1
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Leshuk TC, Young ZW, Wilson B, Chen ZQ, Smith DA, Lazaris G, Gopanchuk M, McLay S, Seelemann CA, Paradis T, Bekele A, Guest R, Massara H, White T, Zubot W, Letinski DJ, Redman AD, Allen DG, Gu F. A Light Touch: Solar Photocatalysis Detoxifies Oil Sands Process-Affected Waters Prior to Significant Treatment of Naphthenic Acids. ACS ES&T WATER 2024; 4:1483-1497. [PMID: 38633367 PMCID: PMC11019557 DOI: 10.1021/acsestwater.3c00616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Environmental reclamation of Canada's oil sands tailings ponds is among the single largest water treatment challenges globally. The toxicity of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) has been associated with its dissolved organics, a complex mixture of naphthenic acid fraction components (NAFCs). Here, we evaluated solar treatment with buoyant photocatalysts (BPCs) as a passive advanced oxidation process (P-AOP) for OSPW remediation. Photocatalysis fully degraded naphthenic acids (NAs) and acid extractable organics (AEO) in 3 different OSPW samples. However, classical NAs and AEO, traditionally considered among the principal toxicants in OSPW, were not correlated with OSPW toxicity herein. Instead, nontarget petroleomic analysis revealed that low-polarity organosulfur compounds, composing <10% of the total AEO, apparently accounted for the majority of waters' toxicity to fish, as described by a model of tissue partitioning. These findings have implications for OSPW release, for which a less extensive but more selective treatment may be required than previously expected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy
M. C. Leshuk
- H2nanO
Inc., Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2R 1E8
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3E5
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
- Waterloo
Institute for Nanotechnology, University
of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
| | - Zachary W. Young
- H2nanO
Inc., Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2R 1E8
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
- Waterloo
Institute for Nanotechnology, University
of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
| | - Brad Wilson
- H2nanO
Inc., Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2R 1E8
- Stantec, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 0A4
| | - Zi Qi Chen
- H2nanO
Inc., Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2R 1E8
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3E5
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
- Waterloo
Institute for Nanotechnology, University
of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
| | - Danielle A. Smith
- H2nanO
Inc., Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2R 1E8
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
- Waterloo
Institute for Nanotechnology, University
of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
- P&P
Optica, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2 V 2C3
| | - Greg Lazaris
- H2nanO
Inc., Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2R 1E8
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
- Waterloo
Institute for Nanotechnology, University
of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
- Department
of Mining and Materials Engineering, McGill
University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 0C5
| | - Mary Gopanchuk
- H2nanO
Inc., Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2R 1E8
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
- Waterloo
Institute for Nanotechnology, University
of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
| | - Sean McLay
- H2nanO
Inc., Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2R 1E8
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
- Waterloo
Institute for Nanotechnology, University
of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
| | - Corin A. Seelemann
- H2nanO
Inc., Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2R 1E8
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
- Waterloo
Composite Biomaterials Systems Lab, University
of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
- Waterloo
Institute for Nanotechnology, University
of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
| | - Theo Paradis
- Canadian
Natural Resources Ltd., Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 4J8
| | - Asfaw Bekele
- Imperial
Oil Ltd., Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2C 5N1
- ExxonMobil
Biomedical Sciences, Inc., Annandale, New Jersey 08801, United States
| | - Rodney Guest
- Suncor Energy Inc., Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 3E3
| | - Hafez Massara
- Suncor Energy Inc., Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 3E3
- Trans-Northern Pipelines Inc., Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada L4B 3P6
| | - Todd White
- Teck Resources Ltd., Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada V6C 0B3
| | - Warren Zubot
- Syncrude Canada Ltd., Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada T9H 0B6
| | - Daniel J. Letinski
- ExxonMobil
Biomedical Sciences, Inc., Annandale, New Jersey 08801, United States
| | - Aaron D. Redman
- ExxonMobil
Biomedical Sciences, Inc., Annandale, New Jersey 08801, United States
| | - D. Grant Allen
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3E5
| | - Frank Gu
- H2nanO
Inc., Kitchener, Ontario, Canada N2R 1E8
- Department
of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S 3E5
- Department
of Chemical Engineering, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
- Waterloo
Institute for Nanotechnology, University
