Zofia Turek Ph. D. candidate (expected completion 2010) School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Stony Brook University, NY M. Sci., 2004, Department of Food Science and Fisheries, Agriculture University of Szczecin (currently Westpomeranian Technical University of Szczecin) E-mail: zosia@ravenblond.com Sediment biogeochemistry, elemental cycling, bioaccumulation in benthic food chain

Research Interests

I am interested in the role that marine organisms play in the cycle of chemicals that are of relevance both for ecosystem and public health. My research attempts to improve current approaches to assess environmental risk, which is often based on the levels of dissolved contaminants, ignoring potentially relevant chemical (e.g. chemical speciation) and biological processes (e.g. dietary assimilation of metals). Many elements (mercury, arsenic etc.) naturally present in the environment can become enriched due to anthropogenic activities such as industry or agriculture. Those elements enter aquatic – both pelagic and benthic – food chains. Organisms can incorporate metals into their body via aqueous exposure and/or by ingesting metal enriched food. Specifically, my thesis examines mechanisms that influence biogeochemical transformations and bioavailability of arsenic to deposit-feeding polychaetes, which is an essential step towards understanding the bioaccumulation. My research employs a variety of geochemical and biochemical methods such as sequential extraction, use of radioactive tracers, and protein identification.

Projects

• Tracking the phase speciation of As, Cd, Cr in fresh and aged estuarine sediments
• Evaluation of As, Cd, Cr bioaccumulation patterns in Nereis succinea
• Study of Nereis succinea’s gut biochemistry
• Arsenic cycle in water column- uptake and release of As by a marine diatom Thalasiossira pseudonana

Presentations

Turek Z. Fisher N.S., Cutter G.A. Geochemical and biological factors influencing metal accumulation in benthic animals. Partners in Environmental Technology Technical Symposium & Workshop, December 2009 Washington DC, USA

Fisher N.S., Turek Z, Cutter G.A., Karimi R. What controls metal bioaccumulation in benthic animals?

Partners in Environmental Technology Technical Symposium & Workshop, December 2008 Washington DC, USA

Turek Z., Fisher N.S., Cutter G.A. Metal(loid) partitioning in three different natural sediments in time and its influence on bioavailability in Nereis succinea.

New York Marine Science Consortium, 1^st annual meeting, June 2008 Stony Brook University

Turek Z., Fisher N.S., Cutter G.A. Geochemical and physiological influences on metal accumulation in deposit-feeding polychaetes. SETAC Europe 18^th meeting, May 2008. Warsaw, Poland

Fisher N.S., Cutter G.A., Turek Z. Bioaccumulation of Cd, Cr, As and Pb in deposit-feeding polychaete Nereis succinea. Partners in Environmental Technology Technical Symposium & Workshop, December 2007 Washington DC, USA

Turek Z., Fisher N.S., Cutter G.A. Explaining the bioaccumulation of sediment-bound metals to benthic deposit-feeding animals. SETAC North America 28^th meeting, Milwaukee, WI November 2007

Meetings and workshops attended

• Workshop on mercury toxicity in humans, Stony Brook Manhattan, NY May 2009
• New York Marine Science Consortium, 1^st annual meeting, June 2008 Stony Brook University
• SETAC Europe 18^th meeting, May 2008. Warsaw, Poland
• Partners in Environmental Technology Technical Symposium & Workshop, December 2007 Washington DC, USA