Chemical quality of water and suspended sediment from the Slave River, NWT, 1990--1994
- Dept. of Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (Canada)
- Univ. of Waterloo, Ontario (Canada)
- Government of Northwest Territories, Yellowknife, Northwest Territories (Canada)
- Waterloo Centre for Groundwater Research, Ontario (Canada)
The Slave River basin, straddling the Alberta-Northwest Territories (NWT) border, faces potential contamination from industrial development and agricultural practices. The Slave River Environmental Monitoring Program was established in 1990 to assess the water and suspended sediment quality in the territorial portion of the river at Fort Smith, NWT. The number of ``above detect`` data for polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and chlorinated phenolics (CPs) in water was small, while concentrations of those compounds above analytical detection limits were very low. No pesticides were detected in the water during the five-year monitoring period; however, levels of metals were often observed in measurable concentrations, frequently above water quality guidelines. While concentrations were relatively high, the metals were probably not due to anthropogenic activity. Concentrations of polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons in suspended sediment often exceeded the ``Lowest Effect Level`` guideline established for bottom sediment by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, but were always well below the ``Severe Effect Level``. Metal levels in suspended sediment varied over the monitoring period and no trends were discernible. The low number of ``above detect`` data for pesticides and chlorinated phenolics in the suspended sediment suggest little potential adverse impact. Concentrations of dioxins and furans were measured, but the levels were very small and the contributing homologues had minimal toxic potential. No detectable levels of 2,3,7,8-TCDD were observed. It was concluded from the extensive data collected during the five-year program that impact from upstream industrial and agricultural sources is, at the present time, negligible.
- OSTI ID:
- 398191
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9511137-; ISBN 1-880611-03-1; TRN: IM9649%%399
- 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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