Proceedings - Teaching and Learning Centre - Simon Fraser ...

Fraser River Action Plan 3rd Research Workshop
Other Contaminants Measured in Suspended Sediments
Resin Acids - total resin acids were up to 125 times greater downstream
of Fraser River pulp mills than at the reference site
Fatty Acids - total fatty acids were up to 4 times greater downstream of
Fraser River pulp mills than at the reference site
Pesticides - trace levels (< 0.5 ng/g) of alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane
and hexachlorobenzene were detected at all Fraser River
sites
PCBs - PCB congeners were detected in similar concentrations
(< 1 ng/g) at all Fraser River sites
Summary of Results of Contaminants
Measured in River Water
- chlorophenolics and some resin and fatty acids were detected in
higher concentrations downstream of pulp and paper mill relative
to reference sites
- considerably fewer contaminants were detected in river water than
in suspended sediments, as a result of both the hydrophobic nature of
some of the contaminants and the higher detection limits in water
samples
- none of the contaminants measured exceeded water quality guidelines
or criteria for the protection of aquatic life
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