Walter A. Glooschenko

Metal content of sphagnum mosses from two northern Canadian bog ecosystems

Samples of Sphagnum moss were collected from Kinoje Lake, northern Ontario, and Porter Lake, Northwest Territories (N.W.T.), Canada. The samples were analyzed for the elements Cd, Ca, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mg, Mn, Hg and Zn. On a dry-weight basis, Ca was highest in concentration followed by Mg, Fe and Mn. The other elements were an order of magnitude or more lower in concentration. In general, concentrations were similar to those reported in the literature from Scandinavia.The two Canadian sites were similar in elemental composition except that the Ontario site was higher in Cd and Pb, while the N.W.T. site was higher in Mg and Hg. These differences could be due to a combination of regional geochemical and human activity differences.

The use of mires in monitoring the atmospheric deposition of heavy metals

Bogs are ombrotrophic mire ecosystems receiving all chemical inputs from atmospheric deposition. Thus living vegetation in bogs such as Sphagnum moss and peat derived from the vegetation can be analyzed for metals in order to monitor atmospheric deposition. This can be done relative to a point source such as a smelter or for determining regional differences. A study was made in the area of the copper smelter at Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec in terms of atmospheric deposition. The moss Sphagnum fuscum von Klinggraeff was collected from 10 bogs within a 70-km radius of the smelter. The samples were analyzed for Fe, Cu, Pb and Zn. The concentration of elements Cu, Pb and Zn were high near the smelter and decreased exponentially to approximately 50 km, where they reached background levels. This indicates the zone of influence of the smelter in terms of atmospheric deposition. In the second part of the study, peat cores were collected from bogs located at Barrington, Nova Scotia; Sept Iles, Quebec; Luther, Ontario and a remote site in the James Bay lowland near Moosonee, Ontario. Metals (Fe, Cu, Pb and Zn) were analyzed at 3-cm intervals down to a depth of 1 m. In general, surface enrichment of Fe, Cu, Pb and Zn was noted with minimal enrichment at the James Bay site.

Atmospheric deposition of arsenic and selenium across canada using sphagnum moss as a biomonitor

A biomonitoring study was made of the atmospheric deposition of arsenic and selenium across northern Canada utilizing Sphagnum fuscum moss. Intensive sampling was carried out adjacent to the smelter at Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec. An average background concentration of arsenic in the moss of 0.66 mg kg-1 was determined, while most selenium concentrations were below the detection limit of 0.2 mg kg-1. Elevated arsenic concentrations were found in the vicinity of the mining and smelting areas of Flin Flon, Manitoba, and Atikokan, Ontario. High concentrations of selenium were detected only near Rouyn-Noranda. Both arsenic and selenium occurred in moss at concentrations lower than found in Canadian soils.

Sphagnum fuscum moss as an indicator of atmospheric cadmium deposition across Canada

The concentration of cadmium was determined in samples of Sphagnum fuscum moss collected from 37 sites across Canada from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean and Labrador Sea. At 22 of the sites, Cd was less than 0.2 mg kg(-1), the detection limit. Elevated Cd levels were only found in mosses collected in the vicinity of the smelters at Flin Flon, Manitoba, and Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, where a maximum concentration of 12 mg kg(-1) was measured.

Geochemical distribution of trace metals and organochlorine contaminants of a Lake Ontario shoreline marsh

As part of a water quality study on Rattray Marsh, a suburban marsh located on the Lake Ontario shoreline at Mississauga, Ontario, a sedimentary geochemistry study was initiated. In general, Cu, Zn, Pb and Hg were higher in concentration than in local soils, but lower than Lake Ontario recent sediments. Over the past century, an approximate two-fold increase in the sedimentary levels of Cu, Zn, Co, Cr and Ni occurred, while Cd increased nearly 4 ×, and Pb, 8 ×. No correlation was found between metals and organic carbon, and the metals appear to be associated with silts and clays as evidenced by (1) factor analysis of geochemical data, (2) higher concentrations in areas of the marsh subjected to high sediment deposition, and (3) analysis of a suspended sediment sample from Sheridan Creek, the main tributary basin of the marsh. Organochlorine contaminants include p,p1-DDE,p,p1-DDD,p,p1-DDT, a-chlordane, PCB, mirex and HCB.

