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A new testing technique developed using synchrotron light could significantly improve how we monitor the effectiveness of remediation practices for removing selenium contamination from mining activities.

Selenium is a naturally occurring nutrient that humans and animals need—in small quantities—to stay healthy. However, exposure to higher concentrations can cause neurological problems in humans and death and infertility in wildlife and cattle.

Mining can result in selenium and other substances running off into nearby soil and water bodies, potentially accumulating over time—even if mitigation strategies such as manufactured wetlands or selenium-removing bacteria are in place.

"We need mining to get certain resources out of the ground," says Heather Shrimpton, a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Waterloo (Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences). "We can't just rely 100% on recycled materials yet. So, it's important that we have techniques that can lessen the impacts that mining has on people and the environment, and my technique can help with that."

Until now, there has been no way to determine whether selenium is likely to permanently dissipate as a result of remediation efforts, or whether it is being absorbed in nearby creeks or riverbanks.

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