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Updated: Feb 10, 2026
10:44
Clean Sampling and Analysis of River and Estuarine Waters for Trace Metal Studies
Published on: July 1, 2016
12.1K
Estimating bioaccessibility of trace elements in particles suspended in the Athabasca River using sequential
Muhammad Babar Javed1, William Shotyk1
1Department of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G7, Canada.
Environmental Pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987)
|May 14, 2018
Summary
Trace elements in the Lower Athabasca River show varied bioaccessibility. Industrial activities impacted molybdenum, rhenium, and thallium forms, while vanadium and nickel remained largely stable in minerals.
Area of Science:
- Environmental Chemistry
- Geochemistry
- Ecotoxicology
Background:
- Industrial activities, including bitumen mining and upgrading, can release trace elements into aquatic ecosystems.
- Understanding the speciation and bioaccessibility of these elements is crucial for assessing environmental impact.
- The Lower Athabasca River (AR) is a key ecosystem in Alberta, Canada, impacted by resource extraction.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate the bioaccessibility of trace elements in particulate matter from the Lower Athabasca River.
- To determine if industrial activities measurably altered the forms (speciation) of trace elements.
- To investigate the influence of atmospheric dust on trace element distribution.
Main Methods:
- Water samples collected upstream, midstream, and downstream of industrial sites.
- Sequential extraction techniques to determine trace element partitioning into different fractions (bioaccessible vs. stable).
- Microscopic analysis (EDS, XRD) to characterize particulate matter composition.
Main Results:
- Vanadium (V) and Nickel (Ni) were predominantly in stable mineral fractions (residual).
- Molybdenum (Mo) and Rhenium (Re) were mainly in more reactive fractions.
- Water-soluble Rhenium (Re) was significantly higher downstream of industrial sites.
- Thallium (Tl) showed increased presence in reducible fractions downstream, unlike Copper (Cu) and Lead (Pb).
- Atmospheric dust, rich in silicates, contributed to higher residual trace elements at midstream sites.
Conclusions:
- Trace element speciation in the Lower Athabasca River is influenced by both industrial activities and atmospheric inputs.
- Rhenium and Thallium show potential for increased mobility and bioaccessibility downstream of industrial areas.
- Silicate-rich atmospheric dust may limit the bioaccessibility of some particle-bound trace elements.
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