The Laboratory of Soil Environmental Toxicology at the University of Saskatchewan is focused on two key research questions:

• What are the key molecular controls on pollutants and nitrogen cycles in Arctic and Antarctic environments?
• How can we ensure that polar ecosystems remain sustainable and protected during industrial and social development?

To do this, we use a combination of field campaigns and in-laboratory microcosms and apply advanced chemical and biological techniques to assess biogeochemical cycling in polar environments. Students in our research group use equipment as diverse as quantitative PCR to cold-vapor atomic fluorescence detectors to assess biogeochemical cycles and anthropogenic impacts.

Many of our results can be applied to systems close to home. For example, we’ve recently been exploring arsenic biogeochemistry in northern Canada to unlock the secrets of arsenic biogeochemistry in the cold ground-waters of southern Canada, as in the Ardkenneth aquifer of the southern prairies. In addition, we have found, through work on Devon, that the emission of greenhouse gases may be linked to a chemical exuded by plant roots. We are currently testing for the presence of this chemical exudate near St. Denis Saskatchewan and trying to identify native prairie plant species that can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase nitrogen use efficiency.