of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3G1
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2
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Chen Y, Wang Y, Headley JV, Huang R. Sample preparation, analytical characterization, monitoring, risk assessment and treatment of naphthenic acids in industrial wastewater and surrounding water impacted by unconventional petroleum production. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 913:169636. [PMID: 38157903 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Industrial extraction of unconventional petroleum results in notable volumes of oil sands process water (OSPW), containing elevated concentrations of naphthenic acids (NAs). The presence of NAs represents an intricate amalgamation of dissolved organic constituents, thereby presenting a notable hurdle for the domain of environmental analytical chemistry. There is growing concern about monitoring the potential seepage of OSPW NAs into nearby groundwater and river water. This review summarizes recent studies on sample preparation, characterization, monitoring, risk assessment, and treatment of NAs in industrial wastewater and surrounding water. Sample preparation approaches, such as liquid-liquid extraction, solid phase microextraction, and solid phase extraction, are crucial in isolating chemical standards, performing molecular level analysis, assessing aquatic toxicity, monitoring, and treating OSPW. Instrument techniques for NAs analysis were reviewed to cover different injection modes, ionization sources, and mass analyzers. Recent studies of transfer and transformation of NAs provide insights to differentiate between anthropogenic and natural bitumen-derived sources of NAs. In addition, related risk assessment and treatment studies were also present for elucidation of environmental implication and reclamation strategies. The synthesis of the current state of scientific knowledge presented in this review targets government regulators, academic researchers, and industrial scientists with interests spanning analytical chemistry, toxicology, and wastewater management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chen
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Universities on Environmental Science and Engineering, MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - Yongjian Wang
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Universities on Environmental Science and Engineering, MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
| | - John V Headley
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Boulevard, Saskatoon, SK S7N 3H5, Canada
| | - Rongfu Huang
- Sichuan Provincial Key Laboratory of Universities on Environmental Science and Engineering, MOE Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Science and Engineering, College of Architecture and Environment, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China.
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3
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Paul S, Hussain NAS, Lillico DME, Suara MA, Ganiyu SO, Gamal El-Din M, Stafford JL. Examining the immunotoxicity of oil sands process affected waters using a human macrophage cell line. Toxicology 2023; 500:153680. [PMID: 38006929 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2023.153680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Oil sands process affected water (OSPW) is produced during the surface mining of the oil sands bitumen deposits in Northern Alberta. OSPW contains variable quantities of organic and inorganic components causing toxic effects on living organisms. Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) are widely used to degrade toxic organic components from OSPW including naphthenic acids (NAs). However, there is no established biological procedure to assess the effectiveness of the remediation processes. Our previous study showed that human macrophage cells (THP-1) can be used as a bioindicator system to evaluate the effectiveness of OSPW treatments through examining the proinflammatory gene transcription levels. In the present study, we investigated the immunotoxicological changes in THP-1 cells following exposure to untreated and AOP-treated OSPW. Specifically, using proinflammatory cytokine protein secretion assays we showed that AOP treatment significantly abrogates the ability of OSPW to induce the secretion of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α, IL-1Ra and MCP-1. By measuring transcriptional activity as well as surface protein expression levels, we also showed that two select immune cell surface markers, CD40 and CD54, were significantly elevated following OSPW exposure. However, AOP treatments abolished the immunostimulatory properties of OSPW to enhance the surface expression of these immune proteins. Finally, a transcriptome-based approach was used to examine the proinflammatory effects of OSPW as well as the abrogation of immunotoxicity following AOP treatments. Overall, this research shows how a human macrophage cell-based biomonitoring system serves as an effective in vitro tool to study the immunotoxicity of OSPW samples before and after targeted remediation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunanda Paul
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Nora A S Hussain
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Dustin M E Lillico
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Monsuru A Suara
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Soliu O Ganiyu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - James L Stafford
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada.
