Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Lake and watershed influences on the distribution of elemental contaminants in the Rideau Canal System, a UNESCO world heritage site

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Environmental Science and Pollution Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Watershed-specific variables such as sediment particle size distribution, water depth, sedimentation rate, focusing factors, and catchment area to lake area ratio can affect the distribution of trace element contaminants to lakes. The aim of this study was to investigate sources of metals to three headwater lakes and to quantify effects of watershed-specific variables on spatial and temporal trends of trace elements (As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Hg, K, Ni, Pb, Rb, and Zn) in sediments and mercury (Hg) concentrations in fish. Surface sediment and water samples were used to characterize spatial patterns, while sediment cores were collected to portray temporal trends. Historical trends of Hg in northern pike (Esox lucius) were assessed in relation to paleolimnological trends of sediment Hg concentrations. Similarity in timing of sediment peak trace element concentrations for the lakes suggests large-scale, atmospheric sources. The lake with highest catchment area-to-lake area ratio was consistently associated with highest sediment elemental concentrations and displayed significant correlations between increased sediment Hg concentrations and decreased pike tissue concentrations over time. This suggests that catchment area-to-lake area ratio is an important factor influencing the concentration of atmospherically derived contaminants within lake sediments and their transfer through the food web.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Appleby PG, Oldfield F (1983) The assessment of 210Pb data from sites with varying sediment accumulation rates. Hydrobiologia 103(1):29–35

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Binford MW (1990) Calculation and uncertainty analysis of 210Pb dates for PIRLA project lake sediment cores. J Paleolimnol 3(3):253–267

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bloom NS, Horvat M, Watras CJ (1995) Results of the international aqueous mercury speciation intercomparison exercise. Water Air Soil Pollut 80(1):1257–1268

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Borg H, Johansson K (1989) Metal fluxes to Swedish forest lakes. Water Air Soil Pollut 47:427–440

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Callender E (2003) Heavy metals in the environment - historical trends. In: Lollar BS, Holland DH, Turekian KK (eds) Treatise on geochemistry, Volume 9. Elsevier Inc, San Diego, pp 67–105

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (2001) Canadian sediment qualityguidelines for the protection of aquatic life. In: Canadian environmental quality guidelines. 1999. Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, Winnipeg, Manitoba. http://www.ccme.ca/. Accessed 26 Mar 2015

  • Das B, Nordin R, Mazumder A (2009) Watershed land use as a determinant of metal concentrations in freshwater systems. Environ Geochem Health 31(6):595-607

  • El Bilali L, Rasmussen PE, Hall GEM, Fortin D (2002) Role of sediment composition in trace metal distribution in lake sediments. Appl Geochem 17(9):1171–1181

  • Engstrom DR, Balogh SJ, Swain EB (2007) History of mercury inputs to Minnesota lakes: influences of watershed disturbance and localized atmospheric deposition. Limnol Oceanogr 52(6):2467–2483

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Evans RD (1986) Sources of mercury contamination in the sediments of small headwater lakes in south-central Ontario, Canada. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 15(5):505–512

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Evans HE, Dillon PJ, Scholer PJ, Evans RD (1986) The use of Pb/210Pb ratios in lake sediments for estimating atmospheric fallout of stable lead in south-central Ontario. Can Sci Total Environ 54(1986):77–93

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fjeld E, Rognerud S, Steinnes E (1994) Influence of Environmental Factors on Heavy Metal Concentration in Lake Sediments in Southern Norway Indicated by Path Analysis. Can J Fish Aquat Sci 51:1708–1720

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Forsythe KW, Marvin CH (2009) Assessing historical versus contemporary mercury and lead contamination in Lake Huron sediments. Aquat Ecosyst Health Manag 12(1):101–109

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gantner N, Muir DC, Poers M, Iqaluk D, Reist JD, Babluk JA, Meili M, Borg H, Hammar K, Michaud W, Dempson B, Solomon KR (2010) Mercury concentrations in landlocked arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus) from the Canadian arctic. Part II: influence of lake biotic and abiotic characteristics on geographic trends in 27 populations. Environ Toxicol Chem 29(3):633–643

