Development of molecular tools for environmental assessments for selenium

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Coal extraction is a large industry in British Columbia; for example, this industry contributed $3.2 billion to provincial GDP in 2011. Coal production in Canada was 67 million tonnes in 2012, of which 29 million tonnes was metallurgical coal, and this was almost all exported to Asia for use in making steel. As such, there is an increasing need to improve assessments of the impacts of the coal and metal mining industry on the environment and research that is focused on integrating data from multiple levels of biological organization can achieve a more holistic view of potential adverse effects in organisms. Selenium is a non-metal chemical element that is found in metal sulfide ores. It is often produced as a bi-product during coal mining activities and has been shown to have adverse toxicological effects in aquatic organisms that include inducing stress and impairing normal development in fish species. Moreover, Se has been shown to affect metabolism in aquatic organisms, and can lead to impaired growth and disruption in fat storage. Therefore, governmental regulators and industry seek data on the uptake of Se in aquatic food chains as well as data on sub-chronic toxicity in organisms to better monitor ecosystem health and to improve mining practices.