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Laceby JP, Kerr JG, Zhu D, Chung C, Situ Q, Abbasi S, Orwin JF. Chloride inputs to the North Saskatchewan River watershed: the role of road salts as a potential driver of salinization downstream of North America's northern most major city (Edmonton, Canada). Sci Total Environ 2019; 688:1056-1068. [PMID: 31726537 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2019] [Revised: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/13/2019] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Multiple anthropogenic activities are driving the salinization of freshwater environments threatening water resources worldwide. Accordingly, this research will first examine the spatial and temporal variability of major ions (i.e. Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, K+, SO42-, CO32-, and HCO3-) upstream and downstream of the northernmost major city in North America (Edmonton, Canada). Second, this research will estimate the relative contributions of the major sources of chloride (Cl), the main constituent of road deicers, to the sub-basin around Edmonton. Monthly water quality data was for three sites on the North Saskatchewan River (NSR): Rocky Mountain House (RMH - downstream of the Rocky Mountain headwaters), Devon Bridge (upstream of Edmonton) and Pakan Bridge (downstream of Edmonton). Change ratios investigate the downstream alterations of major ions at Pakan and Devon, relative to RMH. Seasonal Kendall tests examine temporal trends (1987-2017). A mass-balance approach then quantifies the major sources of Cl in the sub-basin of the NSR between Devon and Pakan. Progressing from the Rocky Mountain headwaters (at RMH) to downstream of Edmonton (at Pakan), Cl- increased by >5.5 times, Na+ by 4.8 times and K by 2.7 times. No significant temporal trends for Cl-, Na+ and K+ were evident at Devon (upstream of Edmonton), whereas all three significantly increased at Pakan (downstream of Edmonton). Deicers (54%), agriculture (20%), along with waste water treatment plant and industrial effluent (15%) were the largest Cl sources in the NSR Devon-Pakan sub-basin. In total, 77 Gg yr-1 of Cl (or 6 t km2 yr-1) is added to the Devon-Pakan sub-basin, of which, 43 Gg yr-1 is retained. Understanding and managing the major drivers of freshwater salinization will be of increasing importance in the 21st century owing to the potential salinization of freshwater resources in the context of a changing climate.
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Affiliation(s)
- J P Laceby
- Environmental Monitoring and Science Division, Alberta Environment and Parks, 3535 Research Rd NW, Calgary, Alberta T2L 2K8, Canada.
| | - J G Kerr
- Environmental Monitoring and Science Division, Alberta Environment and Parks, 3535 Research Rd NW, Calgary, Alberta T2L 2K8, Canada
| | - D Zhu
- Water Resources Branch, Environment, Government of Yukon, 419 Range Road, Whitehorse, Yukon, Y1A, 3V1, Canada
| | - C Chung
- Environmental Monitoring and Science Division, Alberta Environment and Parks, 3535 Research Rd NW, Calgary, Alberta T2L 2K8, Canada
| | - Q Situ
- Environmental Monitoring and Science Division, Alberta Environment and Parks, 3535 Research Rd NW, Calgary, Alberta T2L 2K8, Canada
| | - S Abbasi
- Environmental Monitoring and Science Division, Alberta Environment and Parks, 3535 Research Rd NW, Calgary, Alberta T2L 2K8, Canada
| | - J F Orwin
- Environmental Monitoring and Science Division, Alberta Environment and Parks, 3535 Research Rd NW, Calgary, Alberta T2L 2K8, Canada
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Mahrosh U, Rosseland BO, Salbu B, Teien HC. Single and multiple stressor effect of road deicers and Cu on Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) alevins from hatching till swim-up. J Environ Sci (China) 2018; 66:368-378. [PMID: 29628106 DOI: 10.1016/j.jes.2016.10.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2016] [Revised: 10/04/2016] [Accepted: 10/08/2016] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Road salts are frequently used for deicing of roads in the Nordic countries. During snow-melt, the road run-off containing high concentrations of road salt and various metals such as Cu remobilized from sand, silt and dust may negatively influence organisms in downstream receiving water bodies. The present work focuses on the impact of road salt (NaCl) and Cu, separately and in mixtures on Atlantic salmon alevins from hatching till swim-up. The results showed that high road salt concentrations could induce a series of negative effects in alevins such as reduced growth, deformities, delayed swim-up and mortality. For alevins exposed to all tested road salt concentrations (100-1000mg/L), mortality was significantly higher compared to control. In exposure to Cu solutions (5-20μgCu/L), no effects on growth, morphology, swim-up or mortality of alevins compared to control were observed. In mixture solutions (road salt and Cu), ultrafiltration of the exposure water demonstrated that only 20%-40% of Cu was present as positively charged low molecular mass (LMM) Cu species assumed to be bioavailable. When exposed to road salt and Cu mixtures, negative effects in alevins such as reduced growth, deformities, delayed swim-up and mortality were observed. The overall results indicated that the road salt application could seriously affect sensitive life stages of Atlantic salmon, and application of road salt should be avoided during the late winter-early spring period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urma Mahrosh
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Department of Environmental Sciences, N-1432 Ås, Norway; National University of Sciences and Technology H-12, Islamabad, Pakistan.
| | - Bjørn Olav Rosseland
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Department of Environmental Sciences, N-1432 Ås, Norway; Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, N-1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Brit Salbu
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Department of Environmental Sciences, N-1432 Ås, Norway
| | - Hans-Christian Teien
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Department of Environmental Sciences, N-1432 Ås, Norway
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