DESCRIPTION:
Jacksonville University, in collaboration with the City of Jacksonville and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, is conducting the first-ever evaluation of mercury levels in the St. Johns River, with a 4-year comprehensive study begun in 2015. The project was made possible through a $98,000 grant written by Dr. Lucinda Sonnenberg, director of the Millar Wilson Laboratory for Chemical Research at Jacksonville University's Marine Science Research Institute, and awarded by the City of Jacksonville’s Environmental Protection Board. Dr. Sonnenberg is leading JU research assistants including chemistry majors Nolan Carney and Alyssa McCaskey in this challenging effort to take measurements at several sites that may pose an unusual risk to residents. For more information about the JU Marine Science Research Institute, visit http://www.ju.edu/msri.