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ghanbarpour MR, Goorzadi M, Vahabzade G (2013) Spatial variability of heavy metals in surficial sediments: Tajan River Watershed, Iran. Sustain Water Qual Ecol 1–2:48–58

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glew JR (1988) A portable extruding device for close interval sectioning of unconsolidated core samples. J Paleolimnol 1(3):235–239

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glew JR (1989) A new trigger mechanism for sediment samplers. J Paleolimnol 2(4):241–243

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lai C (2009) Exploring anthropogenic factors and sources in relation to environmental contaminants in the Rideau Lakes watershed. Undergraduate Honours Thesis, Bachelor of Science (Department of Environmental Studies), Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario

  • Landy MP, Peel DA, Wolff EW (1980) Trace metals in remote arctic snows: Natural or anthropogenic? Nature 284(5756):574–575

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • LeBlond SSM (2009) Examination of Metal Contamination within the UNESCO Designated Rideau River Waterway. Master’s Thesis, Department of Biology, Queen’s University. https://qspace.library.queensu.ca/bitstream/1974/5240/1/LeBlond_Shannon_S_M_200909_MSc.pdf

  • Lindqvist O, Johansson K, Bringmark L, Timm B, Aastrup M, Andersson A, Hovsenius G, Håkanson L, Iverfeldt Ǻ, Meili M (1991) Mercury in the Swedish Environment—Recent research on causes, consequences and corrective methods. Water Air Soil Pollut 55(1):xi–261

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lourie B (2003) Mercury in the environment: a primer. Pollution Probe, Toronto

    Google Scholar 

  • Macdonald R, Shaw DP, Gray C (1998) Contaminants in Lake Sediments and Fish. In: Gray C, Tuominen T (eds) Health of the Fraser River Aquatic Ecosystem –a Synthesis of Research Conducted under the Fraser River Action Plan. Aquatic and Atmospheric Sciences Division, Environmental Conservation Branch, Pacific and Yukon Region. Environment Canada, Vancouver, DOE FRAP 1998-11

    Google Scholar 

  • Mahler BJ, Van Metre PC, Callender E (2006) Trends in metals in urban and reference lake sediments across the United States, 1970 to 2001. Environ Toxicol Chem 25(7):1698–1709

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Maslennikova S, Larina N, Larin S (2012) The effect of sediment grain size on heavy metal content. Lakes Reserv Ponds 6(1):43–54

    Google Scholar 

  • National Research Council Canada (NRCC) (1997) Certified reference material - HISS-1, MESS-3, PACS-2: marine sediment reference materials for trace metals and other constituents. National Research Council Canada, Ottawa, pp 1–3

    Google Scholar 

  • Nriagu JO (1979) Global inventory of natural and anthropogenic emissions of trace metals to the atmosphere. Nature 279(5712):409–411

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nriagu JO (1989) A global assessment of natural sources of atmospheric trace metals. Nature 338(6210):47–50

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Nriagu JO, Pacyna JM (1988) Quantitative assessment of worldwide contamination of air, water and soils by trace metals. Nature 333(6169):134–140

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ontario Ministry of Environment (OME) (2005) The determination of mercury in biomaterials by cold vapour-flameless atomic absorption spectroscopy (CV-FAAS). Ontario Ministry of Environment, Laboratory Services Branch, Quality Management Unit, Toronto, pp 1–22

    Google Scholar 

  • Ontario Ministry of Environment (OME) (2007a) Guide to eating Ontario sport fish (2007- 2008). Ontario Ministry of Environment, Toronto, pp 1–279

    Google Scholar 

  • Ontario Ministry of Environment (OME) (2007b) Laboratory services branch procedure for analytical method validation. Ontario Ministry of Environment, Laboratory Services Branch, Quality Management Unit, Toronto, pp 1–18

