2023

Granted $8,000.00 to assist with the Broadscale Analysis of Contaminants

Project Objectives:

Mercury contamination of the Wabigoon/English River System has been documented to cause Minimata poisoning (Harada et al., 2005). Based on previous studies, there is evidence to suggest that other pollutants (besides mercury) are present within the Wabigoon/English River System and may pose a threat to human health. There is a great need to monitor/investigate the presence of other contaminants within aquatic biota as it is assumed that the primary exposure of contaminants to wildlife consumers in the Wabigoon/English River System is through fish consumption (Rudd et al., 2016). This project will include the analysis of Walleye, a well-studied fish within the river system and an extensive literature review on sources and contaminants within this river system.

The Provincial Government of Ontario maintains an intermittently updated fish contaminants database where fish species are monitored within the Wabigoon/English River System. However, these monitoring programs are limited in the variety of analyzed contaminants and do not fully address the concerns of community members within the area. The proposed study will develop data sets that identify potential sources of contaminants within the Wabigoon/English River System, our project can ensure that a broad cross-section of contaminants of concern to communities is investigated. In addition, the proposed non-target analysis will provide further insight into the presence of various contaminants within Walleye.