Developing new tools for assessing legacy pollutants and their ecological consequences inlakes near NWT mines

我们将开发新的工具，在我们定义为古生态毒理学的新领域下，评估西北部耶洛奈夫附近工业和住宅活动的风险。这项研究的目的是产生关于耶洛奈夫地区环境污染物的范围和去向的重要信息，以便为未来的土地和水资源管理决策提供参考。通过结合地球化学和生物学方法(使用湖泊沉积物中存档的关键毒理学指标)，我们的工具将适用于受多种环境应激源影响的许多其他地区。这项研究的目的包括：(1)确定和确定当地矿山和其他工业活动产生的有毒金属和碳氢化合物的空间范围，并利用古生态毒理学方法确定它们对附近湖泊的毒理影响；(2)确定黄刀口附近砷物种的流动性和生物可获得性，区分主要来自烟囱排放的有毒三氧化二砷和毒性较小的天然毒砂；(3)查明集中在一些采矿作业附近的甲基汞“热点”的来源和原因，这些热点是造成该区域甲基汞升高的原因。这项研究将为当地水环境中污染物的长期稳定性、毒性和生物累积潜力提供重要信息。

We will develop novel tools, under the rubric of a new field we are defining as paleoecotoxicology, to assess risk from industrial and residential activities near Yellowknife, NWT. The purpose of this research is to generate important information on the extent and fate of environmental contaminants in the Yellowknife area to inform future land and water management decisions. By combining geochemical and biological approaches (using key toxicological indicators archived in lake sediments), our tools will have applicability in many other regions affected by multiple environmental stressors. The objectives of this research include: (1) to characterize and determine the spatial extent of toxic metals and hydrocarbons produced by local mines and other industrial activities, and identify their toxicological effects on nearby lakes using paleoecotoxicological methods; (2) to determine the mobility and bioaccessibility of arsenic species in the vicinity of Yellowknife and differentiate between the toxic arsenic trioxide derived mainly from stack emissions and the naturally occurring arsenopyrite, which is less toxic; and (3) to identify the sources and causes for methyl mercury 'hotspots' focused near some mining operations, which are contributing to elevated methyl mercury in the region. This research will provide important information on the long term stability, toxicity, and bioaccumulation potential of pollutants in local aquatic environments.