This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Cadmium (Cd) is an accumulation in soils has been linked to 20th century industrial and agricultural practices. Willow (genus: Salix), a Cd accumulator, has been proposed as a candidate for use in phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated sediments and mine tailings; while not as efficient as other plants in Cd uptake, Salix stands can be harvested for energy generation via biomass combustion. Arctic and subarctic wildlife that subsist primarily on willow during the winter and spring have elevated Cd concentrations in the kidney and liver; with continued exposure to bioavailable Cd, they are at risk for several pathologies associated with chronic Cd exposure. Organ meat from ungulates (caribou, moose, and elk, among others) is a staple of the diet of some subarctic native communities, and therefore Cd accumulation in ungulates poses a health risk to human populations as well. The proposed project seeks to provide information on the pathway(s) of Cd mobilization from geologic sources to plants (specifically Salix), and to animals (specifically, Alces, the common moose). XAFS spectroscopy is needed to characterize Cd species in: (1) parent geologic material (both rocks and the soils derived from them) from mineralized and non-mineralized areas in Alaska; (2) natural Salix plants [from areas sampled in (1)] and greenhouse-grown Salix plants; and (3) organs (kidney, liver, and possibly bone) of wild moose from Alaska. Obtaining information on Cd speciation in a variety of geologic and biologic materials is critical for defining the transient (and permanent) reservoirs for Cd in the environment and the probable transfer processes between these reservoirs. By understanding the processes responsible for the dispersion and bioavailability of Cd in the natural environment, informed decisions can be made about minimizing the transport and impact of this element on biota.
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