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4
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Lillico DME, Hussain NAS, Choo-Yin YY, Qin R, How ZT, El-Din MG, Stafford JL. Using immune cell-based bioactivity assays to compare the inflammatory activities of oil sands process-affected waters from a pilot scale demonstration pit lake. J Environ Sci (China) 2023; 128:55-70. [PMID: 36801042 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2022.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
In this study, we provide evidence that oil sands process-affected waters (OSPW) contain factors that activate the antimicrobial and proinflammatory responses of immune cells. Specifically, using the murine macrophage RAW 264.7 cell line, we establish the bioactivity of two different OSPW samples and their isolated fractions. Here, we directly compared the bioactivity of two pilot scale demonstration pit lake (DPL) water samples, which included expressed water from treated tailings (termed the before water capping sample; BWC) as well as an after water capping (AWC) sample consisting of a mixture of expressed water, precipitation, upland runoff, coagulated OSPW and added freshwater. Significant inflammatory (i.e. macrophage activating) bioactivity was associated with the AWC sample and its organic fraction (OF), whereas the BWC sample had reduced bioactivity that was primarily associated with its inorganic fraction (IF). Overall, these results indicate that at non-toxic exposure doses, the RAW 264.7 cell line serves as an acute, sensitive and reliable biosensor for the screening of inflammatory constituents within and among discrete OSPW samples.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dustin M E Lillico
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Nora A S Hussain
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Yemaya Y Choo-Yin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Rui Qin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Zuo Tong How
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - James L Stafford
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada.
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5
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Hu L, Jiang W, Xu X, Wang H, Carroll KC, Xu P, Zhang Y. Toxicological characterization of produced water from the Permian Basin. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 815:152943. [PMID: 35007582 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.152943] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2021] [Revised: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Produced water (PW) is a hypersaline waste stream generated from the shale oil and gas industry, consisting of numerous anthropogenic and geogenic compounds. Despite prior geochemical characterization, the comprehensive toxicity assessment is lacking for evaluating treatment technologies and the beneficial use of PW. In this study, a suite of in vitro toxicity assays using various aquatic organisms (luminescent bacterium Vibrio fischeri, fish gill cell line RTgill-W1, and microalgae Scenedesmus obliquus) were developed to investigate the toxicological characterizations of PW from the Permian Basin. The exposure to PW, PW inorganic fraction (PW-IF), and PW salt control (PW-SC) at 30-50% dilutions caused significant toxicological effects in all model species, revealing the high salinity was the foremost toxicological driver in PW. In addition, the toxicity level of PW was usually higher than that of PW-IF, suggesting that organic contaminants might also play a critical role in PW toxicity. When comparing the observed toxicity with associated chemical characterizations in different PW samples, strong correlations were found between them since higher concentrations of contaminants could generally result in higher toxicity towards exposed organisms. Furthermore, the toxicity results from the pretreated PW indicated that those in vitro toxicity assays had different sensitives to the chemical components present in PW. As expected, the combination of multiple pretreatments could lead to a more significant decrease in toxicity compared to the single pretreatment since the mixture of contaminants in PW might exhibit synergistic toxicity. Overall, the current work is expected to enhance our understanding of the potential toxicological impacts of PW to aquatic ecosystems and the relationships between the chemical profiles and observed toxicity in PW, which might be conducive to the establishment of monitoring, remediation, treatment, and reuse protocols for PW.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Hu
- Department of Civil Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
| | - Wenbin Jiang
- Department of Civil Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
| | - Xuesong Xu
- Department of Civil Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
| | - Huiyao Wang
- Department of Civil Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
| | - Kenneth C Carroll
- Department of Plant and Environmental Science, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
| | - Pei Xu
- Department of Civil Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA
| | - Yanyan Zhang
- Department of Civil Engineering, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, NM 88003, USA.
