Brandy M. Toner
Assistant Professor
439 Borlaug Hall
1991 Upper Buford Circle
St. Paul, MN 55108
(612) 624-1362
toner@umn.edu
Photo by Ingrid Weise
We study the speciation, distribution, and bioavailability of metals through out the biosphere. Minerals, microbes, and natural organic matter affect the transport and fate of metals in terrestrial and aquatic environments, and represent strong recurring themes in our research.
| Group News | |
 |
Novel samples, novel measurements! Hydrothermal plume particles go from the seafloor at Eastern Lau Spreading Center straight to the synchrotron in Berkeley, CA. Summer 2009. Two cruises. Plume particles were captured with in situ filtration at discrete elevations above vents at Kilo Moana, ABE, and Mariner. At the end of cruise 1, plume particles were carried directly to the Advanced Light Source for immediate analysis by X-ray microprobe at BL 10.3.2. |
 |
Microscopy Camp 2009! Secondary science teachers gather at the University of Minnesota to discuss bringing nanoscience to class rooms. http://www.chem.umn.edu/microscopycamp/ Toner (right) demonstrates a class room-ready laboratory model of hydrothermal venting (photo). |
 |
CURA award to support arsenic geochemistry research: The Center for Urban and Regional Affairs of the University of Minnesota will support our research efforts to create an arsenic vulnerability map for domestic wells in West-Central Minnesota. First, we will focus on understanding arsenic speciation in geologic materials in the Grant-Traverse region. See photos from our recent sampling of archived rotary-sonic cores... Image: West central geomorphology and arsenic groundwater concentrations (Lindsey Briscoe) |
 |
News coverage of our Nature Geoscience paper: May 2009 - Earth Magazine article by M. C. Morton April 7, 2009 - CCAC North Campus Voice by Amanda King ALS News Volume 297 • April 29, 2009 Image: Seafloor near sediment traps, (c) WHOI, Breea Govenar |
 |
New paper published in Nature Geoscience - see a little news at: WHOI, NASA Astrobiology, and NSF Toner, B. M., Fakra, S. C., Manganini, S. J., Santelli, C. M., Marcus, M. A., Moffett, J. W., Rouxel, O., German, C. R., and Edwards, K. J., 2009. Preservation of iron(II) by carbon-rich matrices in a hydrothermal plume. Nature Geoscience, doi:10.1038/ngeo433. Image: Tica vent, East Pacific Rise, (c) Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution |
 |
New paper published in Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. Toner, B. M., Santelli, C. M., Marcus, M. A., Wirth, R., Chan, C. S., McCollom, T., Bach, W., and Edwards, K. J., 2009. Biogenic iron oxyhydroxide formation at mid-ocean ridge hydrothermal vents: Juan de Fuca Ridge. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 73, 388-403. Image: Scanning electron microscope image of microbial colonization of sulfide minerals at Juan de Fuca Ridge (Edwards et al. 2003; Toner et al. 2009). Scale bar 10um. |
