Assessment of mercury enrichment in lake sediment records from Alberta Oil Sands development via fluvial and atmospheric pathways
Exploitation of bitumen-rich deposits in the Alberta Oil Sands Region (AOSR) by large-scale mining and processing activities has generated widespread concern about the potential for dispersal of harmful contaminants to aquatic ecosystems via fluvial and atmospheric pathways. The release of mercury h...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:33b1508c99944cee9ac2d78b66a8459f 2023-05-15T18:44:20+02:00 Assessment of mercury enrichment in lake sediment records from Alberta Oil Sands development via fluvial and atmospheric pathways Mitchell L. Kay Johan A. Wiklund Xiaoyu Sun Cory A. M. Savage Jennifer K. Adams Lauren A. MacDonald Wynona H. Klemt Kathleen C. Brown Roland I. Hall Brent B. Wolfe 2022-08-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.949339 https://doaj.org/article/33b1508c99944cee9ac2d78b66a8459f EN eng Frontiers Media S.A. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.949339/full https://doaj.org/toc/2296-665X 2296-665X doi:10.3389/fenvs.2022.949339 https://doaj.org/article/33b1508c99944cee9ac2d78b66a8459f Frontiers in Environmental Science, Vol 10 (2022) Alberta Oil Sands Region Wood Buffalo National Park mercury sediment quality paleolimnology aquatic ecosystem monitoring Environmental sciences GE1-350 article 2022 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.949339 2022-12-30T20:40:06Z Exploitation of bitumen-rich deposits in the Alberta Oil Sands Region (AOSR) by large-scale mining and processing activities has generated widespread concern about the potential for dispersal of harmful contaminants to aquatic ecosystems via fluvial and atmospheric pathways. The release of mercury has received attention because it is a potent neurotoxin for wildlife and humans. However, knowledge of baseline mercury concentration prior to disturbance is required to evaluate the extent to which oil sands development has contributed mercury to aquatic ecosystems. Here, we use stratigraphic analysis of total mercury concentration ([THg]) in radiometrically dated sediment cores from nine floodplain lakes in the AOSR and downstream Peace-Athabasca Delta (PAD) and two upland lakes in the PAD region to establish pre-1900 baseline [THg] and evaluate if [THg] has become enriched via fluvial and atmospheric pathways since oil sands mining and processing began in 1967. Concentrations of THg in sediment cores from the study lakes range from 0.022–0.096 mg/kg (dry wt.) and are below the Canadian interim sediment quality guidelines for freshwater (0.17 mg/kg). Results demonstrate no enrichment of [THg] above pre-1900 baseline via fluvial pathways at floodplain lakes in the AOSR or PAD. Enrichment of [THg] was detected via atmospheric pathways at upland lakes in the PAD region, but this occurred prior to oil sands development and aligns with long-range transport of emissions from coal combustion and other anthropogenic sources across the northern hemisphere recognized in many other lake sediment records. The inventory of anthropogenic [THg] in the upland lakes in the AOSR is less than at the Experimental Lakes Area of northwestern Ontario (Canada), widely regarded as a “pristine” area. The absence of enrichment of [THg] in lake sediment via fluvial pathways is a critical finding for stakeholders, and we recommend that monitoring at the floodplain lakes be used to inform stewardship as oil sands operators prepare to discharge ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Wood Buffalo Wood Buffalo National Park Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Canada Wood Buffalo ENVELOPE(-112.007,-112.007,57.664,57.664) Peace-Athabasca Delta ENVELOPE(-111.502,-111.502,58.667,58.667) Frontiers in Environmental Science 10 |
institution |
Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
op_collection_id |
ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Alberta Oil Sands Region Wood Buffalo National Park mercury sediment quality paleolimnology aquatic ecosystem monitoring Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
spellingShingle |
Alberta Oil Sands Region Wood Buffalo National Park mercury sediment quality paleolimnology aquatic ecosystem monitoring Environmental sciences GE1-350 Mitchell L. Kay Johan A. Wiklund Xiaoyu Sun Cory A. M. Savage Jennifer K. Adams Lauren A. MacDonald Wynona H. Klemt Kathleen C. Brown Roland I. Hall Brent B. Wolfe Assessment of mercury enrichment in lake sediment records from Alberta Oil Sands development via fluvial and atmospheric pathways |
topic_facet |
Alberta Oil Sands Region Wood Buffalo National Park mercury sediment quality paleolimnology aquatic ecosystem monitoring Environmental sciences GE1-350 |
description |
Exploitation of bitumen-rich deposits in the Alberta Oil Sands Region (AOSR) by large-scale mining and processing activities has generated widespread concern about the potential for dispersal of harmful contaminants to aquatic ecosystems via fluvial and atmospheric pathways. The release of mercury has received attention because it is a potent neurotoxin for wildlife and humans. However, knowledge of baseline mercury concentration prior to disturbance is required to evaluate the extent to which oil sands development has contributed mercury to aquatic ecosystems. Here, we use stratigraphic analysis of total mercury concentration ([THg]) in radiometrically dated sediment cores from nine floodplain lakes in the AOSR and downstream Peace-Athabasca Delta (PAD) and two upland lakes in the PAD region to establish pre-1900 baseline [THg] and evaluate if [THg] has become enriched via fluvial and atmospheric pathways since oil sands mining and processing began in 1967. Concentrations of THg in sediment cores from the study lakes range from 0.022–0.096 mg/kg (dry wt.) and are below the Canadian interim sediment quality guidelines for freshwater (0.17 mg/kg). Results demonstrate no enrichment of [THg] above pre-1900 baseline via fluvial pathways at floodplain lakes in the AOSR or PAD. Enrichment of [THg] was detected via atmospheric pathways at upland lakes in the PAD region, but this occurred prior to oil sands development and aligns with long-range transport of emissions from coal combustion and other anthropogenic sources across the northern hemisphere recognized in many other lake sediment records. The inventory of anthropogenic [THg] in the upland lakes in the AOSR is less than at the Experimental Lakes Area of northwestern Ontario (Canada), widely regarded as a “pristine” area. The absence of enrichment of [THg] in lake sediment via fluvial pathways is a critical finding for stakeholders, and we recommend that monitoring at the floodplain lakes be used to inform stewardship as oil sands operators prepare to discharge ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Mitchell L. Kay Johan A. Wiklund Xiaoyu Sun Cory A. M. Savage Jennifer K. Adams Lauren A. MacDonald Wynona H. Klemt Kathleen C. Brown Roland I. Hall Brent B. Wolfe |
author_facet |
Mitchell L. Kay Johan A. Wiklund Xiaoyu Sun Cory A. M. Savage Jennifer K. Adams Lauren A. MacDonald Wynona H. Klemt Kathleen C. Brown Roland I. Hall Brent B. Wolfe |
author_sort |
Mitchell L. Kay |
title |
Assessment of mercury enrichment in lake sediment records from Alberta Oil Sands development via fluvial and atmospheric pathways |
title_short |
Assessment of mercury enrichment in lake sediment records from Alberta Oil Sands development via fluvial and atmospheric pathways |
title_full |
Assessment of mercury enrichment in lake sediment records from Alberta Oil Sands development via fluvial and atmospheric pathways |
title_fullStr |
Assessment of mercury enrichment in lake sediment records from Alberta Oil Sands development via fluvial and atmospheric pathways |
title_full_unstemmed |
Assessment of mercury enrichment in lake sediment records from Alberta Oil Sands development via fluvial and atmospheric pathways |
title_sort |
assessment of mercury enrichment in lake sediment records from alberta oil sands development via fluvial and atmospheric pathways |
publisher |
Frontiers Media S.A. |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.949339 https://doaj.org/article/33b1508c99944cee9ac2d78b66a8459f |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-112.007,-112.007,57.664,57.664) ENVELOPE(-111.502,-111.502,58.667,58.667) |
geographic |
Canada Wood Buffalo Peace-Athabasca Delta |
geographic_facet |
Canada Wood Buffalo Peace-Athabasca Delta |
genre |
Wood Buffalo Wood Buffalo National Park |
genre_facet |
Wood Buffalo Wood Buffalo National Park |
op_source |
Frontiers in Environmental Science, Vol 10 (2022) |
op_relation |
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fenvs.2022.949339/full https://doaj.org/toc/2296-665X 2296-665X doi:10.3389/fenvs.2022.949339 https://doaj.org/article/33b1508c99944cee9ac2d78b66a8459f |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fenvs.2022.949339 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Environmental Science |
container_volume |
10 |
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1766234984076541952 |