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6
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Bahniuk MS, Ortega VA, Alshememry AK, Stafford JL, Goss GG, Unsworth LD. Effect of amino acid composition of elastin-like polypeptide nanoparticles on nonspecific protein adsorption, macrophage cell viability and phagocytosis. Biopolymers 2021; 112:e23468. [PMID: 34363693 DOI: 10.1002/bip.23468] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Development of elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) biomaterials is widespread, but information critical for clinical deployment is limited, with biocompatibility studies focused on a narrow cross-section of ELP sequences. Macrophages can impair biomaterial systems by degrading or isolating the biomaterial and by activating additional immune functions. Their phagocytic response will reveal early immune biocompatibility of ELP nanoparticles (NPs). This study examines that response, induced by the adsorbed protein corona, as a function of ELP guest amino acid, chain length and NP diameter. The breadth of proteins adsorbed to ELP NPs varied, with valine-containing ELP NPs adsorbing fewer types of proteins than leucine-containing constructs. Particle diameter was also a factor, with smaller leucine-containing ELP NPs adsorbing the broadest range of proteins. Macrophage viability was unaffected by the ELP NPs, and their phagocytic capabilities were unimpeded except when incubated with a 500 nm valine-containing 40-mer. This NP significantly decreased the phagocytic capacity of macrophages relative to the control and to a corresponding 500 nm leucine-containing 40-mer. NP size and the proportion of opsonin to dysopsonin proteins likely influenced this outcome. These results suggest that certain combinations of ELP sequence and particle size can result in an adsorbed protein corona, which may hinder macrophage function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markian S Bahniuk
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Van A Ortega
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Abdullah K Alshememry
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - James L Stafford
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Greg G Goss
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - Larry D Unsworth
- Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
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7
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Phillips NA, Lillico DM, Qin R, McAllister M, El-Din MG, Belosevic M, Stafford JL. Inorganic fraction of oil sands process-affected water induces mammalian macrophage stress gene expression and acutely modulates immune cell functional markers at both the gene and protein levels. Toxicol In Vitro 2020; 66:104875. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2020.104875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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8
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Qin R, Lillico D, How ZT, Huang R, Belosevic M, Stafford J, Gamal El-Din M. Separation of oil sands process water organics and inorganics and examination of their acute toxicity using standard in-vitro bioassays. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 695:133532. [PMID: 31419686 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Revised: 07/20/2019] [Accepted: 07/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Oil sands process water (OSPW) contains complex components of inorganics and organics. This is the first study that separated OSPW inorganic and organic fractions and examined their relative acute toxicity when compared with the original whole OSPW using an in-vitro cell-based bio-indicator system. The separation of OSPW inorganic and organic fractions would be conducive to the understanding of the toxic contribution of organic and inorganic fractions as well as the identification and treatment of organic fractions. In this research, we demonstrated that the highest organic fraction extraction was obtained using HLB solid phase extraction with 95.4 ± 0.7% of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and 90.0 ± 5.3% of naphthenic acid (NA) recovered from OSPW, which were higher than those obtained using the traditional dichloromethane liquid-liquid extraction (48.8 ± 0.2% of DOC and 81.0 ± 2.6% of NA recovery) or other SPE cartridges tested. We also reported the first isolation method for OSPW inorganic fraction by removing 96.1 ± 0.2% of DOC in OSPW using granular activated carbon. The difference of other parameters such as pH, alkalinity, conductivity, and concentration of detected ions between OSPW and isolated inorganic fraction was negligible. The acute toxicity of whole OSPW, separated OSPW inorganic fraction and organic fraction, and the reconstituted fractions were assessed using in-vitro bioassays with RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage cell lines. OSPW organic fraction demonstrated significant cytotoxicity at 14 mg/L O2-NA and affected the cellular metabolic activity at 10 mg/L of O2-NAs. No significant cytotoxicity or effect on cellular metabolic activity was observed for whole OSPW, OSPW inorganic fraction and the reconstituted fractions. Overall, this study provides the procedure for the isolation of the major components of OSPW (i.e., organics and inorganics), which allows the assessment of their relative toxicological effects using a standard in-vitro bioassay and would allow more accurate characterization and treatment study for each fraction in OSPW.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Qin
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Dustin Lillico
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Zuo Tong How
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Rongfu Huang
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada
| | - Miodrag Belosevic
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - James Stafford
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 1H9, Canada.
