Research Activities

Is the Biotic Ligand Model an appropriate model for multiple metal stressors?

Collaborators

Current summary: The Biotic Ligand Model is a useful construct to account for site-specific differences in receiving water quality. This research is designed to improve the predictive capacity of the BLM. It should provide insight on the important factors that influence bioavailability iin natural (complex) media. This work will contribute fundamental and mechanistic knowledge that will be useful to others working on higher trophic levels. Better understanding of these model systems will provide us with greater insight of the tools required for the more complex organisms, including humans. The fieldwork for this project should provide useful inputs to risk assessments currently underway in the Rouyn-Noranda and/or Sudbury regions.

Summary Archive: Current | 2007 | 2006

 

Project Metadata

Study/Sampling Design

Initial studies are to identify a sensitive test species relevant to Canadian Shield waters and then to characterized this sensitivity through acute and chronic exposure testing. Acute toxicity to Cu and Cd in soft water will be used to identify a sensitive species. BLM type studies will quantify the effects of altered water chemistry. In addition to the lethality, other approaches will be developed as appropriate, for example, short term gill binding, ion regulation (e.g., via radioisotopes), stress responses and others physiological measures. Results will be compared with data from standard test species such as rainbow trout. Projects in the second phase of the program will focus on characterization of chronic responses in the sensitive species. The work will focus on traditional endpoints such as growth and development and the relationships to metal uptake, distribution and accumulation will also be studied. In this aspect, the work will further the understanding of the applicability of the critical body (or tissue) residue approach.

Representative samples of NOM will be collected from Shield lakes and through a series of methodologies comparatively assessed. The effect of NOM on bioavailability will be tested through measurements of free metal concentrations in test solutions (e.g., using ion exchange methods). This characterization will be complemented by measurement of the metal complexation capacity of NOM from various sources.

Number of projects providing material for study: 0

Location of Field Site(s)
Water samples and natural organic matter (NOM) samples for characterization and use in laboratory experiments will be collected from a number of sites and locations that will be determined on an ongoing basis.

Human Studies

Outcome or Process Studied
--- none provided ---

Exposure Medium, and Metals/Substances Quantified
--- none provided ---

Biological Endpoint(s) Monitored
--- none provided ---

Biota Studied

Species
Rainbow trout, whitefish, brook trout, lake trout, brown trout and splake.

Metals, etc. Quantified
The primary metals of research interest are Cu and Cd

Biological Endpoint(s)
Bioaccumulation, acute toxicity and physiological effects induced by chronic exposure.

Physical Material(s) Studied

Medium/Media
Water

Metals, etc. Quantified
The primary metals of research interest are Cu and Cd

Bibliographic References on-file with Secretariat: No

Data Available: No

Data Archived with MITHE-SN: No