Buffalo, NY - Christina Zarafonitis ’26 is only a sophomore at Canisius but already she’s on a compelling research journey that’s taking her from the chemistry laboratories of Professor Peter Schaber, PhD, to the shores of local lakes, creeks and streams. The biology major is examining the presence of heavy metals in these waters, against the backdrop of the region’s vibrant sport fishing recreation.
“Many Rust Belt communities, including Buffalo, have moved away from economic reliance on heavy industry, which was a major contributor to the heavy metal pollution program,” Zarafonitis says. “The resulting cleaner waterways have led to a resurgence of game fish and the game fish industry. However, there is a lingering effect.”
Preliminary studies in Schaber’s lab have shown that despite cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg) concentrations being at acceptable levels in most fish sampled, lead (Pb) concentrations are unusually high, “particularly in those fish at the top of the food chain,” adds Zarafonitis.
To uncover where the excess lead is coming from and where it is draining into the waterways, Zarafonitis meticulously collects soil samples from the shores of the Buffalo River, the Niagara River and Lake Erie. She then analyzes these soil samples using state-of-the-art Inductively Coupled Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS) instrumentation.
“With the ICP-MS instrumentation available in the chemistry and biochemistry labs at Canisius, isotopic speciation of lead in the soil samples is possible,” explains Zarafonitis. “This allows us to identify natural versus other sources for the lead.”
Her findings not only promise to help safeguard the community environment but also shed light on the delicate balance between industrial progress and ecological preservation.
“I did not have much knowledge about the topic of lead in the soil by Lake Erie and the Buffalo River when I chose this area of study for research,” recalls Zarafonitis. “I found it a definite concern in terms of our environment and really wanted to be a part of a group working to emphasize these concerns so close to where I live.”
