Abstract
A bleached kraft pulp mill operating in Nova Scotia, Canada has discharged effluent into a former tidal estuary known as Boat Harbour since 1967. After treatment in Boat Harbour, effluent is discharged into Northumberland Strait. Contaminated sediments in Boat Harbour are slated for remediation following cessation of effluent discharge. A review of historical documents to identify contaminants in marine biota in Northumberland Strait found insufficient data to properly assess baseline conditions prior to remediation. This study measured metal, methylmercury, dioxin and furan concentrations in surficial sediments and American lobster (Homarus americanus), rock crabs (Cancer irroratus) and blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) in Northumberland Strait. When compared to Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment sediment quality guidelines and Canadian Food Inspection Agency tissue guidelines results indicated limited contamination in sediments and biota, posing low risk to marine biota. Long-term monitoring is recommended to verify effectiveness of remediation.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 111372 |
| Journal | Marine Pollution Bulletin |
| Volume | 157 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2020 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:This study was funded by a Nova Scotia Lands Grant and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC), Grant/Award Number: RGPIN-2018-04119 to Tony R. Walker.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd
ASJC Scopus Subject Areas
- Oceanography
- Aquatic Science
- Pollution
PubMed: MeSH publication types
- Journal Article
- Review
