Replacement of total mercury in solids analyzer for the analysis of mercury contamination in sensitive ecosystems

汞污染是一个全球性问题，但在加拿大东部，汞的分布尤为严重，这是北美生物群中许多汞含量最高的热点地区。甲基汞（MeHg）是一种急性神经毒性和内分泌干扰化学物质，可在生物体中并通过食物网迅速积累，对高营养级生物体（如潜蝇）产生神经和生殖影响。一些国家（如加拿大汞科学评估）和国际（环境署全球汞条约）倡议导致对汞分析的需求增加。O 'Driscoll博士在阿卡迪亚环境分析研究中心（CARE）的汞实验室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），用于研究和测量环境中的污染物。然而，阿卡迪亚的固体汞分析仪已经停产，不再运作。这是加拿大东部唯一的同类分析仪，它对完成许多正在进行的研究项目和论文至关重要。所要求的升级汞分析仪还将允许增加我们当前项目所需样品的再现性和吞吐量。升级后的设备将提供最先进的分析能力，并将支持四位阿卡迪亚教授的工作，其中三位是nserc资助的加拿大研究主席（O'Driscoll博士，Mallory博士和Stokesbury博士）和他们相关的培训计划。该设备将通过外部合作和NSERC CREATE研究生课程将大西洋各省的大学培训联系起来，许多学生（未来5年每年将有10至10名学生）受益于该设备。总的来说，我们的4个项目涉及汞在水和沉积物中的分布和转化，汞的生物放大效应，以及汞毒性对人群水平的影响。在这些研究项目中发展的科学直接纳入预测模型，用于国家和国际层面的政策制定，最终将有助于保护人类和生态系统的健康。

Mercury contamination is a global problem, but the distribution of mercury is particularly significant in Eastern Canada, a mercury hotspot having many of the highest levels in biota in North America. Methyl mercury (MeHg) is an acute neurotoxicant and endocrine-disrupting chemical that accumulates rapidly in organisms and through food webs, resulting in neurological and reproductive effects in higher trophic level organisms such as loons. Several National (e.g. Canadian Mercury Science Assessment) and international (UNEP Global Mercury Treaty) initiatives are resulting in an increased demand for mercury analyses. Dr. O’Driscoll’s mercury lab in 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. However, Acadia’s mercury in solids analyzer has been discontinued and is no longer functioning. This is the only analyzer of its kind in eastern Canada and it is critical to the completion of many ongoing research projects and theses. The requested upgraded mercury analyzer will also allow for increased reproducibility and throughput of samples required for our current projects. This upgraded equipment will provide state-of-the-art analysis capabilities and will support the work of four Acadia professors three of which are NSERC-funded Canada Research Chairs (Dr. O'Driscoll, Dr. Mallory, and Dr. Stokesbury) and their associated training programs. Many students (>10 students per year over next 5 years) with benefit from this equipment which will link university training across the Atlantic Provinces through external collaborations and NSERC CREATE graduate programs. Taken together, our 4 programs address mercury distribution and transformation in water and sediments, mercury biomagnification, and population level effects of mercury toxicity. The science developed within these research programs is directly incorporated into predictive models that are being used for policy development at national and international levels and will ultimately help to protect human and ecosystem health.