The ARKTIS Biogeochemistry research cluster is dedicated to deciphering the atmospheric cycling of selenium and its biogeochemical connection to sulfur. While selenium is an essential trace element for the health of organisms ranging from microscopic marine life to humans, it exists in a delicate balance. The margin between nutritional necessity and toxicity is surprisingly narrow, making the understanding of its distribution critical for environmental health.
A major driver of this balance is the marine biosphere. Through volatile emissions, the ocean acts as a primary source of atmospheric selenium. Once airborne, selenium is transformed and transported across vast distances before depositing back to the surface to replenish terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Despite this crucial interplay between ocean, air, and land, the global mechanisms driving selenium transport remain largely under-researched.
To close this knowledge gap, we are combining advanced laboratory analysis of atmospheric deposition samples with cutting-edge computer simulations. ARKTIS offers a unique opportunity to collect data on volatile emissions and deposition from remote, under-sampled marine regions. In synergy with a project funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, this work is essential to closing the loop in our understanding of the global selenium cycle.
Research Cluster PI
- Lenny Winkel, ETH Zurich & Eawag, Switzerland
Research Cluster Collaborators
- Pascal Becker, Eawag, Switzerland
- Pauline Béziat, ETH Zurich & Eawag, Switzerland
- Andrea Stenke, ETH Zurich & Eawag, Switzerland
- Luc Bessuges, ETH Zurich & Eawag, Switzerland
- Luce Creman, ETH Zurich & Eawag, Switzerland
- Björn Studer, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
- Mike Chan, Eawag, Switzerland
- Georg Pohnert, University of Jena, Germany