JUEVES 7/12 a las 13hs:

*** Presencial: Aula 8/Seminarios (CIMA, Pab II, 2do piso) ******

Current and historical records of climate change and mining pollution in the central Andes using unconventional tracers and isotopes
Dr. Stéphane Guédron – Institute of Research for Development, ISTerre – University Grenoble Alpes, France

In the Anthropocene era, human activities are significantly affecting the natural cycle of chemical elements and compounds on local, regional and global scales. Studying the biogeochemical cycles of ubiquitous elements including contaminants [e.g., metal(loid)s] enables the understanding of the transfer processes of toxic species to trophic chains, and the mechanisms of degradation or scavenging in terrestrial compartments (water, soil, air and biota), in order to develop mitigation/remediation methods.
On the other hand, the understanding of elemental biogeochemical cycles in pristine environments and their transposition to paleoenvironmental studies allows to identify the drivers and magnitude of natural changes such as climate, volcanism…, and those related to anthropogenic activities.
In this presentation, I will present several case studies of elemental biogeochemical cycles in the aquatic ecosystems and sediment records of the Andean Altiplano, including conventional and unconventional elemental (i.e., Hg, Br, Se) or isotopic tracers.

Dr S. Guédron is a researcher in environmental geochemistry and paleoenvironmental studies at the Institute of Research for Development (IRD) within the Institute of Earth Sciences (ISTerre) at University Grenoble-Alpes, France, since 2011. He obtained his PhD degree in environmental geochemistry at Grenoble University, France in 2008.
His research focuses on the understanding of the bio-geochemical cycles (speciation, source, transport and transfer) of ubiquitous elements (i.e., metal, metalloids and halogens) in terrestrial (soils, peat), and aquatic ecosystems (i.e., lake, river, sediments ….) impacted or not by human activities. One of the main components of his research is the study temperate and tropical environments where he studies the dynamics, and the biogeochemical cycles of elements from the molecular to the catchment scale. He uses various tools and methodologies (elemental speciation and isotopic geochemistry, spectroscopy, mineralogy) to understand the geochemical cycles of metals, metalloids and halogens (e.g., mercury, lead, antimony, selenium, bromide and iodine) considering historical and current global changes, and man’s historical footprint.
He has authored 57 peer review publications and regularly (co)supervises post-Docs, PhD, MSc and undergraduate students, as well as engineer staff in the field and laboratory. He is/has been PI or partner of 15 French (ANR, EC2CO…), 3 swiss (FNRS), and 2 International (PNUD , ERC) projects.