A mass balance of genotoxicity in the St. Lawrence River (Montreal) based on SOS chromotest results
- McGill Univ., Montreal, Quebec (Canada). Dept. of Biology
Mass balance models are frequently used to track contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. To the authors knowledge no mass balance has ever been constructed using only bioassay results for complex mixtures. They have used surface water SOS Chromotest results from Langevin et al (1992) and industrial effluent SOS Chromotest results from White et al (1996) to determine the steady state concentration of genotoxins in the surface waters of the St. Lawrence river around Montreal. The results of Langevin et al indicate that the St. Lawrence River west of Montreal is contributing 446 ng benzo(a)pyrene equivalents per L, while the Ottawa River is contributing 166 ng benzo(a)pyrene equivalents per L. The data of While et al indicate that industrial emissions in the Montreal area are contributing an additional 68 ng benzo(a)pyrene equivalents per L. The latter value is based on the genotoxic potency of final effluents from 13 priority industries, their daily discharge and the mean (n = 35 years) river discharge at Lasalle. Assuming that the industrial effluents do not alter the river discharge, the expected surface water concentration of genotoxins in the Montreal area is 680 ng benzo(a)pyrene equivalents per L. This value is extremely close to the mean of actual surface water measurements published by Langevin et al. (701 ng benzo(a)pyrene equivalents per L). The extremely short water residence time (< 2 days) and rapid current ({approx}1 m/sec) indicate that losses from sedimentation and decay between Valleyfield and Varennes are negligible. The results indicate that municipal wastewater discharges account for over 95% of the Montreal area contribution.
- OSTI ID:
- 372523
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9511137--; ISBN 1-880611-03-1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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