EEPS Colloquium: Jeffrey Catalano
Director of Environmental Studies
Critical Links between Trace Element Biogeochemistry and Climate, Resources, and Public Health
Trace elements play diverse roles in Earth systems, serving as bioessential micronutrients for microbial and plant life, critical minerals for energy production and catalysis, and environmental hazards to human health. Their distribution, migration, accumulation, and bioavailability are governed by a complex interplay of competitive and cooperative biogeochemical processes. In this talk, I will explore three environmental challenges influenced by trace element biogeochemistry: (1) the impact of trace metal availability on the production and decomposition of greenhouse gases in wetland soils, (2) the role of mineral-water reactions in weathering zones in controlling the mobility and accumulation of critical minerals in new resource occurrences, and (3) the influence of spatial patterns of lead in urban soils on residential lead exposure. I will present potential strategies for addressing these environmental challenges through the lens of trace element biogeochemistry.
Host: David Fike
EEPS Colloquia are made possible by the William C. Ferguson Fund