3rd Bay of Fundy Science Workshop
Understanding Change in the Bay of Fundy Ecosystem
Monitoring and Management
A 20-Year Environmental Monitoring Record of the Point Lepreau Nuclear
Power Generating Station in the Bay of Fundy
Implementation of the Global Program of Action for the Protection
of the Marine Environment of the Gulf of Maine
An Ecological Classification of the Marine Environment: Framework
for Management
Marine Protected Areas in the Bay of Fundy – An Update
Semipermeable Membrane Devices for Environmental Monitoring of
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
A 20-Year
Environmental Monitoring Record of the Point Lepreau Nuclear Power Generating Station in
the Bay of Fundy John N. Smith, Katherine M. Ellis and Richard
Nelson,
Marine Environmental Sciences Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada,
Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth NS B2Y 4A2
Abstract
The Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station is a 660 MW CANDU reactor located on the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick which began operations in 1982. Radioactive substances are discharged both into the atmosphere and into cooling water that is subsequently released into the Bay of Fundy. The unique environmental constraints posed by the proximity of this reactor to the ocean and concerns with respect to the important commercial fishery in the Bay of Fundy, led to the establishment of the Point Lepreau Environmental Monitoring Program (PLEMP) in 1977 as an inter-departmental program, with DFO as the lead agency. The principle goals of PLEMP are to delineate the dispersion of artificial radioactivity in atmospheric, terrestrial and marine phases of the environment and to evaluate environmental impacts associated with reactor operations. Long-term monitoring records have been established for: levels of tritium in atmospheric water vapour and aerosols, levels of 137Cs in lichens, marine plants and animals, and levels of artificial radioactivity in seawater and sediments from the Bay of Fundy. These monitoring records illustrate the changes in marine environmental radioactivity levels associated with reactor releases and nuclear fallout and provide a baseline against which any future radioactivity releases to the marine environment can be compared. The primary environmental impact of the reactor has been an increase in tritium levels in atmospheric and terrestrial reservoirs proximal to Point Lepreau. PLEMP is also the primary Canadian vehicle for evaluating the long term impact on marine resources of radioactive releases from nuclear accidents. For example, during the Chernobyl accident in 1986 PLEMP monitoring was conducted continuously on samples from all major phases of the environment and the results permitted an immediate evaluation of the movement of Chernobyl radionuclides through the marine food web in eastern Canada. In addition, PLEMP has become a significant resource for assessing non-nuclear (e.g. metal contaminants) environmental changes in marine systems in the Bay of Fundy.
Implementation of
the Global Program of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment of the Gulf of
Maine Joseph Arbour¹, Katie Ries² and Martha Rosas³,
¹ Environmental Protection Branch, Environment Canada, Dartmouth NS
² National Ocean Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
Silver Spring, Maryland USA
³Program Manager, Commission for Environmental Cooperation, Montreal QC
Abstract
The Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities (GPA) was developed under the United Nations Environment Program in 1995, recognizing that approximately 80 percent of all marine pollution comes from human activities on land. The Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) supports the implementation of international environmental agreements in North America. In 1996, the CEC initiated a program to support the implementation of the GPA. Two pilot project areas were identified, one covering waters shared by the US and Mexico referred to as the Bight of the Californias and the other covering waters shared by Canada and the US in the Gulf of Maine.
At the heart of the approach taken in the Gulf of Maine, is the reliance on a multi-stakeholder coalition that is inclusive of the various interests around this ecosystem. This coalition (called the Global Program of Action Coalition for the Gulf of Maine, (GPAC)) was pulled together drawing upon state, provincial and federal governments, First Nations and Founding Tribes, industry, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), community action groups and academia.
Experience gained in this effort has shown that the GPA is an excellent vehicle for focusing stakeholder attention on the land-based activities that lead to the degradation of the marine environment. The strategic approach which the GPA outlines is an excellent tool for establishing priorities and identifying strategies and actions to address these priorities. The coalition-based approach has provided the type of multi-stakeholder acceptance that is essential to initiating real action.
Although the real value of the GPA can only be assessed in the long-term, there have been a number of distinct short-term gains: establishment of a binational coalition of interests, identification of the priority issues in the Gulf of Maine, delineation of a number of key strategies, and the initiation of five projects that will advance the knowledge and capacity of the region to address the priority issues.
Introduction
The Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities, usually abbreviated to the Global Programme of Action or (simply the GPA), was developed under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and adopted by 108 nations on November 3, 1995 (UNEP, 1995). The GPA calls for actions by each signatory nation to preserve and protect the marine environment on a national, regional and international basis in order to reach the goal of "sustainable seas". It is internationally recognized that about eighty per cent of marine pollution is caused by human activities on land.
The GPA identifies (UNEP, 1995) a series of discrete steps that provide a strategic basis for addressing the impacts on the marine environment caused by land-based activities. These steps are:
i. . identification and assessment of problems
ii. . establishment of priorities
iii. . setting management objectives for priority problems
iv. . identification, evaluation and selection of strategies and measures, including
management approaches
v. criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of strategies and measures, including
management approaches
vi. program support elements
The GPA also targets contaminants and physical alteration of coastal habitat as its focus. The categories of contaminants that are addressed include: sewage, persistent organic pollutants, radioactive substances, heavy metals, oils (hydrocarbons), nutrients, sediment mobilization, and litter (UNEP, 1995).