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9
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Philibert DA, Lyons DD, Qin R, Huang R, El-Din MG, Tierney KB. Persistent and transgenerational effects of raw and ozonated oil sands process-affected water exposure on a model vertebrate, the zebrafish. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 693:133611. [PMID: 31634996 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 07/24/2019] [Accepted: 07/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to oil sands process-affected water (OSPW), a by-product of Canadian oil sands mining operations, can cause both acute and chronic adverse effects in aquatic life. Ozonation effectively degrades naphthenic acids in OSPW, mitigating some of the toxicological effects of exposure. In this study we examined the effect of developmental exposure to raw and ozonated OSPW had on the breeding success, prey capture, and alarm cue response in fish months/years after exposure and the transgenerational effect exposure had on gene expression, global DNA methylation, and larval basal activity. Exposure to raw and ozonated OSPW had no effect on breeding success, and global DNA methylation. Exposure altered the expression of vtg and nkx2.5 in the unexposed F1 generation. Exposure to both raw and ozonated OSPW had a transgenerational impact on larval activity levels, anxiety behaviors, and maximum swim speed compared to the control population. Prey capture success was unaffected, however, the variability in the behavioral responses to the introduction of prey was decreased. Fish developmentally exposed to either treatment were less active before exposure and did not have an anxiety response to the alarm cue hypoxanthine-3-n-oxide. Though ozonation was able to mitigate some of the effects of OSPW exposure, further studies are needed to understand the transgenerational effects and the implications of exposure on complex fish behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle A Philibert
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada.
| | - Danielle D Lyons
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Rui Qin
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Rongfu Huang
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - Ketih B Tierney
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada; School of Public Health, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2E9, Canada
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10
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Fennell J, Arciszewski TJ. Current knowledge of seepage from oil sands tailings ponds and its environmental influence in northeastern Alberta. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 686:968-985. [PMID: 31200313 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.05.407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Revised: 05/26/2019] [Accepted: 05/26/2019] [Indexed: 05/05/2023]
Abstract
Seepage of oil sand process-affected waters (OSPW) from tailings ponds into surface waters is a common concern in the minable oil sands region of northeast Alberta. Research on seepage has been extensive, but few comprehensive treatments evaluating all aspects relevant to the phenomenon are available. In this work, the current information relevant for understanding the state of seepage from tailings ponds was reviewed. The information suggests the infiltration of OSPW into groundwater occurs near some ponds. OSPW may also be present in sediments beneath the Athabasca River adjacent to one pond, but there are no clear observations of OSPW in the river water. Similarly, most water samples from tributaries also show no evidence of OSPW, but these observations are limited by the lack of systematic, systemic, and repeated surveys, missing baseline data, standard analytical approaches, and reference materials. Waters naturally influenced by bitumen, discharge of saline groundwaters, and dilution also potentially affect the consolidation of information and certainty of any conclusions. Despite these challenges, some data suggest OSPW may be present in two tributaries of the Athabasca River adjacent to tailings ponds: McLean Creek and Lower Beaver River. Irrespective of the possible source(s), constituents of OSPW often affect organisms exposed in laboratories, but research in all but one study suggests the concentrations of organics in the surface water bodies assessed are below the standard toxicological effect thresholds for these compounds. In contrast, many samples of groundwater, irrespective of source, likely affect biota. Biomonitoring of surface waters suggests generic responses to stressors, but the influence of natural phenomena and occasionally nutrient enrichment are often suggested by data. In summary, valuable research has been done on seepage. The data suggest infiltration into groundwater is common, seepage into surface waters is not, and anthropogenic biological impacts are not likely.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Fennell
- Integrated Sustainability, Calgary, AB, Canada
