Sediment Contamination in Lake Erie: A 25-Year Retrospective Analysis

Painter, S. L.; Märvin, Chris H.; Rosa, F.; Reynoldson, Trefor B.; Charlton, Murray N.; Fox, Michael E.; Thiessen, Paul A.; Estenik, John F.

doi:10.1016/s0380-1330(01)70658-2

Cited by 67 publications

(52 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…The highest concentrations 1979-2009 30 5 1981-2009 28 5 1982-2009 27 6 1983-2009 26 9 1984-2009 25 11 1989-2009 20 12 1994-2009 15 15 1999-2009 10 15 were found in western Lake Erie and Lake Ontario ([0.401 lg/g). Elevated Hg sediment concentrations in western Lake Erie had been noted previously by Painter et al (2001). Spatial patterns observed in sediment mercury concentrations are more reflective of those inferred from gull eggs than predatory fish.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 57%

“…Further information on the spatial distribution of contaminants can also be obtained from the analysis of sediments (Thomas 1972;Kemp and Thomas 1976;Painter et al 2001). For example, Marvin et al (2004) found that lakes Huron, Michigan and Superior exhibited the lowest concentrations (\0.089 lg/g).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…4 Change-point regression analyses for 15 annual monitoring sites on the Great Lakes and connecting channels using annual mean, ln-transformed, mercury concentrations (lg/g, wet weight) in Herring Gull eggs, 1974Gull eggs, -2009 Lakes from the 1960s/1970s to the 1990s/2000s (Painter et al 2001;Marvin et al 2004). In fish from Canadian Great Lakes Areas of Concern, Weis (2004) showed declines in mercury in four predatory species from Lake St. Clair from the 1970s up to 1990.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Current concentrations and spatial and temporal trends in mercury in Great Lakes Herring Gull eggs, 1974–2009

et al. 2011

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Current concentrations and spatial and temporal trends of total mercury (Hg) were assessed in eggs of the Herring Gull (Larus argentatus) over the period 1974-2009 at 15 sites in the Great Lakes: 2-3 sites per lake and one site in each of 3 connecting channels. Current (2009) concentrations ranged from 0.064 μg/g (wet weight) at Chantry Island (Lake Huron) to 0.246 μg/g at Middle Island (Lake Erie). There were significant inter-colony differences in mean Hg concentrations (2005-2009). Mercury concentrations at 14 of 15 sites declined from 23 to 86% between when it was first measured (usually 1974) and 2009. Declining temporal trends over the entire period (1974-2009) were significant at 10 of the 15 sites. On the other hand, there were no significant trends in mercury over the last 15 years. In the early years, declines of Hg in Herring Gull eggs tracked those in Rainbow Smelt (Osmerus mordax) in most Great Lakes. More recently, declines in gull eggs were more evident than in smelt and may be partially explained by temporal changes in the gull diet. When gull Hg data were adjusted for temporal changes in the gull diet, as inferred from stable nitrogen isotope values in eggs, significant declines in egg mercury levels were found only at 4 of 15 sites. Overall, Hg concentrations have declined in Great Lakes Herring Gull eggs over the period 1974-2009 but changes in the gull diet may be contributing, in part, to those declines. Examination of contaminant temporal trends in multiple indicator species will ensure accurate inferences regarding contaminant availability in the environment.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 57%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Current concentrations and spatial and temporal trends in mercury in Great Lakes Herring Gull eggs, 1974–2009

et al. 2011

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“…Unlike Lake Ontario, where the three major basins exhibit relatively consistent patterns of bottom sediment contamination, there is a trend in the Lake Erie basins toward greater contamination from eastto-west (Painter et al, 2001). The western basin and south-central area of the central basin exhibit the highest degrees of sediment contamination as a result of tributary discharges and proximity to highly industrialized/urbanized areas.…”

