Contaminant and genotoxicity profiles of sediments and zebra mussels as indicators of chemical contamination in Hamilton Harbour
- McMaster Univ., Hamilton, Ontario (Canada)
Samples of bottom sediments, suspended sediments and Zebra mussels were collected from Hamilton Harbour, an embayment of western Lake Ontario. In addition, sediment samples were collected from creeks which flow into the Harbour. These sediment samples were extracted with dichloromethane and the organic extract was cleaned up prior to analysis for PAH and thia-arenes by GC-MS. These extracts were also subjected to genotoxicity bioassays (Ames assays) in two strains of Salmonella typhimurium (a TA98-like strain, YG1024-S9 and a TA100-like strain, YG1025 + S9). The sediment and Zebra mussels samples collected near sites of heavy coal tar contamination showed PAH, thia-arene and genotoxicity profiles that are very similar to the corresponding profiles for coal tar. These observations are consistent with the resuspension and distribution of coal tar-contaminated bottom sediments in the water column. The sediment samples collected in a major creek entering the Harbor and the sediment and Zebra mussels samples collected in Windemere Arm near the mouth of this creek showed very different chemical and genotoxicity profiles. Thus, the chemical and genotoxicity burdens on Hamilton Harbour posed by the resuspension of coal tar-contaminated sediments and the inputs from urban activity into a major creek and the Harbor can be differentiated.
- OSTI ID:
- 458289
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-961149-; TRN: 97:006848
- Resource Relation:
- Conference: 17. annual meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry: partnerships for the environment - science, education, and policy, Washington, DC (United States), 17-21 Nov 1996; Other Information: PBD: 1995; Related Information: Is Part Of SETAC 17. annual meeting -- Abstract book. Partnerships for the environment: Science, education, and policy; PB: 378 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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