Levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and dibenzothiophenes in wetland sediments and aquatic insects in the oil sands area of Northeastern Alberta, Canada |
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Authors: | Mark Wayland John V Headley Kerry M Peru Robert Crosley Brian G Brownlee |
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Institution: | (1) Environment Canada, Prairie & Northern Wildlife Research Centre, 115 Perimeter Rd., Saskatoon, SK S7N 0X4, Canada;(2) Environment Canada, National Water Research Institute, Burlington, Canada |
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Abstract: | An immense volume of tailings and tailings water is accumulating in tailings ponds located on mine leases in the oil sands
area of Alberta, Canada. Oil sands mining companies have proposed to use tailings- and tailings water-amended lakes and wetlands
as part of their mine remediation plans. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are substances of concern in oil sands tailings
and tailings water. In this study, we determined concentrations of PAHs in sediments, insect larvae and adult insects collected
in or adjacent to three groups of wetlands: experimental wetlands to which tailings or tailings water had been purposely added,
oil sands wetlands that were located on the mine leases but which had not been experimentally manipulated and reference wetlands
located near the mine leases. Alkylated PAHs dominated the PAH profile in all types of samples in the three categories of
wetlands. Median and maximum PAH concentrations, especially alkylated PAH concentrations, tended to be higher in sediments
and insect larvae in experimental wetlands than in the other types of wetlands. Such was not the case for adult insects, which
contained higher than expected levels of PAHs in the three types of ponds. Overlap in PAH concentrations in larvae among pond
types suggests that any increase in PAH levels resulting from the addition of tailings and tailings water to wetlands would
be modest. Biota-sediment accumulation factors were higher for alkylated PAHs than for their parent counterparts and were
lower in experimental wetlands than in oil sands and reference wetlands. Research is needed to examine factors that affect
the bioavailability of PAHs in oil sands tailings- or tailings water-amended wetlands. |
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Keywords: | Alberta Aquatic insects Biota-sediment accumulation factors Oil sands PAHs Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons Wetlands |
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