Spatial and temporal trends of mercury in water, sediments and biota in a mainstream Canadian reservoir
- G3 Consulting Ltd., Richmond, British Columbia (Canada)
Mercury (Hg) concentrations within several environmental matrices were examined, during high and low water periods of a 1,778.7 kM{sup 2} northern Canada drawdown reservoir, as part of an Environmental Effects Monitoring (EEM) program. Mercury, and 20 other metals, were analyzed in liver tissues of two benthic foraging fish species, Largescale Sucker (Catastomus macrocheilus) and Lake Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis). Previous work on the reservoir demonstrated a positive correlation between mercury in muscle tissue and Lake Whitefish weight, Results from the current investigation were compared to historical data from the reservoir and several mercuriferous lakes in the region. Research dating from 1970 indicated elevated Hg concentrations in reservoir water (0.026 to 0.09 ppb) and in Lake Whitefish, with no significant decline noted to date. Hg levels in Whitefish muscle tissue averaged 0.20 ppm and were comparable to post-impoundment concentrations observed in Alberta reservoirs. Sediment and water samples and in situ water profiles were examined at 34 stations throughout the system. Sediments and water underwent a variety of organic and inorganic analyses, including mercury. Spatial and temporal analytical concentration profiles were determined for a variety of specific environmental matrices.
- OSTI ID:
- 390171
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9511137-; ISBN 1-880611-03-1; TRN: IM9646%%456
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 2. Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry (SETAC) world conference, Vancouver (Canada), 5-9 Nov 1995; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of Second SETAC world congress (16. annual meeting): Abstract book. Global environmental protection: Science, politics, and common sense; PB: 378 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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