In North America, the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) was created as a result of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) negotiations to facilitate cooperation and public participation to foster conservation, protection and enhancement of the North American environment. In pursuing its mandate, the CEC decided to promote a series of pilot projects in North America to implement the GPA and selected the Gulf of Maine (GOM) as a candidate site for one of the projects. CEC brought together a diverse group of individuals with an interest in the GOM and the GPA to develop and implement a project of their own design, with some support from the CEC. The group, which has named itself the GPA Coalition for the Gulf of Maine (GPAC), has formulated an action plan to: 1) focus on regional problems and issues and 2) engage a broad, multi-sectoral support base to implement actions at the local and regional levels.
Setting: The Gulf of Maine
The Gulf of Maine is a semi-enclosed sea bounded to the southeast by tall underwater land forms called banks that rise up to form a barrier to the North Atlantic. It stretches from Cape Cod, MA to Cape Sable, NS and includes the three states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine and the provinces of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.
The total land area of the Gulf of Maine watershed is 165,185 square kilometers (69,115 square miles), extending from eastern Quebec to central and southern Massachusetts. This land area far surpasses the 79,000 square kilometers (33,054 square miles) of the Gulf's water surface. One of the world's most biologically productive environments, the marine waters and shoreline habitats of the Gulf host about 2,000 species of plants and animals. The activities of every resident and visitor within this huge area ultimately influence the health of the streams and rivers that enter the Gulf of Maine and the health of the Gulf itself.
In 1989, the U.S. states of Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine along with the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia signed an agreement to protect the Gulf of Maine and formed the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment. This council provides an excellent mechanism for the coordination of various government activities addressing marine related issues in the Gulf. The Council has identified a number of priorities which it has described in its Action Plan, "Action Plan: 1996-2001" (Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment, 1996).
Approach
The Gulf of Maine was selected as a pilot study for a number of reasons. It is a shared water body, bounded by the United States and Canada and complements the other pilot study which was selected, the Bight of the Californias, an area bounded by the United States and Mexico. The Gulf of Maine is also known for the collaboration that has been developed through the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment.
In approaching the region to initiate the project, the CEC made contact with the Council and other organizations within the Gulf of Maine to identify individuals to participate in an initial meeting to begin planning the approach to the GPA. This meeting was held in November 1996 in Durham, New Hampshire, USA. An initial scoping paper on issues was commissioned for this meeting to provide participants with an overview of issues in the Gulf.
This initial meeting brought together a wide variety of individuals from around the Gulf and from diverse backgrounds including government, NGOs, First Nations, and academia. The outcome of the meeting was an initial list of potential actions that could form part of the strategies and measures component of the GPA.
In a follow up meeting in July 1997, in Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada, the outcome of the Durham meeting was examined in detail. This session allowed a substantial airing of diverse and sometimes opposing opinions on the directions to take in implementing the project. The end result was a re-examination of the suggested activities in light of the overall intent of the GPA.
In the fall of 1997, a meeting was held in Danvers, Massachusetts, USA. The meeting successfully merged the intent of the GPA with the concerns and issues of the stakeholders in attendance. The result was the development of an action plan that would apply the GPA methodology to the issues of the Gulf of Maine over a 12-month period. At this meeting consensus was reached on the establishment of the coalition and its overall structure.
The Coalition
In developing the coalition, a key principle followed was that of inclusiveness and openness. Federal, provincial and state governments, native organizations, non-government organizations, community groups, industry and academia were invited to participate in the coalition. A major part of the success of the coalition was the excellent participation from a wide range of stakeholders. Individuals belonging to all of the groups referenced above participated fully in the activities of the coalition.
In establishing the coalition it was also recognized that the existing coordinating mechanisms in the Gulf of Maine would play a key role and should be well represented in the Coalition. Within the Gulf of Maine, the Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment has provided an excellent coordination mechanism among the governments of the region. The coalition membership reflected this importance with five members selected from the Gulf of Maine Council Working Group, one from each province and state. In addition, two liaisons were identified by the Council, one from Canada and one from the United States.
Development of an Action Plan
In November of 1997, the coalition identified a five step action plan that followed the process and philosophy described in the GPA (GPAC, 1998a). The key steps in that action plan were:
1. Strategic assessment of pollutants and habitats in the Gulf of Maine
2. Establishment of priority pollutants and critical habitats
3. Identification of management objectives for priority problems
4. Identification, evaluation and selection of strategies and measures, including
management approaches
5. Adoption of criteria for evaluating the effectiveness of proposed strategies and
programs
The development and implementation of the GPAC action plan was also targeted towards:
strategic identification, synthesis and integration of existing work in the Gulf of
Maine to reduce overlap and needless repetition of effort
cross-sectoral, multi-disciplinary consensus on the identification and ranking of
significant habitat issues and toxic contaminants in the region
integrated, collaborative partnering with existing institutions, organisations,
communities and the private sector that are already at work in environmental management in
the region, or can be encouraged to participate
The ultimate integration of GPAC activities and resources into existing, more permanent organizations once the Action plan to advance the GPA is in place.
