Tracking harmful metals in groundwater and how they spread
Isotopic Tracing of Sources and Cycling of Hazardous Metal Mixtures
This project measures uranium, arsenic, and selenium in drinking water and urine from Northern Plains Native communities to find where exposures come from and how they move.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Columbia University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11124900 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you live in a Northern Plains Native community, researchers will compare metal levels in local groundwater and in urine samples from people in the Strong Heart Study. They will measure isotopes of uranium and selenium — chemical fingerprints that reveal redox-driven changes — to trace whether metals come from natural deposits, legacy mining, or other sources and how they move through aquifers. The team combines water chemistry, isotope analysis, and existing health-study data to link environmental contamination to human exposure. Findings will help point to the main sources and pathways of contamination so communities and officials can target cleanup and water-safety actions.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are people living on Northern Plains tribal lands — especially those using private or community wells or enrolled in the Strong Heart Study — who may be exposed to arsenic, uranium, or selenium in drinking water.
Not a fit: People who do not live in the study communities, do not drink local groundwater, or need immediate medical treatment for metal poisoning are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could pinpoint contamination sources so tribes and agencies can target cleanup and reduce people's exposure to toxic metals.
How similar studies have performed: Isotope tracing is an established tool in environmental science, but applying uranium and selenium isotopes to link groundwater contamination directly to human urine exposure in tribal communities is a newer application.
Where this research is happening
New York, United States
- Columbia University Health Sciences — New York, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Halliday, Alex — Columbia University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Halliday, Alex
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.