July 17, 2012
Émilien Pelletier received a B.Sc. degree in chemistry and a M.Sc. degree in oceanography from the Université du Québec à Rimouski (UQAR). He completed his PhD in organometal chemistry at McGill University. He then moved back to Rimouski to begin his career in environmental chemistry at the INRS-Océanologie. In 1998, he actively contributed to the creation of the Rimouski institute of ocean sciences (Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER)) and in 2001 he obtained the Canada Research Chair in Molecular Ecotoxicology applied to coastal environments.
For the past 20 years his research has focused on the bioavailability and trophic transfer of contaminants and their effects on predators. Dr. Pelletier is interested in biodynamic and toxicity of tributyltin (TBT), a highly immunotoxic organometallic pesticide added to marine antifouling paints, trace metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and other contaminants including nanoparticles in benthic invertebrates, fish and marine mammals. He is also actively working on development of tools to reduce oil spill impacts in icy marine environments.