During these two initial months of operation of the DeToxSea project, we have selected the blood samples we need to analyze to reach our objective (evaluate how the interaction selenium-mercury can affect the output and population dynamics of little auks), at the moment for 8 of the 17 years of study.
Prior to the analysis of selenium and mercury, the samples conserved in ethanol and frozen were first dried using a fume hood, and second dehydrated by lyophilization using a freeze dryer. All these processes were carried out at the LIENS laboratory.
In addition, we placed some sub-samples in tin capsules to be analyzed for carbon and nitrogen isotopes. With these results, we will relate the selenium-mercury concentrations of the individuals with their trophic ecology. All the analyses (selenium, mercury, carbon and nitrogen isotopes) will be performed at the Platform of Elemental Analyses.
The samples for the remaining years will be selected after the fieldwork, since we will travel to the Arctic in three days to continue with the study of little auks and the research that is already in progress through the ADACLIM program.
I hope the food we sent to Greenland two month ago is still waiting for us!
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