C2H2 EAGER: Gadolinium Contamination in the Middle Rio Grande Valley: Understanding Environmental Fate and Human Exposure

C2H2 EAGER：里约格兰德河谷中部的钆污染：了解环境命运和人类暴露

• 批准号: 2422236
• 负责人: Rachel Coyte
• 金额: $ 20万
• 依托单位: New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2024-05-01 至 2026-04-30
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2422236&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: C2H2; EAGER; Gadolinium; Contamination; Middle

The escalating impacts of climate change pose unprecedented challenges to freshwater supplies globally, particularly in areas already experiencing water stress, such as New Mexico. This proposal addresses a pressing concern related to the contamination of water resources by medical waste, specifically gadolinium (Gd), a toxic element that is an important component of contrast agents used in magnetic resonance imaging. This research focuses on the analysis of river, stream, and groundwater of the Middle Rio Grande Valley in New Mexico to investigate the fate of anthropogenic Gadolinium in surface and subsurface water resources of understudied arid to semiarid areas and its impact on ecologocal and human health. The research involves field observations and sampling of river and groundwaters and laboratory experimental work. A focus will be to examine and trace the sources of Gd in natural waters and determine its distribution in the environment. The impact of Gadolinium, released to water treatment facilities and ultimately to the environment via the urine of those who have under gone MRI, will be studied and its impact on human health will be determined through exposure and toxicological studies of human digestive/gastric fluids. Broader impacts of the reserach include improved understanding the consequences of medical waste on water quality and public health. The work will provide much needed data for mitigation plans and serve the national interest in promoting environmental sustainability and public welfare. It will also engage local high school students, many from Native American tribes in the area, in water projects to foster interest and to increase understanding of water issues in a region already experiencing significant water stress.The proposed research will address critical research questions regarding the fate, distribution, and toxicity of Gd contamination stemming from medical waste from contrast enhancing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) fluids containing the element Gadolinium (Gd), a toxic element to humans. In MRI fluids, Gd is chelated into a compound that renders it harmless to humans. However, this fluid is excreted from the body in urine, post imaging, and enters surface and groundwater systems through sewars and sweage treatment plants. Gd aqueous species are then released into the natural environment where they experience interactions with natural materials and processes that can change the speciation allowing it to become bioavailable. This resaerch provides a study of the Gd distribution and speciation in New Mexico Rio Grande Valley surface and ground waters and addresses analytical challenges of speciating natural samples with low-concentrations of Gd. It includes investigation into the effects of gastrointestinal fluids on speciation of Gadolinium and its toxicity. Key outcomes include (1) characterizing the concentrations and species of Gd in natural waters (surface water and groundwater) and sediments along the Rio Grande between Albuquerque and Elephant Butte, (2) an assessment of human exposure pathways and potential health risks associated with Gd ingestion through drinking water sources, and (3) improved understanding of the toxicological implications of Gd exposure focusing on the gastrointestinal tract and its effects on human health. The work will contribute significantly to our understanding of the risks posed by Gd medical waste in the environment.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

气候变化的升级影响对全球淡水供应构成了前所未有的挑战，尤其是在已经遇到水压力的地区，例如新墨西哥州。该提案解决了与医疗废物（特别是gdolinium（GD）污染水资源的污染）有关的紧迫问题，这是一种有毒元素，是磁共振成像中使用的造影剂的重要组成部分。这项研究的重点是对新墨西哥州中部里奥格兰德山谷的河流，溪流和地下水进行分析，以调查地表中人为gadolinium的命运，以及对半干旱地区的研究及其对生态环境和人类健康的影响。该研究涉及河流和地下水以及实验室实验工作的现场观察和采样。重点是检查和追踪自然水域中GD的来源并确定其在环境中的分布。将通过对人类消化/胃液的暴露和毒理学研究来确定，gadolinuim的影响将通过未经MRI的人的尿液释放到水处理设施，最终通过尿液中的尿液来确定其对人类健康的影响。研究的更广泛的影响包括改善了解医疗废物对水质和公共卫生的后果。这项工作将为缓解计划提供急需的数据，并在促进环境可持续性和公共福利方面具有国家利益。 It will also engage local high school students, many from Native American tribes in the area, in water projects to foster interest and to increase understanding of water issues in a region already experiencing significant water stress.The proposed research will address critical research questions regarding the fate, distribution, and toxicity of Gd contamination stemming from medical waste from contrast enhancing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) fluids containing the element Gadolinium (Gd), a toxic element to humans.在MRI液中，GD被螯合成一种化合物，使其对人类无害。但是，这种液体在尿液，成像后从体内排出，并通过污水处理厂和毛衣治疗厂进入地面和地下水系统。然后将GD水性物种释放到自然环境中，在这种环境中，他们与天然材料和过程进行了相互作用，从而可以改变物种形成，从而使其变得可生物利用。这次重新研究提供了一项研究，研究了新墨西哥州里奥格兰德山谷表面和地下水的GD分布和物种形成，并解决了针对GD低浓度的天然样品的分析挑战。它包括研究胃肠液对gadolinuim及其毒性物种形态的影响。关键结果包括（1）表征自然水域（地表水和地下水）中GD的浓度和种类，以及沿阿尔伯克基和大象比特之间的里奥格兰德沿里奥格兰德的沉积物，（2）评估人类暴露途径的评估以及通过饮用水源和（3）对GD摄入的毒品的影响以及（3）对GD摄取的潜在健康风险的评估，以及（3），（3）对GD摄入的影响，以及（3），（3）对GD摄入的影响，以及（3），（3）对GD摄入的影响，以及（3）的毒性构成了毒理学的影响。 健康。这项工作将极大地有助于我们对环境中GD医疗废物带来的风险的理解。该奖项反映了NSF的法定任务，并被认为是值得通过基金会的知识分子优点和更广泛的影响评估标准通过评估来支持的。