Bibliothèque Électronique Lac Saint-Pierre

Monitoring the State of the St. Lawence River - Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the suspended matter and sediments of the St. Lawrence River

Pelletier, M. et Rondeau, M. (2013). Monitoring the State of the St. Lawence River - Polybrominated diphenyl ethers in the suspended matter and sediments of the St. Lawrence River. [Publication gouvernementale]

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Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) have been used as flame retardants since the 1960s, in a wide range of products such as plastics, resins, electronics, textiles, paints, adhesives and sealants. Demand for them increased between 1980 and 1990, and they were even used in the production of car parts and toys. Similar to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in both structure and form, they can leach from finished products during production processes, during use or after disposal, and then enter the environment through effluents or in the form of atmospheric fallout. PBDEs are persistent because of their resistance to degradation and because they are soluble but are fat soluble. Because of their lipophilic character and their strong affinity to organic material, these substances are bioaccumulable in aquatic organisms. PBDEs produce toxic effects, including the development of cancers and endocrine disruption. They are found not only in different trophic levels, but also in breast milk, blood and fatty tissues. The water in the St. Lawrence River and its tributaries has not been spared from PBDE contamination. A study carried out by Quebec’s Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et des Parcs (MDDEP) using a dozen sampling sites throughout Quebec shows the presence of relatively high concentrations of PBDEs in drinking water before treatment. The concentrations measured in Terrebonne, Lavaltrie and downstream from Granby might even have harmful effects on aquatic fauna. Fortunately, once treated, the water intended for human consumption does not seem to present a risk. The treatment systems that eliminate most of the suspended matter and combined with the hydrophobicity of the PBDEs make it possible to reduce the concentrations observed before treatment by 90% (Berryman et al., 2009). This report presents the results of the PBDE analyses obtained as part of the Quebec Water Quality Monitoring and Surveillance program for suspended matter in water and sediments. The results pertain to the spatial distribution of PBDEs between Cornwall and Québec (Quebec City), and the temporal variations over several decades.

Type de document: Publication gouvernementale
Nombre de pages: 12
Éditeur: Minister of the Environment et Ministre du Développement durable, de l’Environnement, de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec
Statut du texte intégral: Public
Mots-clés libres: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers, Suspended matter, Sediments, Drinking water, St. Lawrence River, Water quality monitoring
Sujets: 1. Laboratoire de développement durable > 1.5. Société, qualité de vie, santé, sécurité
2. Milieu physique > 2.4. Hydrologie
8. Impacts et monitoring
8. Impacts et monitoring > 8.1. Qualité de l’eau
8. Impacts et monitoring > 8.2. Études de suivi
Date de dépôt: 09 mai 2017 15:18
Dernière modification: 09 mai 2017 15:18
ISBN: 978-1-100-20752-0
URI: https://belsp.uqtr.ca/id/eprint/1199

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