Mercury Rising: The Toxicology of a Global Pollutant

Every day, we come in contact with many different chemicals that have the potential to impact our lives. Toxicology is a field of science that helps us understand the interactions between us, our environment, and these chemicals, which are sometimes toxic. Heavy metals, such as mercury, are particularly interesting due to their toxicity to human health and their widespread environmental presence. X-ray experiments at facilities like the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource at SLAC can teach us the ways in which these harmful pollutants affect our everyday lives. This lecture will explore different areas of toxicology through case studies of mercury exposure in human and animal models. Discussion will include new insights into historic poisonings as well as other aspects relevant to human health and nutrition. The strength and versatility of synchrotron-based techniques allow us to delve into the sometimes dark, but always intriguing, mysteries that the field of toxicology has to offer.

Speaker: Ashley James, University of Saskatchewan

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