Calgary, AB / Treaty 7

Students from Our Lady of the Rockies School investigate how dwarf sunflowers can be used for remediation. They decided to see how the dwarf sunflowers handled being subjected to treatments of low concentrations of calcium, cobalt, copper, zinc, iron, and potassium salt solutions. Using the IDEAS beamline they were able to see relative concentrations of the transition metals and do imaging maps on the leaves of their sunflowers. 

Check out their seminar here.

Burnaby, BC - Unceded territories of hən̓q ̓əmin̓əm ̓and Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nations

Students found in their preliminary research that salmon have historically played a vital role in British Columbia’s ecosystem, history, and economy. They are native to BC waters and are culturally important for Indigenous communities. BC’s mining and agricultural industries produce various types of chemical waste that drain into waters. Since salmon typically migrate around three thousand kilometres in their lifetime, the students believe that the salmon samples they will be working with may reflect whether or not the fish has taken in any harmful runoff throughout their journey. For the experiment this group will be working on the Bio-XAS beamline and looking at salmon eye lens’ for any harmful chemicals, after using the otolith (ear bone) to judge the age of the salmon. With all the combined information, and data students will be able to observe whether or not the chemical waste of British Colombia’s agricultural and mining industries have a major impact on the salmon.

Check out their seminar here. 

Winnipeg, MB / Treaty 1

Students from Fort Richmond & Nellie McClung Collegiate are interested in the impact and remediation of metal contaminated water in the Canadian prairies. In their preliminary literature search they have found that the use of fungi spores, specifically the type of white rot, can uptake the metals present in their environment.

They have been conducting research of their own which mimics metals in aqueous solutions to determine if the mycelium will uptake these metals. These students are using the IDEAS beamline to investigate further if Copper (II), Zinc, and Nickel (II) elements will be taken up by Ganoderma Lucidum mycelia.

Check out their seminar here.