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Tanna RN, Redman AD, Frank RA, Arciszewski TJ, Zubot WA, Wrona FJ, Brogly JA, Munkittrick KR. Overview of Existing Science to Inform Oil Sands Process Water Release: A Technical Workshop Summary. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2019; 15:519-527. [PMID: 30908840 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The extraction of oil sands from mining operations in the Athabasca Oil Sands Region uses an alkaline hot water extraction process. The oil sands process water (OSPW) is recycled to facilitate material transport (e.g., ore and tailings), process cooling, and is also reused in the extraction process. The industry has expanded since commercial mining began in 1967 and companies have been accumulating increasing inventories of OSPW. Short- and long-term sustainable water management practices require the ability to return treated water to the environment. The safe release of OSPW needs to be based on sound science and engineering practices to ensure downstream protection of ecological and human health. A significant body of research has contributed to the understanding of the chemistry and toxicity of OSPW. A multistakeholder science workshop was held in September 2017 to summarize the state of science on the toxicity and chemistry of OSPW. The goal of the workshop was to review completed research in the areas of toxicology, chemical analysis, and monitoring to support the release of treated oil sands water. A key outcome from the workshop was identifying research needs to inform future water management practices required to support OSPW return. Another key outcome of the workshop was the recognition that methods are sufficiently developed to characterize chemical and toxicological characteristics of OSPW to address and close knowledge gaps. Industry, government, and local indigenous stakeholders have proceeded to utilize these insights in reviewing policy and regulations. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2019;15:519-527. © 2019 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aaron D Redman
- ExxonMobil Biomedical Sciences, Annandale, New Jersey, USA
| | - Richard A Frank
- Water Science and Technology Directorate, Environment Canada, Burlington, Ontario
| | - Tim J Arciszewski
- Alberta Environment and Parks, Environmental Monitoring and Science Division, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Warren A Zubot
- Syncrude Canada Ltd, Edmonton Research Centre, Edmonton, Alberta
| | - Frederick J Wrona
- Environmental Monitoring and Science Division, Alberta Environment and Parks, Government of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
| | - John A Brogly
- Canada's Oil Sands Innovation Alliance, Calgary, Alberta
| | - Kelly R Munkittrick
- Cold Regions and Water Initiatives, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
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Li C, Fu L, Lillico DME, Belosevic M, Stafford JL, Gamal El-Din M. Exposure to Organic Fraction Extracted from Oil Sands Process-Affected Water Has Negligible Impact on Pregnancy and Lactation of Mice. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:7083-7094. [PMID: 31117544 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b01965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Dissolved organic compounds are major contaminants in oil sands process-affected water (OSPW), of which naphthenic acids (NAs) are one of the main persistent toxicants. In the present study, we explore the toxic effects of the organic fraction extracted from OSPW (OSPW-OF) in mice during pregnancy and lactation. Here, we report that acute oral exposure of female Balb/c mice during gestation, and subchronic exposure throughout gestation and lactation to OSPW-OF (containing naturally occurring levels of NAs found in tailings ponds), had negligible effects on their reproductive performance. Specifically, mating behavior, pregnancy success, embryonic implantation, gestation period, litter size, and offspring viability were not affected by OSPW-OF containing up to 55 mg/L NAs. OSPW-OF exposure also did not affect plasma concentrations of pregnancy-associated hormones or pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and it had minimal effects on liver stress gene expression. This study presents the first comprehensive in vivo analysis of mammalian toxicity associated with OSPW-OF exposure. Overall, our results suggest that the risk of acute and subchronic toxicity to mice exposed to OSPW-OF at environmentally relevant concentrations of NAs in contaminated drinking water is likely negligible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Li
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta Canada T6G 1H9
| | - Li Fu
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta Canada T6G 1H9
- Department of Biological Sciences , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta Canada T6G 2E9
| | - Dustin M E Lillico
- Department of Biological Sciences , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta Canada T6G 2E9
| | - Miodrag Belosevic
- Department of Biological Sciences , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta Canada T6G 2E9
| | - James L Stafford
- Department of Biological Sciences , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta Canada T6G 2E9