Method for the simultaneous determination of arsenic, aluminium, iron, zinc, chromium and copper in plant tissue without the use of perchloric acid

A 0.5-g sample of plant tissue was digested with a mixture of concentrated nitric and sulphuric acids (2 + 1 V/V) and hydrogen peroxide. Arsenic was determined by the hydride generation method. Aluminium, iron, zinc, chromium and copper were determined by direct flame atomic-absorption spectrometry. The detection limits in dry plant material using 50 ml of aqueous solutions for analysis were 0.5 ng g–1 for arsenic and 0.1 µg g–1 for aluminium, iron, zinc, chromium and copper. The relative standard deviations were 4, 6, 1, 11, 6 and 7%, respectively. All six metals were determined from the same aliquot with recoveries ranging from 93 to 118%. A study was made of the composition of the precipitate that settled out from the extracts. X-ray diffraction revealed the presence of α-aluminium oxide (corundum) and some quartz in the anti-bumping granules. α-Aluminium oxide was a source of contamination for the aluminium analysis.

Wetlands of the Attawapiskat River mouth, James Bay, Ontario, Canada

The Attawapiskat River is one of the major rivers entering James Bay, Canada. Wetlands of the lower 12 km portion of the river were studied between the Cree Indian village of Attawapiskat and James Bay. This portion contains both freshwater, freshwater tidal and brackish/saline wetlands along a gradient downstream to the river mouth. Due to the high flow of fresh river water, salt marshes did not occur directly at the river mouth where the submergentPotamogetonrichardsonii and emergentSagittarialatifolia occurred. This association gave way inland from the river bank to a complex association ofHippuristetraphylla,Eleocharispalustris, andCarexpaleacea, all indicative of brackish conditions. Further inland, a salt marsh community occurred mainly withPuccinelliaphryganodes,P.lucida,Triglochinmaritima, andScirpusmaritimus. The freshwater tidal portion of the river was characterized by the following sequence from the river:Potamogetonrichardsonii →Sagittarialatifolia →Eleocharis,Hippuris,Carex spp. complex. In better drained areas on levees,Equisetum spp. were present giving way to aSalix —Alnus zone, and eventual boreal forest.

Atmospheric deposition of iron from mining activities in Northern Ontario

Samples of Sphagnum moss were collected at varying distances from two iron-mining and processing centres in northern Ontario, Canada--Atikokan and Sudbury--and analyzed for Fe. All samples were collected in ombrotrophic bogs which receive chemical inputs strictly from atmospheric deposition. Mosses from the Atikokan sites exhibited elevated concentrations of Fe up to 7352 mg kg-1 near the local sources, and declined exponentially with distance to lows of 1443 mg kg-1. Atikokan, a mining and ore-processing centre, caused elevated Fe levels up to 50 km distance from the town, while Sudbury exhibited a greater influence due to the tall stack there. At Sudbury, levels ranged from 2478 mg kg-1 near the town down to 382 mg kg-1 in remote sites. Results from these moss analyses were similar to those obtained from precipitation sampling of previous authors.

The use of bog vegetation as an indicator of atmospheric deposition of arsenic in northern Ontario

Abstract There is ample evidence of the release of potentially toxic metals from the Sudbury region of Ontario. However, insufficient information is available concerning the distribution of arsenic from atmospheric inputs in northern Ontario. This element is associated with smelting activities in other parts of Canada, especially northern Manitoba and Yellowknife, NWT. Bog vegetation was chosen as an indicator of this chemical input, since bogs receive their chemical inputs solely from atmospheric fallout. This alleviates problems associated with monitoring lake sediments and soils which can receive elemental inputs from their watersheds. An increase in As concentration was found in bog vegetation near smelters, both at Sudbury and in the Timmins/Kirkland Lake, Ontario/Rouyn, Quebec areas. A distinct decrease in concentration occurred with distance. A comparison of As levels between species examined at the same location indicated that the moss and lichen species were more efficient scavengers of As than low shrubs. Concentrations determined in this study were above background data from more remote areas, especially in the Sudbury area where a 20 × increase was noted in lichens. This study further confirms the use of bog vegetation as a sensitive indicator of elemental fallout.

Vegetation of river-influenced coastal marshes of the southwestern end of Kames Bay, Ontario

A study was made of the vegetation of four river-influenced coastal marshes located between the Moose River and Harricanaw River in southern James Bay. Six major grouping of species were found. These include: 1. a salt marsh dominated byPuccinellia phryganodes, P. lucida, Hippuris tetraphylla. andScirpus maritimus. 2. saline ponds withSenecio congestus, 3. a saline/brackish meadow marsh withCarex paleacea. 4. an intentidal estuarine marsh withEleocharis palustris, 5. freshwater ponds withPolamogeton filiformis, and 6. a freshwater marsh/fen.Major environmental factors controlling the distribution of these groups include substrate salinity, river flow patterns, stom surges and tidal range. These marshes are unique in species composition in James Bay and similar to marshes described in the Gulf of Bothnia.