Mercury contamination of marine sediments and blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) in the vicinity of a mercury cell chlor-alkali plant in Dalhousie, New Brunswick, Canada

Water Quality Research Journal of Canada

Volumn 40, Issue 1, 2005, Pages 1-15

  Garron, Christine ^a   Gagné, François ^a   Ernst, William ^a   Julien, Gary ^a   Bernier, Marc ^b   Caldwell, Cathy ^a  

^a ENVIRONMENT CANADA   (Canada)

^b UNIVERSITÉ DE MONCTON   (Canada)

Author keywords

Biomarker; Chlor alkali; Concentration; Mercury; Mussel tissue

Indexed keywords

CELLS; CONCENTRATION (PROCESS); CONTAMINATION; ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT; SEDIMENTS; TISSUE;

MARINE CONTAMINATION; MARINE SEDIMENTS; PIONEER CHEMICALS CANADA INC. (PCI); WATER DISCHARGES;

MERCURY (METAL);

BIOACCUMULATION; BIOMARKER; MARINE SEDIMENT; MERCURY (ELEMENT); MOLLUSC; POLLUTANT SOURCE; SEDIMENT POLLUTION;

BAIE DES CHALEURS; CANADA; NORTH AMERICA; WESTERN HEMISPHERE; WORLD;

MYTILUS EDULIS;

EID: 18344373860     PISSN: 12013080     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.2166/wqrj.2005.001     Document Type: Article

References (39)

