Anorganische Umweltgeochemie

We study biogeochemical cycles of health-impacting trace elements such as selenium and arsenic − from microscopic to global scales.

Our main focus lies on the behavior of selenium in the environment, in the light of the SNFS funded project the global biogeochemical cycle of selenium: sources, fluxes and the influence of climate. The trace element selenium is of key importance to human health but it has a narrow range between doses that are essential to humans and those that are associated with adverse effects. Despite the growing awareness of importance of this element, the behavior of selenium in the natural environment is poorly understood. Regions of both Se deficiency and excess are known, although Se deficiency is a far bigger problem, with estimates of at least one billion people being affected by too low Se intake. In order to prevent future health hazards it is very important that we better understand the processes that control the behavior of selenium in the environment.

Our research is aimed at gaining a better understanding of the processes that control the global distribution of selenium. Research activities are organized in two work programs (A) production of volatile biogenic selenium compounds and (B) deposition of atmospherically transported Se in the terrestrial environment.

Bas Vriens is doing his PhD on the production of volatile Se compounds in terrestrial and marine environments.

In the frame of his PhD project, Tim Blazina investigates the deposition of atmospherically transported Se in the terrestrial environment.

For more information on environmental selenium research see our Feature paper published in Environmental Science and Technology.

http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es203434d?prevSearch=winkel&searchHistoryKey=