Ecotoxicity of Snowpack Collected from Selected Sites in Québec, Canada

Abstract

Sampling was conducted at seven sites on, and at varying distances adjacent to, the Island of Montréal (Québec, Canada), and as far as 1,100 km away in Northern Québec, to explore the hazard potential of snowpacks in remote, rural, and urban environments. Ecotoxic effects of melted snow were ascertained with a suite of small-scale bioassays representing several aquatic taxonomic groups (bacteria, micro-algae, micro-invertebrates, fish liver cells) as well as with biomarker measurements determined with a rainbow trout primary hepatocyte (RTPH) assay. Bioassays undertaken with the cnidarian Hydra attenuata and RTPH cell assays, and to a lesser extent with the micro-alga Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, proved particularly sensitive to infer the presence of bio-available pollutants in snow samples collected from all sites, thereby suggesting their contamination (at least) via atmospheric sources. Furthermore, biomarker responses indicated that snow samples presumably included metals (free Zn biomarker), organics (CYP 1A1 biomarker), estrogens (alkalilabile phosphate biomarker) as well as chemicals capable of causing oxidative stress (LPO biomarker), depending on the site being considered. Overall, effects data acquired during this preliminary investigation on the ecotoxicity of snowpacks submit that adverse impact toward aquatic biota is conceivable at some sites during spring meltdown. Because snow has a recognized affinity for sequestering solids and contaminants of atmospheric origin, future studies aimed at identifying sources and chemicals implicated in observed effects are legitimate endeavors.

The fate of mercury in Arctic terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, a review

“…In a similar study, melted snow samples collected at Kuujjuarapik, Quebec, were analysed using a suite of bioassays involving living organisms or cells representative of three trophic levels. [251] Comparison of bioassay test responses of snow samples collected before and after AMDEs demonstrated that, following AMDEs, Hydra attenuata acute sublethality and rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) hepatocyte acute cytotoxicity responses increased 1.6-and 4.4-fold. Furthermore, an algal bioassay revealed that the growth of Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata was stimulated by snow collected before the occurrence of AMDEs, but was inhibited in post-AMDE snow samples.…”

Microbial Cell Retention in a Melting High Arctic Snowpack, Svalbard

“…The elution of chemical solutes, including nutrients, then affects both the microbial habitats within the snow (Hodson, 2006;Larose et al, 2010a), and underlying soils and ice layers (Jones, 1991(Jones, , 1999Schmidt et al, 1999;Edwards et al, 2007), but also ecosystems downstream (e.g., Gagne et al, 2009).…”

Effects of Pollution on Freshwater Organisms

“…Testicular oocytes were the most predominant form of intersex. Gagne et al (2009) reported that samples of snowpack collected from seven sites in Canada elicited a number of toxic effects from a suite of small-scale bioassays with aquatic organisms from several taxonomic groups. The authors discussed the potential for an adverse impact on aquatic biota during spring meltdown.…”