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.


All data are subjects of a publication containing method details, full QA/QC, interpretations and conclusions. Citations:


Roberts, J.L. Kirk, J.A. Wiklund, D.C.G. Muir, F. Yang, A. Gleason, G. Lawson. 2019. Mercury and metal(loid) deposition to remote Nova Scotia lakes from both local and distant sources. Science of the Total Environment 675, 192-202.


J.A. Wiklund, J.L. Kirk, D.C.G. Muir, A. Gleason, J. Carrier, F. Yang. 2020. Atmospheric trace metal deposition to remote Northwest Ontario, Canada: Anthropogenic fluxes and inventories from 1860 to 2010. Science of the Total Environment 749, 142276.


J. A. Wiklund, J. L. Kirk, D. C.G. Muir, M. Evans, F. Yang, J. Keating, M. T. Parsons. 2017. Anthropogenic mercury deposition in Flin Flon Manitoba and the Experimental Lakes Area Ontario (Canada): a multi-lake sediment core reconstruction. Science of the Total Environment 586, 685695.


and


S. L. Roberts, J.L. Kirk, D.C.G. Muir, J. Wiklund, M. Evans, A. Gleason, A.Tam, A. P. Drevnick, A., Dastoor, A. Ryjkov, F. Yang, X. Wang, G. Lawson, M. Pilote, B. Barst. 2021. Quantification of Spatial and Temporal Trends in Atmospheric Mercury Deposition across Canada over the Past 30 Years. Environmental Science & Technology 55, 1576615775.


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.


Supporting Projects: 

Climate Change and Air Pollutants (CCAP)

Clean Air Regulatory Agenda (CARA)

Oil Sands Monitoring (OSM)

Organization: Environment and Climate Change Canada | Environnement et Changement climatique Canada