Comment – What are natural levels of Athabasca River contaminants? – U of Alberta

Careful research on “background” contaminant levels needed to understand industrial impact, argues UAlberta ecologist.

April 19, 2017

We are grateful to Dr. David Schindler and his colleagues for bringing attention to our recently published studies on the levels of trace elements in the Athabasca River, but must correct some inaccuracies they stated.

One goal of our metal-free, ultra-clean SWAMP (Soils, Waters, Air, Manures and Plants) lab at the University of Alberta is to better understand the effect that human activities have on potentially toxic trace elements that show up in soil, water, air, manure and plants. Since all trace elements occur naturally in our environment, we first need to distinguish between natural inputs and those caused by human activity. The main disagreement we seem to have is the apportionment between natural inputs to the river versus industrial sources.

In the lower reaches of the Athabasca River, we collected sphagnum moss from rain-fed peat bogs surrounding open-pit mines and upgraders because this plant serves as a natural monitor of air quality. As well, it had been suggested that heavy-metal emissions to air were affecting river-water quality.

Read More: https://www.ualberta.ca/news-and-events/newsarticles/2017/april/comment-what-are-natural-levels-of-athabasca-river-contaminants