Details of Award

NERC Reference : NE/C510532/1

Metal-colloid interactions in freshwaters.

Principal Investigator:: Professor J Lead, University of Birmingham, Sch of Geography, Earth & Env Sciences
Grant held at:: University of Birmingham, Sch of Geography, Earth & Env Sciences

ENRIs:: Pollution and Waste
Science Topics:: Water Quality; Biogeochemical Cycles; Technol. for Environ. Appl.

Abstract:: Colloids are very small material present in natural waters such as rivers and lakes. This proposal is interested in studying the very smallest of this material, from roughly the size of atoms to the size of viruses (< 50 nanometers, about 1 million times smaller than 1 mm). These materials are naturally produced by weathering, by bacterial behaviour or other means and are very important in chemically binding pollutants such as trace metals (mercury, cadmium etc). They also affect the way these pollutants behave in the environment. For instance, they change the way metals move in natural waters and can reduce their uptake and toxicity to aquatic animals and plants. They are very small, present at very low concentrations and are easily changed by sampling and analysis. Because of this and because there are few methods available to study them, we do not understand their behaviour well, especially this very small fraction. Colloids less than 20-50 nm may be the most important type of material in binding metals. This project wants to provide methods capable of studying these very tiny colloids and how they chemically bind to metals and also to provide information about how important they are in different types of waters and under different chemical conditions.

Authorised funds only

This grant award has a total value of £154,838

Total - T&S	Total - Staff	Total - Other Costs	Total - Indirect Costs	Total - Equipment
£6,291	£76,831	£19,333	£35,342	£17,040

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