Phytotoxicity of oil sands naphthenic acids and dissipation from systems planted with emergent aquatic macrophytes.
Differences in dissipation and phytotoxicity were measured for two naphthenic acid mixtures in hydroponically grown emergent macrophytes (Typha latifolia, Phragmites australis, and Scirpus acutus). One of the naphthenic acid (NA) mixtures was extracted from tailings pond water of an oil sands operation in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada. The other mixture was a commercially available NA mixture. While the oil sands NA mixture was less phytotoxic to wetland plants compared to the commercially available NA mixture, they were not sequestered by wetland plants like their commercial NA counterparts. The small loss of commercial NAs from the spiked hydroponic system appeared to be selective and dependant on the specific NA compound. The results of this study indicate that plants alone may not mitigate NAs from oil sands tailings pond water. In addition, caution should be taken when making predictions on the environmental fate of oil sands naphthenic acids when using commercial NAs as surrogates.
Armstrong
Sarah A
SA
Toxicology Graduate Program, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Canada.
Headley
John V
JV
Peru
Kerry M
KM
Germida
James J
JJ
D002264:Carboxylic Acids / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*; D018527:Hydroponics; D007220:Industrial Waste / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019684:Magnoliopsida / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D010578:Petroleum; D018517:Plant Roots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D018520:Plant Shoots / Q000187:drug effects / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; D014867:Water / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism / Q000633:toxicity*
D002264:Carboxylic Acids; D007220:Industrial Waste; D010578:Petroleum; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014867:Water; D012822:Silicon Dioxide; C046170:naphthenic acid