Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
School of Environment and Sustainability, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
Environ Toxicol Chem. 2020 Nov;39(11):2180-2195. doi: 10.1002/etc.4852. Epub 2020 Sep 22.
There is growing concern about possible effects of exploitation of the Alberta Oil Sands on the ambient environment, including possible effects on populations of fishes in the Athabasca River and farther downstream in Lake Athabasca and the Slave River. In the present study, concentrations of metals in dorsal muscle tissue of 5 fish species-goldeye, northern pike, walleye, whitefish, and burbot-from the Slave, Peace, and Athabasca Rivers were quantified. A suite of 25 metals including As, Hg, Se, Tl, and V was analyzed. Most metals exhibited no significant variations in concentration among locations. Concentrations of 5 metals, As, Hg, Se, Tl, and V, revealed significant variations among locations and were of sufficient magnitude to be of interest. Concentrations of Hg did not vary significantly among locations; however, because it was detected at concentrations of concern and the use of the selected fishes was a local source of food for humans and pets, it was of interest. Concentrations of As, Se, Tl, and V in dorsal muscle of certain fishes in the farthest downstream sites on the Slave River were greater than those in the same tissues and species in the farther upstream sites on the Peace and Athabasca Rivers. This phenomenon was most prevalent with Tl and to a lesser extent with As and Se. Nevertheless, concentrations were not of concern for the health of human consumers. Although metals did not appear to be increased in fish in the Alberta Oil Sands region in the present study, further research is needed to understand the potential impacts. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:2180-2195. © 2020 SETAC.
人们越来越关注艾伯塔省油砂开采对环境的潜在影响，包括对阿萨巴斯卡河及其下游阿萨巴斯卡湖和奴隶河鱼类种群的潜在影响。在本研究中，定量分析了来自奴隶河、和平河和阿萨巴斯卡河的 5 种鱼类（大眼狮鲈、北方梭鲈、白鱼、白鲑和北极茴鱼）背肌组织中的金属浓度。分析了包括砷、汞、硒、铊和钒在内的 25 种金属。大多数金属的浓度在不同地点之间没有显著变化。5 种金属（砷、汞、硒、铊和钒）的浓度在不同地点存在显著差异，且浓度足够大，具有研究意义。汞的浓度在不同地点之间没有显著差异；然而，由于它以令人关注的浓度存在，并且所选鱼类是人类和宠物的当地食物来源，因此具有研究意义。在奴隶河最下游地点的某些鱼类的背肌中，砷、硒、铊和钒的浓度大于和平河和阿萨巴斯卡河上游地点相同组织和物种中的浓度。这种现象在铊中最为普遍，在砷和硒中则较少见。然而，这些浓度对人类消费者的健康没有影响。尽管在本研究中，艾伯塔省油砂地区的鱼类中金属似乎没有增加，但仍需要进一步研究以了解潜在影响。环境毒理化学 2020；39:2180-2195。©2020 SETAC。
