际(环境署全球汞条约)倡议导致对痕量汞形态分析的需求增加。Acadia的环境分析研究中心(CARE)是研究人员在加拿大东部检查汞污染物的合作中心。CARE提供先进的分析设备(来自五个成功的CFI应用程序)，用于研究和测量环境中痕量水平的污染物。然而，阿卡迪亚目前的设施不允许重复性和吞吐量所需的样本，以推动科学。这种对现有设备的适度升级将提供最先进的分析，并将支持由NSERC资助的3个加拿大研究教席(O‘Driscoll博士、Mallory博士和Kidd博士)及其相关培训计划(未来5年50名学生)的工作，以及2个NSERC创建的将大西洋各省的大学培训联系起来的研究生计划。总而言之，我们的3个项目解决了甲基汞在水中的生物有效性、甲基汞的生物放大作用以及甲基汞毒性的种群水平影响。在这些研究项目中开发的预测模型将帮助监管机构减少汞对食物网的暴露，并最终有助于保护人类和生态系统的健康。

Mercury contamination is a global problem, and the distribution of mercury is particularly significant in Eastern Canada, a mercury hotspot. Methyl mercury (MeHg) is an acute neurotoxicant and endocrine-disrupting chemical that biomagnifies in food webs, resulting in neurological and reproductive effects in higher trophic level organisms. Several National (e.g. Canadian Mercury Science Assessment) and international (UNEP Global Mercury Treaty) initiatives are resulting in an increased demand for trace level mercury speciation analyses. Acadia's Center for Analytical Research on the Environment (CARE) is a collaborative hub for researchers examining mercury contaminants in Eastern Canada. CARE provides advanced analytical equipment (from five successful CFI applications) for studying and measuring contaminants in the environment at trace levels. However, the current facilities at Acadia do not allow for the reproducibility and throughput of samples required to advance the science. This modest upgrade to existing equipment will provide state-of-the-art analysis and will support the work of 3 NSERC-funded Canada Research Chairs (Dr. O'Driscoll, Dr. Mallory, and Dr. Kidd) and their associated training programs (>50 students over next 5 years), as well as 2 NSERC CREATE graduate programs linking university training across the Atlantic Provinces. Taken together our 3 programs address MeHg bioavailability in water, MeHg biomagnification, and population level effects of MeHg toxicity. The predictive models developed within these research programs will aid regulators in mitigating the exposure of mercury to food webs and will ultimately help to protect human and ecosystem health.