Temporal trends of persistent organic pollutants and metals in Landlocked char

Updated 2000-08-06

The objectives of this study are to determine temporal trends of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and metals, especially mercury, in landlocked Arctic char in Char Lake and Resolute Lake by analysis of annual sample collections, to investigate factors influencing contaminant levels in landlocked char such as the influence of sampling time, water temperature and diet, and to provide this information on a timely basis to the community of Qausuittuq (Resolute). The rationale is that small lakes in the high arctic are replenished annually with snowmelt runoff and direct precipitation which represent significant fractions of their water budgets. Declining concentrations of POPs, or increasing levels of previously unstudied POPs, in air and precipitation should be reflected relatively quickly in changes in levels in food webs and top predator fishes, compared to the vast marine environment. We know this to be the case from the sedimentary record of POPs and mercury in small arctic lakes. This project collects landlocked arctic char from lakes near Resolute annually and analyses them for mercury, a suite of other metals as well as persistent organic pollutants (PCBs, organochlorine pesticides including toxaphene). Results will be compared over time. The first samples were collected from Char and Resolute Lakes in 1992/93. The next set were collected in 1997 and annually since then. Char are being collected from several lakes in the area because of limited sample numbers in some lakes and the possibility of local influences. Samples are also being archived for future analyses.

This is a National Implementation Plan (NIP) project

Status: Ongoing
Project time span: 1999 -
Data collection: 1992 -
Data processing: 1999 -
Data reporting: 2000 -

Contact information

Contact person: Derek C.G. Muir
Address: National Water Research Institute Environment Canada 867 Lakeshore Road Burlington ON L7R4A6 Canada
Phone: +1 905-319-6921
Fax: +1 905-336-6430
Email: ac.wicc@rium.kered
Other project contacts: Dr. Guenter Köck, Professor, Institute of Zoology and Limnology, University of Innsbruck, Technikerstr. 25, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria. Tel. +43 512 507 6196; Fax +43 512 507 2930; E-Mail: Guenter.Koeck@uibk.ac.at Dr. Doug Bright, Professor, Royal Roads University, Department of Applied Research, 2005 Sooke Rd., Victoria, B.C. Tel: 250-391-2584; Fax; 250-391-2560; Email: dbright@royalroads.ca

Parameters and Media

Parameter groups measured/observed/modelled

Heavy metals

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs)

Media sampled/studied/modelled

Freshwater fish

Additional information or further specification of types of data / information collected, species / tissues / organs sampled, etc.

landlocked arctic char

Geography

Regions studied: Freshwater TDC; Freshwater TDC
Stations or areas where observations are made: Resolute, Nunavut

Data availability

Are data archived or planned to be archived at an AMAP Thematic Data Centre?: yes-partly

Data centres: Freshwater TDC

References to key publications (or planned publications) and data reports

Muir, D.C.G., D. Bright and G. Koch. Temporal trends of persistent organic pollutants and metals in landlocked char. In: Synopsis of Research Conducted Under the 1999/00 Northern Contaminants Program, S. Kalhok (Ed). Ottawa: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. Pp. .. (In press, 2000)

Samples/specimens archived in specimen banks?: Yes

Specimen banking information: Storage in chest freezers at National water Research Institute (-25C). A database (for internal use only) is used to track location and subsampling of tissues.

Methods & Procedures

Procedures and methodology used for, e.g., sampling and sample storage, sample pretreatment, extraction and analysis, including which laboratories are involved, references to methods employed, etc.: Muir, D.C.G., D. Bright and G. Koch. Temporal trends of persistent organic pollutants and metals in landlocked char. In: Synopsis of Research Conducted Under the 1999/00 Northern Contaminants Program, S. Kalhok (Ed). Ottawa: Indian and Northern Affairs Canada. Pp. ..
QA/QC Information (what QA/QC procedures are implemented, laboratories involvment in QA/QC activities, model verification/validation routines, etc.): All analyses are conducted at the National Laboratory for Environmental Testing (NWRI) Burlington On. This is a ISO-9000 certified laboratory for both metals and POPs. See other projects from D. Muir.

Additional Information

Is this a bi- AND multi-lateral project (i.e. a project involving cooperation between different countries)?: Yes
Other institutes involved in the project: Günter Köck (University of Innsbruck, Austria)
Is this project reporting to other organizations/programmes?: Northern Contaminants Program, Indian and Northern Affairs Canada
Indigenous AND traditional knowledge used in this project: Local knowledge of the fisheries in each lake is used in the project