Uncovering the mercury puzzle

There's no doubt that mercury levels in lakes throughout North America have reached alarming levels; for years, various species of fish have been "blacklisted," and public warnings about the dangers of mercury toxicity have become commonplace. But while coal-burning power plants have been identified as major contributors to the problem, there are many steps in the process that are not yet well understood. That's why Dr. Holger Hintelmann decided to devote his current research to uncovering the exact conditions that lead to high levels of mercury, and making recommendations to industries as to how they can most effectively remedy the situation.

For the industries contributing to the problem, finding out where their remediation efforts should be concentrated - and how long it will take before reductions in mercury emissions will take effect - is a high priority, and greatly affects how successful they are able to deal with it in the long run. And for the general population, particularly those living in regions where fish now contaminated with mercury has long been an important dietary staple, pin-pointing the steps and solutions to the mercury puzzle is vital.

As Hintelmann points out, while mercury contamination is certainly widespread in lakes across Canada, it is also a global issue. In South America, for example, gold mining is a major source of mercury contamination. Virtually anywhere there is fossil fuel burning, in fact, mercury is a concern.

For this reason, 10 different research institutions throughout the United States and Canada are collaborating on a five year project, which began in 1999. The metaalicus project (Mercury Experiment to Assess Atmospheric Loadings In Canada and the United States) will answer for the first time what happens to fish mercury concentrations when there is a change in atmospheric mercury deposition. At Trent, undergraduates as well as graduate students are taking on active roles with fieldwork, and Hintelmann notes that the scope of this research extends into a variety of other areas as well. First Nation communities, for example, are keeping a close eye on this and other studies affecting the environment, and it also has obvious relevance to those interested in native issues, both at Trent and elsewhere.

Even the research itself involves a variety of different disciplines, including chemistry, geology, and biology. This, Hintelmann adds, is a bonus for students working on the project, as they gain experience and knowledge in a number of different fields. Its international profile will no doubt add to the broadening of students' horizons as well, now and in the years to come.

The magnitude of this project, and its global implications, are bound to lead to continued research and development in this area. Hintelman intends to do all he can to identify the myriad of steps involved in the release and subsequent breakdown of mercury - and he's hopeful that the opportunity to complete this multi-faceted study will lead to some major breakthroughs for the future.