Objectives

Mercury (Hg) is a ubiquitous toxicant harmful to human health and the environment. Sources of Hg within the Arctic region are scarce but Arctic populations are among the highest Hg-exposed groups globally. The Arctic is thus disproportionately affected by Hg contamination and there is a critical need to better understand the Hg cycle in that rapidly-changing region. The Arctic is indeed warming at an alarming rate and has the potential to become a significant source of Hg due to the release of  Hg trapped in Arctic reservoirs such as permafrost. Inadequate observations and modeling tools hinder the comprehensive understanding of this climate-driven contamination issue and its impact on human exposure.  

This project aims at developing new models and acquiring new observational data in the Arctic Ocean.

• Scientific theme 1: Hg releases to the Arctic Ocean under various permafrost thaw scenarios

• Scientific theme 2: Oceanic fate of released permafrost Hg, including sedimentation and oceanic evasion

• Scientific theme 3: Science-policy interactions and local/global impacts within the framework of the Minamata Convention on mercury.