Characterization of mineral nanoparticles in dust and colloids

这项环境地球科学研究的目标是将微小的矿物颗粒表征为空气中的粉尘和水中的胶体。重点将放在含有砷和铅等潜在危险元素的颗粒物上，目的是澄清对人类和生态健康的风险。关于这些材料如何在环境中移动的研究一直很有限。就人体健康而言，直接摄入或吸入微小矿物质颗粒可能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，胶体颗粒可以随地下水移动，造成金属污染。 这项研究将结合两种先进的分析技术，一种提供关于每种颗粒的高度具体的信息，另一种非常快速地计算颗粒的数量，并根据大小、形状和化学类型对它们进行分类。我将检查矿山废物、受污染的土壤和含胶体的矿山废水中的颗粒，以确定矿物宿主并了解相关的风险。 这项研究将使我们能够回答这样的问题：在受污染的土壤中，承载砷的颗粒中有多大比例由最易溶解和最有毒的形式的砷组成？被风吹来的尾矿粉尘中含有容易在人体胃中溶解的铅颗粒的相对量是多少？在矿井排水中，哪部分金属以胶体形式移动？这一结果将有助于评估风险，并设计更好的污染场地补救计划。 这些富含金属的颗粒的来源通常与采矿和选矿有关。重点将放在加拿大北极地区的地点，那里干燥的冬季条件增强了粉尘的流动性，矿场通常靠近社区和水体。该研究计划将培训3名博士、4名硕士和10名本科生。

The objective of this environmental earth science research is to characterize tiny mineral particles which are transported as airborne dust and waterborne colloids. The emphasis will be on particles that contain potentially hazardous elements including arsenic and lead, with the aim of clarifying the risk to human and ecological health. There has been limited research on how these materials move in the environment. 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. This research will combine two advanced analytical techniques, one that provides highly specific information about each particle, and one that counts the number of particles very quickly and sorts them by size, shape and chemical type. I will examine particles from mine waste, contaminated soils and colloid-bearing mine drainage to identify the mineral hosts and understand the associated risk. This research will allow us to answer questions such as: What proportion of the arsenic-hosting particles in a contaminated soil is comprised of the most soluble and toxic form of arsenic? What is the relative amount of windblown tailings dust that contains lead particles that dissolve easily in the human stomach? What fraction of metal moves in a colloidal form in mine drainage? The results will help assess risk and design better remediation plans at contaminated sites. Sources of these metal-rich particles are often associated with mining and mineral processing. There will be a particular emphasis on sites in the Canadian Arctic where dry winter conditions enhance dust mobility and mine sites are often near communities and water bodies.This research program will train 3 PhD, 4 MSc and 10 undergraduate students.