title: Forensic source differentiation of petrogenic, pyrogenic, and biogenic hydrocarbons in Canadian oil sands environmental samples.
abstract: To facilitate monitoring efforts, a forensic chemical fingerprinting methodology has been applied to characterize and differentiate pyrogenic (combustion derived) and biogenic (organism derived) hydrocarbons from petrogenic (petroleum derived) hydrocarbons in environmental samples from the Canadian oil sands region. Between 2009 and 2012, hundreds of oil sands environmental samples including water (snowmelt water, river water, and tailings pond water) and sediments (from river beds and tailings ponds) have been analyzed. These samples were taken from sites where assessments of wild fish health, invertebrate communities, toxicology and detailed chemistry are being conducted as part of the Canada-Alberta Joint Oil Sands Monitoring Plan (JOSMP). This study describes the distribution patterns and potential sources of PAHs from these integrated JOSMP study sites, and findings will be linked to responses in laboratory bioassays and in wild organisms collected from these same sites. It was determined that hydrocarbons in Athabasca River sediments and waters were most likely from four sources: (1) petrogenic heavy oil sands bitumen; (2) biogenic compounds; (3) petrogenic hydrocarbons of other lighter fuel oils; and (4) pyrogenic PAHs. PAHs and biomarkers detected in snowmelt water samples collected near mining operations imply that these materials are derived from oil sands particulates (from open pit mines, stacks and coke piles).
authors.affiliation: Emergencies Science and Technology Section (ESTS), EOALRSD, Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada (EC), 335 River Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: zhendi.wang@ec.gc.ca.
authors.forename: Zhendi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Emergencies Science and Technology Section (ESTS), EOALRSD, Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada (EC), 335 River Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Aquatic Contaminants Research Division Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada, Burlington, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Parrott
authors.affiliation: Aquatic Contaminants Research Division Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada, Burlington, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Frank
authors.affiliation: Emergencies Science and Technology Section (ESTS), EOALRSD, Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada (EC), 335 River Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Emergencies Science and Technology Section (ESTS), EOALRSD, Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada (EC), 335 River Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Emergencies Science and Technology Section (ESTS), EOALRSD, Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada (EC), 335 River Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Hollebone
authors.affiliation: Emergencies Science and Technology Section (ESTS), EOALRSD, Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada (EC), 335 River Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Landriault
authors.affiliation: Emergencies Science and Technology Section (ESTS), EOALRSD, Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada (EC), 335 River Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Fieldhouse
authors.affiliation: Emergencies Science and Technology Section (ESTS), EOALRSD, Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada (EC), 335 River Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Emergencies Science and Technology Section (ESTS), EOALRSD, Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada (EC), 335 River Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Aquatic Contaminants Research Division Science and Technology Branch, Environment Canada, Burlington, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Hewitt
mesh_terms: D000416:Alberta; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000032:analysis; D005648:Fuel Oils; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000032:analysis; D006838:Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*; D007220:Industrial Waste; D008906:Mining; D061329:Oil and Gas Fields; D012914:Snow / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005648:Fuel Oils; D006838:Hydrocarbons; D007220:Industrial Waste
keywords: Biogenic organic compounds (BOC); Forensic source differentiation; GC–MS; Oil sands; Petroleum hydrocarbons; Pyrogenic PAHs