Research Briefs 2002

May 29, 2002

Where's the Arsenic in New England Orchards?

HANOVER, N.H. - Increased awareness of the dangers of arsenic exposure has led to the investigation of New England apple orchards, as they have long been suspected of releasing arsenic into the environment. New research by Dartmouth scientists shows these suspicions to be, for the most part, unfounded. Their study presented at the Spring Meeting of the American Geophysical Union (May 28-31) confirms previous evidence that arsenic, sprayed on trees as an insecticide, generally stays bound up in soil, limited to the upper inches. MORE>>

[Abstract] New Hampshire Apple Orchards as a Source of Arsenic Contamination

Contact:
Xiahong Feng
Carl Renshaw
Stefan Sturup

March 19, 2002

Algae might be missing mercury link in aquatic food chain

A team of Dartmouth researchers is one step closer to understanding how toxic metals, specifically methylmercury, move through the aquatic food chain.Their results, to be published in the April 2, 2002, issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences suggest that there is a link between the amount of algae in the water and the amount of mercury going up the food chain, and their findings may help explain why levels of mercury in the water don't always indicate corresponding levels in fish. MORE>>

[Full Text] Algal blooms reduce the uptake of toxic methylmercury in freshwater food webs

Contact:
Paul Pickhardt
Carol Folt
Celia Chen