1. Agemian H, DaSilva JA. 1979. Automated method for the determination of total mercury in fresh and saline waters and sediments. Anal. Chim. Acta. 104:285-291.
2. Amiard-Triquet C, Rainglet F, Larroux C, Regoli F, Hummel H. 1998. Metallothioneins in Arctic bivalves. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf. 41: 96-102.
3. Bauman JW, Liu J, Liu YP, Klaassen CD. 1991. Increase in metallothionein produced by chemicals that induce oxidative stress. Toxic. Appl. Pharmac. 110:347-354.
4. BEAK Consultants Ltd. 1996. Closure plan for the Dalhousie Concentrate Handling Facility. Report # 20215.1. Brampton, Ontario, Canada.
5. Blaise C, Gagné F, Pellerin J, Hansen P-D. 1999. Determination of vitelloenin-like properties in Mya arenaria hemolymp (Saguenay Fjord, Canada): a potential biomarker for endocrine disruption. Environ. Toxicol. 14:455-465.
6. Blaise C, Gagné F, Pellerin J, Hansen P-D, Trottier S. 2002. Molluscan shellfish biomarker study of the Saguenay Fjord (Québec, Canada) with the soft-shell clam, Mya arenaria. Unpublished.
7. Blaise C, Gagné F, Salazar M, Salazar S, Trottier S, Hansen P-D. 2003. Experimentally-induced feminisation of freshwater mussels after long-term exposure to a municipal effluent. Fresenius Environ. Bull. 12(8):865-870.
8. Bradford MM. 1976. A rapid and sensitive method for the quantification of microgram quantities of protein utilizing the principle of protein-dye binding. Anal. Biochem. 72:248-251.
9. Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME). 2002. Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines; summary table. http:// www.ccme.ca/assets/pdf/e1_06.pdf.
10. Commission of the European Communities (CEC). 2002. Report from the commission to the council concerning mercury from the chlor-alkali industry. Brussels, 6.9.2002. COM (2002) 489 final.
11. Correia AD, Livingstone DR, Costa MH. 2002. Effects of water-borne copper on metallothionein and lipid peroxidation in the marine amphipod Gammarus locusta. Mar. Environ. Res. 54:357-360.
12. Cossu C, Doyotte A, Jacquin MC, Babut M, Exinger A, Vasseut P. 1997. Glutathione reductase, selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase, glutathione levels, and lipid peroxidation in freshwater bivalves, Unio tumidus, as biomarkers of aquatic contamination in field studies. Ecotoxicol. Environ. Saf. 38:122-131.
13. Cranston RE. 2000. Geochemcials data for the Bay of Chaleur-MITE Project #1.2 (Phase 1). Unpublished data report.
14. Eisler R. 1987. Mercury hazards to fish, wildlife and invertebrates: a synoptic review. United States Fish and Wildlife Service Biology Report 85 (1.10). U.S. Department of the Interior, Washington, DC.
15. Gagné F. 2002. Internal report on results of Mytilus edulis biomarker study.
16. Gagné F, Blaise C. 1996. Available intracellular Zn as a potential indicator of heavy metal exposure in rainbow trout hepatocytes. Environ. Toxicol. Water Qual. 11:319-325.
17. Gagné F, Blaise C, Aoyama I, Luo R, Gagnon C, Couillard Y, Campbell P, Salazar M. 2002. Toxicological effects of a municipal wastewater plume to two species of freshwater mussels. Environ. Toxicol. 17:149-159.
18. Gandesbery T. 1998. Ambient concentrations of toxic chemicals in sediments. Memo: Regional Boards Staff, from Tom Gandesbery, March 1998, File No: 1150.00.
19. Health Canada. 2003. Correspondence from John Salminen, Bureau of Chemical Safety, Health Canada, to Christine Garron, Environmental Protection Branch, Environment Canada, Atlantic Region. October 9, 2003.
20. Lodenius M, Laaksovitra K. 1979. Mercury content of Hypogymnia physodes and pine needles affected by a chlor-alkali works at Kuusankoski, SE Finland. Annales Botanici Fennici. 16:7-10.
21. Makholm M, Bennett JP. 1998. Mercury accumulation in transplanted Hypogymnia physodes lichens downwind of Wisconsin chlor-alkali plant. Water Air Soil Pollut. 102:427-436.
22. Matheson RAF, Bradshaw VI. 1985. The status of selected environmental contaminants in the Baie des Chaleurs ecosystem. Environment Canada Publication #EPS-5-AR-85-3.
23. Mitra S. 1986. Mercury in the ecosystem - its dispersion and pollution today. Trans. Tech. Publications Ltd., Switzerland.
24. National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI). 2002. 2001 Facility substance summary. http://www.ec.gc.ca/pdb/npri.
25. Noel-Lambot F, Gerday C, Disteche A. 1978. Distribution of Cd, Zn, and Cu in liver and gills of the eel, Anguilla anguilla, with special reference to metallothioneins. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 61C:177-187.
26. Prakash NT, Rao KS. 1995. Modulations in antioxidant enzymes in different tissues of marine bivalve Perna viridis during heavy metal exposure. Mol. Cell. Biochem. 146:107-113.
27. Pioneer Chemicals Canada Inc. 2002. Dalhousie, New Brunswick website http://www.piona.com/locations/dalhousie.htm.
28. Schiff KC. 1998. Sediment chemistry on the mainland shelf of the southern California Bight. Southern California Coastal Water Research Project 1997/98 annual report. http://www.sccwrp.org/pubs/annrpt/97/ contents.htm.
29. Sensen M, Richardson DHS. 2001. Final report on lichens as biomonitors for mercury emissions from the PCI chemicals chlor-alkali plant at Dalhousie, New Brunswick. Prepared for Environment Canada, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada.
30. Sensen M, Richardson DHS. 2002. Mercury levels in lichens from different host trees around a chlor-alkali plant in New Brunswick, Canada. Sci. Total Environ. 293(2002):31-45.
31. Smith RW, Riege L. 1998. San Francisco Bay sediment criteria project ambient analysis report. Report prepared for the CRWQCB by EcoAnalysis, Inc., Ojai, Ca.
32. Sumpter JP, Jobling S. 1995. Vitellogenesis as a biomarker for oestrogenic contamination of the aquatic environment. Environ. Health Persp. 103(Suppl. 7):173-178.
33. Trip L, Chevalier P, Smith J. 2000. The status of mercury in Canada report #2; A background report to the commission for environmental cooperation North American task force on mercury. Environment Canada, Transboundary Air Issues Branch.
34. United Nations Environment Programme. 2002. Global mercury assessment. UNEP Chemicals, Geneva, Switzerland. http://www.chem.unep.ch/ mercury/Report/Final%20report/assessment-report-summary-english- final.pdf.
35. United States Environmental Protection Agency. 1993. Inorganic chemical industry, chlor-alkali, Chapter 8.11. In Compilation of air pollutant emission factors, AP-42, fifth edition, volume I. http:// www.epa.gov/ttn/chief/ap42/ch08/final/c08s12.pdf.
36. United States Environmental Protection Agency. 2004. Cleanup of mercury-contaminated chlor-alkali sites. USEAP website on Safe Mercury Management Plan (SMMP). http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/hazwaste/mercury/ goal4.htm.
37. Viarengo A, Ponzanon F, Dondero R, Fabbri R. 1997. A simple spectrophotometric method for metallothionein evaluation in marine organisms: an application to Mediterranean and Antarctic molluscs. Mar. Environ. Res. 44:69-84.
38. Willis ED. 1987. Evaluation of lipid peroxidation in lipids and biological membranes, p. 127-152. In Snell K, Mullock B (ed.), Biochemical toxicology: a practical approach. IRL Press, Washington.
39. Wilson RCH, Travers IC. 1977. Mercury in the Atlantic provinces. Environmental Protection Service Report #EPS-5-AR-77-10. Environment Canada, Atlantic Region, Nova Scotia, Canada.