Background:  Over the last six years, the Great Lakes Commission (GLC), under funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and in cooperation with the eight Great Lakes states, has awarded research grants dealing with atmospheric toxic pollutants affecting the Great Lakes and their tributary watersheds. Thirty-five research grants have been awarded since 2004 addressing a diverse array of research concerning atmospheric pollutant loadings and movement within the basin and the associated impacts of numerous persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic (PBT) chemicals on wildlife and human health. A substantial amount of new scientific knowledge has been attained through these research activities. The GLAD webinar series is intended to provide a forum for GLAD Principal Investigators (PIs) to disseminate information on their respective research activities, including specific findings, recommended follow-up actions, and potential public policy actions to foster elimination of PBT threats to the region.

Format:  The webinar series will include around 10 sessions, scheduled to be conducted every 2-3 weeks starting in October 2010 and running through April 2011. Each webinar will last two hours and will include a 30-minute presentation from one to two PIs. Time will be reserved for participants to ask questions and to engage in group dialogue on future directions and policy approaches. This dialogue could influence future funding opportunities under the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

Topics:

• Mercury research synthesis
• Human and wildlife contaminant exposure & effects
• Contaminant fate, transport, and loadings to the Great Lakes
• Emissions from outdoor wood fired boilers & agricultural plastic incineration
• Emerging contaminants

Webinar Schedule:

1. Wednesday, October 13, 2010, 10am-12pm (ET) Great Lakes Mercury Research Synthesis Great Lakes Mercury Research Synthesis (David Evers, Ph.D.) - Presentation [pdf | 6 mb] Mercury fate, transport, depositional patterns, and major source characterization in the Great Lakes region (Kevin Crist, Ph.D.) - Presentation [pdf | 3 mb] DOWNLOAD ARCHIVED VIDEO (wmv | 323 mb)

2. Tuesday, October 26, 2010, 2pm-4pm (ET) Sources of Brominated Flame Retardants (BFRs) BFR emission rates in non-residential buildings (Stuart Batterman, Ph.D.) - Presentation [pdf | 3 mb] BFRs - from source to lake (Miriam Diamond, Ph.D.) - Presentation [pdf | 3 mb]

3. Wednesday, November 17, 2010, 2pm-4pm (ET) Multimedia monitoring Development and evaluation of passive samplers for PBT monitoring (Thomas Holsen, Ph.D.) - Presentation [pdf | 1.7 mb] Mercury dynamics in urban environments (Chris Eckley, Ph.D.) - Presentation [pdf | 2.5 mb]

4. Tuesday, November 30, 2010, 10am-12pm (ET) Multimedia models Internet-based multimedia chemical fate model for the Great Lakes ecosystem (Mario Citra, Ph.D.) - Presentation [pdf | 0.8 mb] Multimedia model to support the assessment and management of chemicals of emerging concern (Joseph DePinto, Ph.D.) - Presentation [pdf | 3 mb]

5. Wednesday, December 15, 2010, 10am-12pm (ET) PBT measurement techniques Measurement techniques and modeling of PBT transport in Lake Superior basin (Judith Perlinger, Ph.D.) - Presentation [pdf | 4.1 mb] An Intercomparison Study: Mercury dry deposition measurement techniques (Frank Marsik, Ph.D. & Thomas Holsen, Ph.D.) - Presentation [pdf | 6.1 mb]

6. Thursday, February 3, 2011, 2pm-4pm (ET) Fate of mercury in the Great Lakes environments Bioavailability of atmospheric mercury in the surface waters of the Great Lakes (Christopher Babiarz, Ph.D.) - Presentation [pdf | 1.4 mb] Wetland mercury methylation declines rapidly following reductions in sulfate deposition (Daniel Engstrom, Ph.D.) - Presentation [pdf | 2.8 mb]

7. Tuesday, March 15, 2011, 10am-12pm (ET) PBT effects on humans & wildlife Assessment of health outcomes among a cohort of frequent and infrequent consumers of Great Lakes Fish (Lynda Knobeloch, Ph.D.) - Presentation [pdf | 3.1 mb] Neurochemical biomarkers to assess effects of toxic substances on wildlife in the Great Lakes region (Nil Basu, Ph.D.) - Presentation [pdf | 3.9 mb]

8. Thursday, March 31, 2011, 10am-12pm (ET) Emissions from outdoor wood fired boilers and agricultural plastic incineration Characterization of toxic air emissions from outdoor wood fired boilers and agricultural plastic incineration (Sukh Sidhu, Ph.D.) - Presentation [pdf | 1.6 mb] The Pesticide Stewardship Alliance (TPSA) Meeting Update (Lois Levitan, Ph.D.) - Presentation [pdf | 3.2 mb]

9. Date & Time: TBD Regional PBDE Policy

10. Date & Time: TBD Regional Air Pollutant Inventory Development System (RAPIDS)

If you would like to receive informational updates regarding this webinar series and/or other GLAD program initiatives, please subscribe to the GLAD-INFO email distribution list.