Arsenic is a major health risk to humans as it is a highly toxic element, however, its impact on wildlife is not currently understood. Arsenic contamination occurs Australia-wide but is significantly elevated around gold mining regions, thus, the team is focusing its research efforts on the wider Bendigo-Ballarat region. 

The students, Jacqui Wakefield, Isobel Campbell and Saxbee Affleck are inviting the community to take part in the project, which they called an example of citizen science, a growing movement where the public participates in scientific research projects through aiding with sample collection and analysis.

The students are collecting hair samples, predominately fox hair, as it can be used as an indicator of exposure to the toxic element arsenic with a goal of identifying if there is a relationship between arsenic concentrations in wildlife hair and arsenic concentrations in soil. Foxes are an ideal focus species as they are already culled in wide numbers, providing large sample availability.

Isobel Campbell said they would not be able to complete the project on their own. “We would love to work with local communities of the gold mining regions, as not only do members of the public get to engage with science in a practical way, but their help in sourcing fox samples is invaluable.”

Contact jrwak1@student.monash.edu if interested.