ESR Alina Kleindienst Engages in International Exchange: Bridging Research and Collaboration with UPLA, Chile
Alina recently spent three weeks in Valparaíso, Chile taking part in an exchange program organized within the framework of the ECOS-ANID international cooperation program. The ECOS-ANID project (#C21B01) funded by the French ministries MAEDI (Ministère des Affaires Étrangères et du Développement International) and MENESR (Ministère de l’Éducation nationale, de l’Enseignement supérieur et de la Recherche), as well as the Chilean national agency for research and development (ANID) with support from the Plan de Fortalecimiento de Universidades del Estado (CUECH) – RED21992.
During a seminar held at the UPLA, she presented the overall aims of the GMOS Train project and her specific Ph.D. project entitled: “Methylated Mercury Compounds in Coastal Ecosystems: Experimental Speciation Approaches and Biogeochemical Transformations”. This international seminar provided a valuable opportunity to exchange ideas about the complex biogeochemical cycle of Hg in coastal environments and to foster interdisciplinary exchange among scientists, including early-career scientists from the interdisciplinary Ph.D. program in Environmental Science of the UPLA.
Unveiling Hydrothermal Mercury: Natalia's Groundbreaking Research Sheds Light on Natural Hg in the Ocean
Natalia, Early Stage Researcher 4 has published her first paper!
The UNEP Minamata Convention on Mercury aims to reduce human exposure to toxic Hg through the reduction of anthropogenic emissions. We are primarily exposed via the consumption of fish that bioaccumulate Hg from the ocean. The current paradigm is that anthropogenic Hg emissions (present-day 3,100 t y-1) have increased the global oceanic Hg reservoir by 21%. This estimate is flawed because we do not know how much natural Hg resided in the ocean before anthropogenic emissions started. We are similarly unable to quantify how anthropogenic emissions have affected fish Hg levels.
Hydrothermal venting is the only direct source of natural Hg to the ocean. Previous studies, based on vent fluid measurements alone, suggested that hydrothermal Hg inputs could range from 20 and 2,000 t y-1.
The newly published paper of Natalia employs vent fluids, plumes, seawater, and rock cores from the Trans-Atlantic Geotraverse (TAG) hydrothermal vent at the Mid-Atlantic ridge. The combined observations suggest that the majority of the Hg enriched in the vent fluids is diluted into seawater and a small fraction is scavenged locally. An extrapolation of the results suggests that the global hydrothermal Hg flux from mid-ocean ridges is small (1.5 - 65 t y-1) compared to anthropogenic Hg missions. While this suggests that most of the Hg present in the ocean is of anthropogenic origin, it also gives hope that the strict implementation of emission reductions in the framework of the Minamata Convention will reduce fish Hg levels and human exposure.
Check all the details at: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41561-023-01341-w
Luisa (ESR3) Successfully Wraps Up Lab Work for PhD: Exciting Results and Collaborative Achievements
Luisa (ESR3) was mainly focused on lab work from September 2022 to the end of July 2023. She completed all the experimental parts corresponding to her PhD with many interesting results presented at the GMOS-train meeting in Nantes. At the end of 2022, she completed her 2-month secondment at the UPPA (Pau, France) where the Biotic methylation incubations were performed in collaboration with Xue Jinping, Remy Guyoneaud, Alina Kleindienst (ESR#5), and others.
During the 1st trimester of 2023, abiotic methylation experiments and isotopic analyses were completed in the following months.
She also participated remotely in the Goldschmidt Conference 2023 presenting a poster with a more complete view of C and Hg fractionation during MMeHg photodegradation. Final considerations on these fractionations will be shared very soon with the publication of her 1st paper.
GOM Measurement Challenges: Advancements and Insights from Sreekanth's Ph.D. Journey
Continuing Sreekanth's Ph.D. journey from our last newsletter: Sreekanth delivered two presentations at the ICMGP 2022 conference. Subsequently, he delved into his research on applying the non-thermal plasma calibration method to enhance GOM measurements using a Tekran Hg vapor analyzer coupled with a speciation system. He utilized metrology training received from the GMOS-Train project to advance this work, resulting in a recent publication as his second peer-reviewed paper in Analytica Chimica Acta. Additionally, he presented this work at the Goldschmidt conference 2023 in poster format.
Sreekanth shared the outcomes of his research work at the GMOS Train meetings held in Hamburg and Nantes. Continuing his focus on GOM measurement issues, he started laboratory experiments to investigate sampling biases arising from denuders and cation exchange membranes (CEM) during the pre-concentration step.
Sreekanth actively participated in a workshop on "Measurement of Atmospheric Mercury: Assessment of New Measurement and Calibration Methods and Development of a Path Forward," held in October 2023 at the University of Nevada, Reno (USA), where he delivered two talks highlighting his recent work on GOM measurement challenges, including calibration issues and sampling losses. The workshop aimed to address critical aspects of atmospheric mercury measurements, calibration, and the research needed to overcome current limitations. Moreover, he contributed to COP 5 'Minamata Convention on Mercury' in Geneva, Switzerland, by introducing the GMOS Train project's first work package (atmospheric mercury dynamics) during a side event – a ‘knowledge lab session’.
As a result of collaborations among ESRs, Sreekanth co-authored 2 papers this year with ESR9 and ESR10. Currently, Sreekanth is immersed in laboratory experiments concerning GOM stability issues attributed to CEM, which he plans to publish as his third peer-reviewed research paper. Despite the inherent challenges of lab work, he remains focused on completing his Ph.D. and anticipates presenting his findings on GOM measurement issues at ICMGP 2024 through an oral presentation.
Alkuin (ESR1) Celebrates PhD Defense Success with Global Collaborators and French Tradition
On 2nd of November 2023, Alkuin (ESR1) successfully defended his PhD thesis with the title: “New Constraints on Atmospheric Mercury Cycling from Two Mountain Observatories in the Southern Hemisphere Tropics” (the thesis has been published and is now openly accessible under: https://www.theses.fr/2023GRALU030). The GMOS train was well represented in the PhD defense, not only on stage and in the jury, but also in the audience. Many collaborators tuned in online (among them most ESRs) and, amazingly, Sonja (ESR7), Isabel (ESR6), and Dr Johannes Bieser (from Hereon) even found the time to be there in person!
Following the long but engaging scientific discussions during the defense, the evening was rounded off – as customary in France – with a pot de thèse, an open buffet with plenty of food and drinks. In tune with Alkuin’s life trajectory, this featured a mix of Latin-American (mostly Bolivian), French, and German specialties.
After this unforgettable day, Alkuin gave himself a bit of time to recover both sleep and inspiration. Having regained his strength, he is now on the verge of initiating a new chapter of scientific collaboration with Hereon under the supervision of Dr Johannes Bieser!