Section: Characterization Of Suspended Sediments In Lake Eriementioning

confidence: 87%

Metals Associated with Suspended Sediments in Lakes Erie and Ontario, 2000–2002

Märvin

Charlton

Milne

et al. 2006

Environ Monit Assess

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Sediment traps were deployed in the three major basins of Lake Erie, and the central (Mississauga) basin of Lake Ontario, and refurbished seasonally over the period 2000-2002. In Lake Ontario, sediment down-flux rates and corresponding contaminant down-flux rates were highest in winter during periods of unstratified thermal conditions, and generally increased with depth due to the influence of resuspended bottom sediments during all sampling periods. Lake Ontario suspended sediments exhibited the highest concentrations of metals; concentrations of mercury and lead frequently exceeded guideline values for bottom sediments. Contaminant levels in Lake Ontario suspended sediments were similar to concentrations in bottom sediments in the same area. There was a spatial trend toward higher suspended sediment metals concentrations from the eastern basin to the western basin of Lake Erie, which is similar to the trend in bottom sediment contamination. In the eastern basin of Lake Erie, which is the deepest area of the lake, there was no trend in down-flux rate with depth in 2001; however, down-flux rates increased with depth in 2002. Suspended sediments in the western basin of Lake Erie were determined to be largely resuspended bottom sediments; all western basin samples collected in the study exceeded the guideline value for mercury (0.486 microg/g).

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“…It should further be noted that the measured data were obtained from the eastern part of Lake Erie (latitude N45810.704 0 , longitude W86822.521 0 [35]), which has lower contamination levels for many pollutants compared with the western portion of Lake Erie (see Supplemental Data, Section 2.1). Concentrations of PBDE [36] and PCB [37] in the sampled eastern region are, for example, approximately nine and five times lower, respectively, than in the western part of Lake Erie (Supplemental Data, Fig. S4).…”

Section: Application To Brominated Diphenyl Ether Emissionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

A dynamic multimedia environmental and bioaccumulation model for brominated flame retardants in Lake Huron and Lake Erie, USA

Lim

Lastoskie

2011

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

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Polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) may pose a worldwide pollution problem because of their persistence, long-range transport capability, and predisposition to bioaccumulate. The ubiquitous presence of PBBs and PBDEs has heightened interest in determination of their fate. We report results for a fugacity-based dynamic environmental and bioaccumulation model of the fate of hexabromobiphenyl (hexaBB) discharged into the Saginaw Bay region of Lake Huron, USA. We calculated transient fugacity profiles of hexaBB in Lake Huron and Lake Erie water and sediment during the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. The hexaBB concentrations in the environmental compartments were used as inputs for a dynamic bioaccumulation model of Lake Huron and Lake Erie aquatic biota. The model results indicate that the sediment compartments of Lakes Huron and Erie serve as reservoirs for the accumulation and slow transfer of hexaBB to the food web constituents of these lakes. We present bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) and compare the predicted hexaBB concentrations in lake trout from the bioaccumulation model with measurements during the period 1980 to 2000. An uncertainty analysis for this model suggests that errors associated with input parameter uncertainty can be reduced by refining estimates of the sediment degradation half-life of hexaBB. The corroborated PBB model has carryover application for modeling the fate of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) contaminants in the Great Lakes. By fitting model outputs to field measurement data using the transformed least square fit method, we report estimations of 2,2',4,4'-tetrabromodiphenyl ether (BDE-47) emission rates into the Lake Huron and Lake Erie watershed areas.

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Sediment Contamination in Lake Erie: A 25-Year Retrospective Analysis

Cited by 67 publications

References 10 publications

Current concentrations and spatial and temporal trends in mercury in Great Lakes Herring Gull eggs, 1974–2009

Current concentrations and spatial and temporal trends in mercury in Great Lakes Herring Gull eggs, 1974–2009

Metals Associated with Suspended Sediments in Lakes Erie and Ontario, 2000–2002

A dynamic multimedia environmental and bioaccumulation model for brominated flame retardants in Lake Huron and Lake Erie, USA

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