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Categories: environment

  • In the sea, phytoplankton are the first step when methylmercury is absorbed into the food web. The image was taken under a microscope and shows a spring bloom of phytoplankton in the Bothnian Sea. Photo: Marlene Johansson

    Uptake of methylmercury by phytoplankton is controlled by thiols

    Methylmercury is one of the chemicals that poses the greatest threat to global public health. People ingest methylmercury by eating fish, but how does the mercury end up in the fish? A new study shows that the concentrations of so-called thiols in the water control how available the methylmercury is to living organisms.

  • Johanna Gardeström and Christer Nilsson in the projector light during the prize ceremony in Brussels.

    Restoration project nominated for EU prize

    The restoration project ”Vindel River LIFE”, coordinated by Umeå University, is one of totally 28 EU LIFE-funded projects that has been nominated for the EU-prize ”The Life Award – Best of the Best Nature Projects”. ”It is a great honour for us to have been placed among the best projects in Europe”, says the project leader Johanna Gardeström.