Natalia (ESR 4) was trained in clean sampling methods and ultra-trace level seawater mercury measurements at MIO from October to December 2020. She first applied the method to samples of hydrothermal vent fluids of the Midatlantic ridge that were already available. She further applied what she learnt during the GEOTRACES SWINGS cruise to the Southern Indian Ocean (January – March 2021) where she measured total Hg and dissolved gaseous mercury (DGM) onboard, and sampled for MeHg, DMHg, MMHg, pHg.
After her return, she supervised 2 MSc student internships: 1. to measure Hg concentrations of the TAG hydrothermal vent plume water from a previous cruise to the Midatlantic Ridge and 2. to measure pHg of suspended particulate matter and sediments from the SWINGS cruise. In parallel, she started experiments at MIO’s coastal observation station at Endoume to investigate the stability and potential diurnal variability of DGM. Then, she was trained in Hg isotopes extraction methods and measurements at GEToulouse.
During August 2021, Natalia joined the TARA OCEANS cruise to put in place a 1-year sampling strategy along the Southamerican and African coastlines.
Upon her return, she joined an oceanographic cruise to the Rainbow hydrothermal vent plume on RV Meteor (September to October 2021). The rest of the year is planned with laboratory analysis.
