The base mine lake toxicity identification and evaluation study

尾坑湖是目前大规模、长期修复有毒油砂过程影响水的主要策略。然而，正如加拿大皇家学会最近总结的那样，关于epl可能促进这一重要功能的速度和程度，存在很大的未知因素。不确定性的一个主要来源是，对OSPW具有毒性的化学物质仍然未知，而且大多数化学物质在OSPW中的水生持久性从未被研究过。在这里，设计了一个综合研究计划，将使用最先进的分析技术、毒性生物测定、分子生物学、微生物生物降解和尾矿池监测，以确定OSPW中最有毒和最持久的化学物质。本次研究的重点是来自Syncrude加拿大有限公司一个活跃沉降盆地的OSPW，该盆地将作为加拿大第一个油砂EPL——Base-Mine湖的水源。Syncrude的Base Mine Lake项目将于2012/2013年投入使用，因此拟议的工作正好与该湖的启动阶段相吻合。该研究数据将直接应用于基矿湖解毒轨迹的监测和预测，从而为水管理方案和排放水质标准的监管决策提供依据。大约有30个其他油砂EPL项目正在规划中，因此本研究可能广泛适用或可作为其他EPL项目的模型。

End-pit-lakes (EPLs) are currently the main strategy for large-scale and long-term remediation of toxic oil sands process-affected water (OSPW). However, as recently summarized by the Royal Society of Canada, there are great unknowns with respect to the rate and extent by which EPLs might facilitate this important function. A major source of uncertainty is that the chemicals which impart toxicity to OSPW remain unknown, and the aquatic persistence of most chemicals in OSPW has never been studied. Here, an integrated research plan has been designed that will use state-of-the-art analytical technologies, toxicity bioassays, molecular biology, microbial biodegradation, and monitoring of tailings ponds to identify the most toxic and persistent chemicals in OSPW. The specific focus of this study is OSPW from an active settling basin at Syncrude Canada Ltd - "the West-In-Pit" - which will serve as the source of water for Base-Mine Lake, Canada's first oil sands EPL. Syncrude's Base Mine Lake project will be commissioned in 2012/2013, thus the proposed work is conveniently coincident with the lake's start-up phase. The data from this study will be directly applied by Syncrude to monitoring and predicting the detoxification trajectory of Base Mine Lake, and will thereby inform water management options and regulatory decision making on water quality criteria for discharge. Approximately 30 other oil sands EPLs are planned, thus this research may be widely applicable or may serve as a model for other EPL projects.