Historic mercury and heavy metal deposition across Canada reconstructed from lake sediment cores

Historic mercury and heavy metal deposition across Canada reconstructed from lake sediment cores Lake sediment cores were collected from several locations in Canada as part of the historic mercury and heavy metal deposition trend, analysis, and research component of the Clean Air Regulatory Agenda/Climate Change and Air Pollutant (CARA/CCAP) and Oil Sands Monitoring (OSM) programs. The reason sediment core analysis is used for research purposes is the bottom of a lake can act as a record of the contaminants and all other materials which have fallen into the lake over time. The lake water acts as both a sorting device and as a preservative since the deposits fall in chronological order and if not subject to dredging are not normally otherwise disturbed by humans. In areas where depositional histories are complex, including changing contributions from local, regional and global sources, multiple dated lake sediment cores are useful tools for examining response of not only aquatic ecosystems, but their surrounding landscapes through time to changing emission/deposition scenarios. Supplemental Information The Climate Change and Air Pollution (CCAP) program was established in 2016 to identify the severity and extent of adverse impacts of current and future air emissions on aquatic ecosystems to support regulatory actions and policy development. The program includes a number of components, including identifying, monitoring and defining air quality and greenhouse gas (GHG) concerns; improving our understanding of the short- and long-term effects of atmospheric pollutants on the environment; developing a plan to combat climate change; and monitoring and reducing both domestic and transboundary emissions of GHGs. The program is also responsible for identifying and studying emerging issues including multipollutant impacts, major urban sources, and effects of increasing heat on air pollutant formation, among others. On-going cooperation and support with the Provinces and Territories, international governments and organizations and academia are vital to deliver these priorities to Canadians. 2022-02-21 Environment and Climate Change Canada open-ouvert@tbs-sct.gc.ca Nature and EnvironmentLake sediment coresatmospheric depositionheavy metalsClimate changeHistoric trendsClimate Change and Air Pollutants (CCAP)MercuryEnvironmentBiota Sediment Core Paleo-analyses, Oil Sands RegionHTML http://donnees.ec.gc.ca/data/substances/monitor/sediment-oil-sands-region/sediment-cores-paleo-analyses-oil-sands-region/ Sediment Core Paleo-analyses, Oil Sands RegionHTML http://donnees.ec.gc.ca/data/substances/monitor/sediment-oil-sands-region/sediment-cores-paleo-analyses-oil-sands-region/?lang=fr Scientific Publication - Widespread Atmospheric Tellurium Contamination in Industrial and Remote Regions of CanadaHTML https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.7b06242 Scientific Publication - Anthropogenic mercury deposition in Flin Flon Manitoba and the Experimental Lakes Area Ontario (Canada): A multi-lake sediment core reconstructionHTML https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.02.046 View ECCC Data Mart (English)HTML http://data.ec.gc.ca/data/substances/monitor/historic-mercury-and-heavy-metal-deposition-across-canada-reconstructed-from-lake-sediment-cores View ECCC Data Mart (French)HTML http://data.ec.gc.ca/data/substances/monitor/historic-mercury-and-heavy-metal-deposition-across-canada-reconstructed-from-lake-sediment-cores?lang=fr

Lake sediment cores were collected from several locations in Canada as part of the historic mercury and heavy metal deposition trend, analysis, and research component of the Clean Air Regulatory Agenda/Climate Change and Air Pollutant (CARA/CCAP) and Oil Sands Monitoring (OSM) programs.

The reason sediment core analysis is used for research purposes is the bottom of a lake can act as a record of the contaminants and all other materials which have fallen into the lake over time. The lake water acts as both a sorting device and as a preservative since the deposits fall in chronological order and if not subject to dredging are not normally otherwise disturbed by humans.

In areas where depositional histories are complex, including changing contributions from local, regional and global sources, multiple dated lake sediment cores are useful tools for examining response of not only aquatic ecosystems, but their surrounding landscapes through time to changing emission/deposition scenarios.

Supplemental Information

The Climate Change and Air Pollution (CCAP) program was established in 2016 to identify the severity and extent of adverse impacts of current and future air emissions on aquatic ecosystems to support regulatory actions and policy development. The program includes a number of components, including identifying, monitoring and defining air quality and greenhouse gas (GHG) concerns; improving our understanding of the short- and long-term effects of atmospheric pollutants on the environment; developing a plan to combat climate change; and monitoring and reducing both domestic and transboundary emissions of GHGs. The program is also responsible for identifying and studying emerging issues including multipollutant impacts, major urban sources, and effects of increasing heat on air pollutant formation, among others.

On-going cooperation and support with the Provinces and Territories, international governments and organizations and academia are vital to deliver these priorities to Canadians.

Data and Resources

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