| | - Mohamed Gamal El-Din
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering , University of Alberta , Edmonton , Alberta Canada T6G 1H9
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Alberts ME, Chua G, Muench DG. Exposure to naphthenic acids and the acid extractable organic fraction from oil sands process-affected water alters the subcellular structure and dynamics of plant cells. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 651:2830-2844. [PMID: 30463136 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.10.181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2018] [Revised: 10/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/12/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Oil sands surface mining generates vast quantities of oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) as a by-product of bitumen extraction. The acid extractable organic (AEO) fraction of OSPW contains several contaminants, including naphthenic acids (NAs). While responses of living organisms to NA and AEO exposure have been described at the developmental, physiological, metabolic and gene expression levels, the effects of these compounds at the cellular and subcellular level are limited. Using live cell fluorescence microscopy and a suite of fluorescent marker proteins, we studied the intracellular responses of the plant cell cytoskeleton and several membrane-bound organelles to NA and AEO treatments. A rapid disassembly of cortical microtubules and a decrease in dynamics associated with actin filaments was observed in response to these treatments. Concomitantly, the integrity and dynamics of mitochondria, peroxisomes, Golgi stacks, and endoplasmic reticulum were also altered. AEO treatments were the most toxic to cells and resulted in the accumulation reactive oxygen species. This study provides foundational evidence for intracellular responses to NA and AEO exposure using two evolutionarily diverse model plant cell types. This cellular assay could be used to identify the most toxic components of AEO sub-fractions, and assist in determining the effectiveness of OSPW remediation efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gordon Chua
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Canada
| | - Douglas G Muench
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary, Canada.
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Zhang H, Tang X, Shang J, Zhao X, Qu T, Wang Y. The effect of naphthenic acids on physiological characteristics of the microalgae Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Platymonas helgolandica var. tsingtaoensis. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 240:549-556. [PMID: 29758529 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.04.126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Revised: 02/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Naphthenic acids (NAs) account for 1-2% of crude oil and represent its main acidic component. However, the aquatoxic effects of NAs on marine phytoplankton and their ecological risks have remained largely unknown. Using the marine microalgae Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Platymonas helgolandica var. tsingtaoensis as the target, we studied the effects of NAs on their growth, cell morphology and physiological characteristics. The cell density decreased as the concentrations of NAs increased, indicating that they had an adverse effect on growth of the investigated algae in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, scanning electron microscopy revealed NAs exposure caused damage such as deformed cells, shrunken surface and ruptured cell structures. Exposure to NAs at higher concentrations for 48 h significantly increased the content of chlorophyll (Chl) a and b in P. tricornutum, but decreased their levels in P. helgolandica var. tsingtaoensis. NAs with concentrations no higher than 4 mg/L gradually enhanced the Chl fluorescence (ChlF) parameters and decreased the ChlF parameters at higher concentrations for the two marine microalgae. Additionally, NAs induced hormesis on photosynthetic efficiency of the two microalgae and also have the species difference in their aquatic toxicity. Overall, the results of this study provide a better understanding of the physiological responses of phytoplankton and will enable better risk assessments of NAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huanxin Zhang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China; Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Xuexi Tang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China; Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China
| | - Jiagen Shang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China
| | - Xinyu Zhao
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China
| | - Tongfei Qu
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China
| | - Ying Wang
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China; Laboratory of Marine Ecology and Environmental Science, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, China.
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