Mercury and Other Toxic Substances
BPCs, PAHs, and metals, including mercury, are part of a group of pollutants found in the environment that degrade slowly and accumulate in aquatic organisms. Scientists from Environment Canada’s Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance program assess the presence of various toxic substances and their levels in selected ecosystems.
Web articles
Are mercury levels on the rise in Lake Erie fish? (2011)
Following the adoption of regulatory measures in the 1970s, studies showed a gradual reduction in mercury contamination in fish in the Great Lakes. However, this trend reversed in the 1990s. The introduction of invasive exotic species could be the explanation.
Mercury and the Environment (2011)
The goal of this section is to provide scientific background information and to outline current policies, programs, and practical guidance related to mercury.
Sediment Quality of the St. Lawrence River (2011)
According to studies by Environment Canada, surface sediments in the St. Lawrence River are generally less contaminated than they were 20 years ago as a result of effluent treatment measures. Yet, concentrations of some substances have remained unchanged or are even increasing.
Are Urban Effluents Responsible for the Metal Contamination of the St. Lawrence River? (2010)
With the exception of silver, metals do not originate from municipal effluents. A study was conducted in 2000 and 2001 by Environment Canada, in collaboration with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, to assess the contribution of urban effluents to the contamination of the St. Lawrence River by more than twenty different metals.
Clean Air Regulatory Agenda (2007)
In addition to Long-term Water Quality Monitoring Sites, a national surveillance network was set up to build knowledge on specific issues through programs such as the Clean Air Regulatory Agenda, which is to determine the levels of mercury in the water and fish of aquatic ecosystems at targeted locations.
Technical summaries and reports
Risk Management Strategy for Mercury (2010)
The Risk Management Strategy for Mercury provides a comprehensive and consolidated description of the Government of Canada's progress to date in managing the risks associated with mercury
Temporal Changes in Toxic Contamination at the Carillon Sampling Station (2010)
This Fact Sheet is part of the Monitoring the State of the St. Lawrence River Program. Since 2005, the Carillon station has been used as a reference site in order to follow changes in aquatic contaminants such as metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH).
This fact sheet describes the spatial and temporal concentration patterns of 8 persistent toxic substances that historically have been reported to threaten or potentially threaten human health and aquatic life.
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