    Google Scholar 

  • Parks Canada (PC) (2005) Rideau Canal - national historic site of Canada management plan. Parks Canada, Ottawa

    Google Scholar 

  • Powell DE, Rada RG, Wiener JG, Atchison GJ (2000) Whole-lake burdens and spatial distribution of cadmium in sediments of Wisconsin seepage lakes, USA. Environ Toxicol Chem 19(6):1523–1531

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rieberger K (1992) Metal concentrations in bottom sediments from uncontaminated B.C. lakes. Minitry of Environment, Lands and parks. Water quality branch, Water management division, Province of British Columbia

    Google Scholar 

  • Smol JP (2008) Pollution of lakes and rivers: a paleoenvironmental perspective. 396 p. Wiley-Blackwell. ISBN-10:1405159138

  • TRAK Map Concepts Inc. (TRAK Maps) (2005) Ontario Inland Lakes (TRAK Maps - Canadian Nautical Charts). 36 Digital Maps, Saint-Donat

    Google Scholar 

  • United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) (1998) Method 7473 –Mercury in solids and solutions by thermal decomposition, amalgamation, and atomic absorption spectrophotometry. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  • United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) (2002a) Method 1631, Revision E—mercury in water by oxidation, purge and trap, and cold vapor atomic fluorescence spectrometry. United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington

    Google Scholar 

  • United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) (2002b) Mid-Atlantic Integrated Assessment (MAIA) Estuaries 1997-1998. Summary Report. Environmental Conditions in the Mid-Atlantic Estuaries. Office of Research and Development. National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory

  • Van Metre PC, Fuller CC (2009) Dual-core mass-balance approach for evaluating mercury and Pb atmospheric fallout and focusing to lakes. Environ Sci Technol 43(1):26–32

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu K, Tsai L, Chen S, Chang D, Ho S (2001) Multivariate correlations of geochemical binding phases of heavy metals in contaminated river sediment. J Environ Sci Health Part A: Toxic/Hazard. Subst Environ Eng 36(1):1–16

Download references

Acknowledgments

This project was supported by an NSERC Discovery Grant and Queen’s Chancellor Award to Linda Campbell and by an Ontario Graduate Scholarship to Shannon Stuyt (nee Leblond). The authors thank John Smol and Peter Hodson, Department of Biology, Queen’s University for their feedback. The members of Queen’s PEARL research group, especially Dr. Brian Cumming and Chris Grooms, provided advice regarding equipment and data. Frank Phelan of Queen’s University Biological Station provided field support and access to QUBS boats when needed. John Rorabeck and Tom Pritchard assisted with obtaining fish on the Rideau Lakes. Hillary Knack, Chantal Vis, and other Parks Canada staff in Smiths Falls, Ontario, provided field support, information on logistics and history of the Rideau, and the use of Parks Canada facilities and boats.

Conflict of interest

No conflicts of interest are declared for this project.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biology and School of Environmental Studies, Queen’s University, Kingston, ON, Canada

    Shannon S. M. Stuyt & Linda M. Campbell

  2. Department of Environmental Science, Saint Mary’s University, 923 Robie Street, Halifax, Nova Scotia, B3H-3C3, Canada

    E. Emily V. Chapman & Linda M. Campbell

  3. Golder Associates Ltd., 32 Steacie Drive, Ottawa, ON, K2K 2A9, Canada

    Shannon S. M. Stuyt

Authors
  1. Shannon S. M. Stuyt
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. E. Emily V. Chapman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Linda M. Campbell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Linda M. Campbell.

Additional information

Responsible editor: Céline Guéguen

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Stuyt, S.S.M., Chapman, E.E.V. & Campbell, L.M. Lake and watershed influences on the distribution of elemental contaminants in the Rideau Canal System, a UNESCO world heritage site. Environ Sci Pollut Res 22, 11558–11573 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4405-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-015-4405-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation