Sediment Core Paleo-analyses, Oil Sands Region

Sediment from Lakes


Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 47 elements including numerous metals, and visible reflectance spectroscopy or VRS-chla have been determined in sediment core samples collected in 2012, 2013 and 2014 from 16 small (surface area 4-97 ha; maximum depth ~1-5 m deep), hydrologically simple lakes located 30 to 120 km from major oil sands development areas.


Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) guidelines are available for 13 of the 53 PAHs reported here. Sediment concentrations did not exceed Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) probable effects levels (PELs), which define the level above which biological adverse effects are expected to occur, for PAHs in any lake. Exceedances of the CCME interim sediment quality guidelines (ISQG) for the protection of aquatic life occurred for 4 PAHs (naphthalene, 2-methyl naphthalene phenanthrene, and benzo(a)pyrene) in 8 lakes.


CCME sediment quality guidelines are available for 7 of the 47 elements reported here. Exceedances of the CCME ISQG for metals were found for arsenic in 3 lakes, cadmium in 8 lakes, mercury in 3 lakes and zinc in 9 lakes. Exceedances of the CCME PELs for metals occurred in 2 lakes for arsenic and 1 lake for zinc. Further assessment of the data is ongoing to examine reasons for exceedances as well as spatial and temporal trends of the PACs and elements.


Analyses of lake primary productivity, using visible reflectance spectroscopy or VRS-chla as a proxy, show consistently greater productivity (i.e. VRS-chla concentrations) in the top sediment core slices relative to the bottom, regardless of lake morphological and limnological characteristics and landscape position. Potential drivers of these changes are being examined.

Basic view

Metadata Record Information

File Identifier
495ba32b-8edb-4cd3-ab82-4bf2d6693da4 XML
Date Stamp
2022-06-29T18:44:20
Metadata language

eng; CAN
Character set
UTF8
Hierarchy Level
Dataset
Author
  Government of Canada; Environment and Climate Change Canada - Environment and Climate Change Canada ( Public inquiries centre )
Fontaine Building 12th floor, 200 Sacré-Coeur Blvd , Gatineau , Quebec , K1A 0H3 ,
1-800-668-6767
http://ec.gc.ca
 

Data identification

Date (Publication)
2014-10-31
Date (Creation)
2014-01-30
Date (Revision)
2016-06-30
Status
On going
Metadata language

eng; CAN
Character set
UTF8
Topic category
  • Environment
Maintenance and Update Frequency
As needed
Spatial representation type
Text, table
Principal investigator
  Government of Canada; Environment and Climate Change Canada - Derek Muir ( Research Scientist, Aquatic Contaminants Research Division )
867 Lakeshore Road , Burlington , Ontario , L7S 1A1 , Canada
905-319-6921
905-336-6430
Collaborator
  Government of Canada; Environment and Climate Change Canada - Jane Kirk ( Research Scientist, Aquatic Contaminants Research Division )
867 Lakeshore Road , Burlington , Ontario , L7S 1A1 , Canada
905-336-4712

Keywords

Theme

  • sediment, sediment quality, sediment cores, lake, oil sands, metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, physical, chemical, carbon, visible reflectance spectroscopy, chlorophylla,

  • Observation/Measurement

Government of Canada Core Subject Thesaurus

  • Oil sands

  • Sediments

ECCC Information Category EN

  • Water - Quality

Business Functions

  • Monitor / Assess Substance and Waste Levels in Air, Water, Soil, Biota

  • Assess Toxicity, Manage and Monitor for Environmental Presence of Hazardous Substances and Waste

Geography

  • Prairie - Alberta (AB)

external.theme.EC_Branch

  • Science and Technology Branch

external.theme.EC_Directorate

  • Water Science and Technology

external.theme.EC_Program_PAA

  • 1.3.2. Ecosystem Assessment and Approaches

external.theme.GC_Security_Level

  • Unclassified
 
Use Limitation

Open Government Licence - Canada ( http://open.canada.ca/en/open-government-licence-canada )

Access Constraints
License
Use Constraints
License
Begin Date
1989-04-01

Extent

N
S
E
W
thumbnail


 
 

Ref. system Reference Systems

Reference system identifier
EPSG / EPSG:4326 /
 

Distribution

Distributor
  Government of Canada; Environment and Climate Change Canada - Environment and Climate Change Canada ( Public inquiries centre )
Fontaine Building 12th floor, 200 Sacré-Coeur Blvd , Gatineau , Quebec , K1A 0H3 ,
1-800-668-6767
http://ec.gc.ca
 
 

Overviews

N
S
E
W
thumbnail


Keywords

Observation/Measurement sediment, sediment quality, sediment cores, lake, oil sands, metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, physical, chemical, carbon, visible reflectance spectroscopy, chlorophylla,
Business Functions
Assess Toxicity, Manage and Monitor for Environmental Presence of Hazardous Substances and Waste Monitor / Assess Substance and Waste Levels in Air, Water, Soil, Biota
ECCC Information Category EN
Water - Quality
Government of Canada Core Subject Thesaurus
Oil sands Sediments
external.theme.EC_Branch
Science and Technology Branch
external.theme.EC_Directorate
Water Science and Technology
external.theme.EC_Program_PAA
1.3.2. Ecosystem Assessment and Approaches
external.theme.GC_Security_Level
Unclassified

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