Zhuyun
Gu
University of Melbourne
PhD candidate
A Bit About Zhuyun
​Zhuyun is currently working through her PhD in University of Melbourne with a focus the behaviour of platinum group elements (PGE) in soil and their translocation, bioavailability and toxicity to plants. The aim of her project is to model interaction between anthropogenic PGE and soil and plant, and provide critical information for evaluating the risk of platinum group to the environment.
Presentation Details
Palladium (Pd) is an emerging contaminant that is used in catalytic converters by the automobile industry to oxidise exhaust emissions. As a result, the concentration of Pd in roadside soil has increased worldwide. The research demonstrates that foliar absorption of Pd is a relevant pathway for absorption of Pd by plants. This needs to be considered when assessing exposure pathways and the potential for food chain transfer such as via vegetables.