Dataset contains laboratory-studied Fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) survival when exposed to bitumen sediments from the oil sands region of northern Alberta, cut through the McMurray Formation (MF). These are the results of the toxicological exposures, when Fathead minnow embryos were exposed to water from simulated rainfall on the river sediments.

Increased flux of carbon and nutrients from human activities in river basins were linked to acidification and deepwater hypoxia in estuaries and coastal areas worldwide. Annual loads (1995–2011) of suspended particulate matter (SPM), dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) were assessed at the Lake Ontario inlet of the St. Lawrence River (SLR) and its estuarine outlet at Québec City. Internal loads from the Ottawa River, seventeen other tributaries, urban wastewaters, atmospheric deposition and erosion were also estimated.

Weekly precipitation quantity has been measured at both at the primary meteorological site as well as at five other sites within the watershed. Daily precipitation quantity has been measured at the primary meteorological site until 2017. Weekly chemistry analysis of H+, major ions, nutrients and some metals was measured at the primary site (1981-2019) as well as a throughfall site (precipitation passing through a forest canopy) located at the headwater lake, Batchawana Lake (1993-2019).

Groundwater wells were installed in the Turkey Lakes Watershed basin in the early 1980’s. These test wells were installed in eight sub-basins of the watershed and range in depth from 0.5 to 9.7 metres. They are located on a variety of terrain throughout. The water chemistry has been sampled at each of these wells starting in the 1980 to 1990’s, and the project completed in 2019.

Recent and historical deposition of mercury (Hg) are examined over a broad geographic area from southwestern Northwest Territories to Labrador and from the U.S. Northeast to northern Ellesmere Island using dated sediment cores from 50 lakes (18 in midlatitudes (41-50 degrees North), 14 subarctic (51-64 degrees North) and 18 in the Arctic (65-83 degrees North)). Objectives were to quantify latitudinal and longitudinal trends of anthropogenic mercury deposition in eastern and northern North America, to investigate variations in mercury deposition, to examine relationships with lake area, catchment/lake area ratio and sedimentation rates, and to compare results with model predictions. Distinct increases of mercury over time were observed in 76% of Arctic, 86% of subarctic and 100% of midlatitude cores. Subsurface maxima in mercury depositional fluxes were observed in only 28% of midlatitude lakes and 18% of arctic lakes, indicating little recent reduction of inputs. Anthropogenic mercury fluxes adjusted for sediment focusing and changes in sedimentation rates were negatively correlated with latitude. The latitudinal trend for anthropogenic mercury fluxes adjusted for sediment focusing and changes in sedimentation rates values showed excellent agreement with predictions of the global/regional atmospheric heavy metal (mercury) model (GRAHM) for the geographic location of each lake. The results are consistent with a scenario of slow atmospheric oxidation of mercury, and slow deposition of reactive mercury emissions, declining with increasing latitude away from emission sources in the midlatitudes, and support the view that there are significant anthropogenic mercury inputs in the Arctic.

This study examined the effect of two dinonylnaphthalene sulfonic acids (NSAs) on freshwater organisms: calcium dinonylnaphthalene sulfonate (CaDNS), and dinonylnaphthalene disulfonic acid (DNDS). Chronic effects were characterized by exposing fertilized fathead minnow eggs to sediment-associated NSAs and measuring various developmental and growth endpoints for 21 days. Citation: Matten KJ, Parrott JL, Bartlett AJ, Gillis PL, Milani D, Toito J, Balakrishnan VK, Prosser RS. Toxicity of dinonylnaphthalene sulfonates to Pimephales promelas and epibenthic invertebrates. Sci Total Environ. 2020 Nov 1;741:140260. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140260. Epub 2020 Jun 16. PMID: 32886965.

The transcriptomic response of Daphnia magna exposed to sublethal doses of 1H-benzotriazole (BTR), 5-methyl-1H-benzotriazole, (5MeBTR), and 5-chloro-1H-benzotriazole (5ClBTR) was evaluated using RNA-sequencing and quantitative real-time PCR. Cellular (chitinase activity) and life-history endpoints (survival, number of neonates, growth) were also investigated. Results have been published in a scientific article that can be found here: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0171763

In this study, the chronic effects of two emerging brominated flame retardants, 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane(BTBPE) and 2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (EH-TBB) were evaluated in diet exposed juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). Fish uptake was measured after 28-d of exposure. Liver gene transcription analysis using RNA-sequencing was also performed, complemented by qRT-PCR to measure transcription levels of genes related to the immune response in the liver and the head kidney. Lysozyme enzymatic activity was also measured in head kidneys of exposed fish. Results are published in a peer-reviewed scientific publication. Citation: Giraudo, M., Douville, M., Letcher, R. J., & Houde, M. (2017). Effects of food-borne exposure of juvenile rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) to emerging brominated flame retardants 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane and 2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate. Aquatic Toxicology (Amsterdam, Netherlands), 186, 40-49. doi.org/10.1016/j.aquatox.2017.02.023

The toxicity of pharmaceuticals finasteride (FIN) and melengestrol acetate (MGA) was assessed in freshwater mussels, including acute (48 h) aqueous tests with glochidia from Lampsilis siliquoidea, a sub-chronic (14 days) sediment test with gravid Lampsilis fasciola, chronic (28 days) sediment tests with juvenile L. siliquoidea, and in chronic (42 days) sediment tests with the amphipod Hyalella azteca and the mayfly Hexagenia spp. Testing with mussels assessed survival (glochidia, juvenile mussels), burial ability (juvenile mussels), and filtering and luring behaviour, and viability of brooding glochidia (gravid mussels). Testing with amphipods assessed survival, growth, reproduction and sex ratio. Testing with mayflies assessed survival and growth. Based on the limited number of measured environmental concentrations of both chemicals, and their projected concentrations, no direct effects are expected by these compounds individually on the invertebrates tested. However, organisms are exposed to contaminant mixtures in the aquatic environment, and thus, the effects of FIN and MGA as components of these mixtures require further investigation. Results were published in a scientific article that can be found here: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-10121-7

This dataset contains the concentrations of halogenated phenolic compounds in plasma for the fish species Brown bullhead (Ameiurus nebulosus), from 4 site locations (Trenton, Deseronto, Belleville, Prince Edward Bay) within the Bay of Quinte Area of Concern. Halogenated Phenolic Compounds have emerged as an important class of environmental contaminants in aquatic vertebrates, wildlife, and humans. They represent 4 of the 7 classes of substances listed as chemicals of mutual concern in the Great Lakes.