U-Michigan offers experts on mercury emissions, regulations

ANN ARBOR, Mich.--The following University of Michigan researchers are available to discuss mercury emissions and new regulations, expected to be announced today by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, that will require power plants to reduce emissions of mercury and other toxics:

Nil Basu, assistant professor, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health. One of Basu’s major areas of research is the exposure of humans and wildlife to mercury and other neurotoxicants. Basu: (734) 764-9490, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Joel Blum, the John D. MacArthur Professor of Earth and Environmental Sciences. Blum has spent the last decade developing a technique that uses chemical "fingerprints" of the element mercury to directly link environmental mercury pollution to specific coal-burning power plants. Blum: (734) 615-3242, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Tim Dvonch, assistant professor, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health. Dvonch’s work focuses on the exposure assessment, source identification, and health effects of air pollutants, including mercury. Of special interest are the atmospheric sources, transport and fate of mercury in the environment. Dvonch: (734) 615-3484, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Frank Marsik, associate research scientist, Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences. His research interests include the study of the transport, transformation and fate of mercury within the environment, with a focus on the development of direct measurement techniques for estimation of the dry deposition of mercury and other trace species. Marsik: (734) 763-5369, This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .