Impacts of Metals on Aquatic Ecosystems and Human Health

Course Schedule

Instruction will take place from 9:00AM to 5:00PM each day, with a lunch break from noon to 1:00PM and 15 minute snack breaks in mid-morning and mid-afternoon.

Day 1 - April 30 2008
Morning	Course orientation/introductions/expectations
	Overview of aquatic ecosystems
	How mining and other human activities discharge metals to these ecosystems
	Properties of metals
	Principles of metal toxicity/mechanisms of action/measuring toxicity
	Exposure pathways
	Bioavailability and speciation
	Bioconcentration and biomagnifications
Afternoon	Factors affecting metal toxicity – chemical, physical, biological
	Impacts of chromium and cadmium on aquatic organisms and human health

Day 2 - May 1 2008
Morning	Impacts of lead on aquatic organisms and human health
	Impacts of mercury on aquatic organisms and human health
Afternoon	Global Mercury Project
	Impacts of copper and zinc on aquatic organisms and human health

Day 3 - May 2 2008
Morning	Impacts of nickel, tin, silver, and gold on aquatic organisms and human health
	Impacts of aluminum, manganese, arsenic, selenium, and uranium on aquatic organisms and human health
	Toxicity testing methods
Afternoon	Summary: relative toxicities of metals to aquatic organisms and humans
	Source control principles
	Case Study: Britannia Beach Mine cleanup
	Small Group Exercise: presentation and discussion of other case studies of closed, currently operating and potential mining sites