Advances and limitations in the determination and assessment of gunshot residue in the environment.

Gunshot residue (GSR) stemming from the discharge of firearms has been essential to advancements in the field of forensic science however the human and environmental health impacts from GSR are far less researched. GSR represents a multifaceted concern: it contains a complex mixture of inorganic and organic components and produces airborne particles with variable sizes, depositions, and fates. Herein we evaluate studies in the literature examining GSR collection, deposition, composition, environmental contamination, and potential remediation techniques within the last two decades (2000 - 2020).

Exposure to mixtures of mercury, cadmium, lead, and arsenic alters the disposition of single metals in tissues of Wistar rats.

Humans throughout the world are exposed regularly to mixtures of environmental toxicants. Four of the most common heavy metal toxicants in the environment are mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and arsenic (As). Numerous studies have assessed the effects and disposition of individual metals in organ systems; however, humans are usually exposed to mixtures of toxicants or metals rather than to a single toxicant.

Adaption and use of a quadcopter for targeted sampling of gaseous mercury in the atmosphere.

We modified a popular and inexpensive quadcopter to collect gaseous mercury (Hg) on gold-coated quartz cartridges, and analyzed the traps using cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry. Flight times averaged 16 min, limited by battery life, and yielded > 5 pg of Hg, well above the limit of detection (< 0.2 pg).