Sublethal Toxicity Testing of Canadian Metal Mining Effluents: National Trends and Site-Specific Uses

ABSTRACT

As part of the Canadian Environmental Effects Monitoring program under the National Metal Mining Effluent Regulation, there is a requirement to conduct sublethal toxicity tests twice per year for the first three years. These first three years (2003 to 2005) were considered a period of initial monitoring and resulted in test endpoints for each of the required standardized methods on a fish, an aquatic plant, an invertebrate, and an algal species. On a national level (based on 1648 valid results), the test from most to least sensitive was: the inhibition of reproduction with Ceriodaphnia dubia, the growth inhibition (frond number) with Lemna minor, the inhibition of cell yield with Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata, the growth inhibition (dry weight) with Lemna minor, the growth inhibition of fathead minnows, and the effect on embryo viability with rainbow trout. This sensitivity ranking changed when tests were further evaluated on a geographical region and mine-type basis (e.g., base metal, precious metal, uranium, iron ore). Site-specific examples show how sublethal toxicity data are being used to track changes in effluent quality, choosing a final discharge point, monitoring multiple discharges to the same watercourse, and to identify study design weaknesses by comparing laboratory results to field survey conclusions.

Key Words:

• sublethal toxicity
• effluent
• metal mining
• environment effects monitoring
• EEM

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We acknowledge the Regional National Environmental Effects Monitoring Offices of Environment Canada; specifically, Charles Dumaresq, Alan Willsie, Jenny Ferone, Paula Siwik, Nardia Ali, West Plant, Adam Yule, Gilles Champagne, Isabelle Matteau, Mike Hagen, and Sue Ellen Maher for their help in securing the data used in this analysis.

Notes

The sublethal toxicity test methods are updated from time to time. Methods cited here were those applicable during the study period of 2003 to 2005.

The green algae Selenastrum capricornutum has been renamed Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata since the method was cited in the MMER in 2002.