Implementation of the Action Plan
Strategic assessment of pollutants and habitats in the Gulf of Maine. The first step in the implementation of the Action plan was taken through the development of two issue scoping papers. The papers were designed to address the two areas, contaminants in the Gulf of Maine and habitat disturbance in the Gulf of Maine. These scoping papers reviewed existing literature, issues scans and priority setting exercises undertaken in the area. The authors developed an initial ranking of issues that could be used in the next phase of the action plan. These background papers were distributed in advance of the following priority-setting workshop.
Establishment of priority pollutants and critical habitats. At a binational workshop in Saint John, New Brunswick on April 27 to 29, 1998, over 100 participants developed a consensus list of priority contaminants and physical alterations upon which an action plan to reduce or eliminate their impacts would be developed. The participants included industry, First Nations, community groups, municipalities, scientific institutions, provincial governments and the federal government.
Within the Gulf of Maine the following strategic issues have been identified through the scoping papers as the most prominent concerns affecting the marine environment. The issues fall into two broad categories, contaminants and habitat disturbance (Horsley and Witten, Inc., 1998). The contaminants of concern are:
1. bacteria and viruses
2. pesticides, PCBs, dioxins
3. arsenic, cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, mercury, tin, zinc
4. oils, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
5. nitrogen, phosphorous
The other category deals with habitat disturbance (Percy,1998). The issues identified are:
1. Development on and adjacent to sensitive marine habitats
2. Sewage and eutrophication in coastal waters
3. Dams: loss of fish habitat and alterations in freshwater flow
4. Mobile fishing gear use in estuaries and coastal embayments
5. Salt marsh habitat restoration
6. Tidal flow restrictions in estuaries and coastal inlets
7. Aquaculture impacts on benthic habitats
8. Rockweed harvesting
From this broad range of issues the following priority issues were identified (GPAC,1998b):
- the discharge of pathogens (bacteria and viruses)
- the release of biocides through activities like aquaculture
- discharges of dioxins/furans
- release of mercury into the environment
- discharges of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)
- chronic spills of petroleum hydrocarbons
- inputs of nitrogen
- development adjacent to and disruptive of coastal habitats
- sewage and eutrophication in coastal waters
- use of mobile fishing gear in coastal embayments
- protection and restoration of salt marsh
- tidal and freshwater hydraulic obstructions
- impacts of aquaculture on habitats
- harvesting of low trophic level species and habitat
- absence of "No-Take" reserves
Identification of management objectives for priority problems . In order to deal with them more effectively, GPAC grouped the issues identified into five broader categories: coastal development, physical alterations, resource use, sewage and eutrophication and toxics. Scoping papers were commissioned to examine the various approaches, actions and in particular targets that were being utilized currently to address these issues.
Identification, evaluation and selection of strategies and measures, including management approaches. On November 15-17, under the sponsorship of the Global Programme of Action Coalition for the Gulf of Maine (GPAC), over 140 stakeholders from the region reviewed existing activities, identified gaps in current environmental protection and land-use programs, and developed an action package to reduce pollutants and protect and manage habitats. Fifteen top strategies were proposed at the Portland workshop to reduce priority regional pollutants and other human impacts on critical marine habitat.
The second workshop at Portland identified 15 top strategies which addressed the following (GPAC, 1999):
Coastal Development
- Communication/Education Strategy in Support of Gulf of Maine
Goals for
the Protection of the Marine Environment from
land based Activities
- Shared Principles for Integrated Land Use Planning
- Communities United for the Gulf Of Maine
Physical Alterations
- Developing and Applying Standards and Criteria for Restoration
of Tidal Wetlands
- Loss Of Salt Marsh
- Protecting and Restoring of Salt Marsh Areas (Demonstration
Project)
- Identifying and Prioritising Restoration Sites
Resource Use
- Low Trophic-Level Harvesting: Resource and Policy Development
Conference
- Identifying and Establishing Marine Protected Areas with
Minimal Human Activity
- Workshop on the Impacts of Mobile Fishing Gear in Coastal
Embayments
Sewage and Eutrophication
- Gulf Wide Coastal and Estuarine Eutrophication and Pathogen
Monitoring
- Gulf of Maine Bilateral Agreement on Environmental Quality
- Gulf of Maine Watershed Management Plans for Pathogens and
Nutrients
Toxics
- Workshop on Models For Bilateral Agreements and Arrangements
for Toxic Chemicals
- Status Report on Toxic Chemicals in the Gulf of Maine
- "50 Things You Can Do To Save the Gulf Of Maine"
Booklet
Measures
Based on the strategies identified in the second workshop GPAC identified five measures that it would recommend the CEC support during 1999 to advance the application of the GPA in the Gulf of Maine. These five measures address eleven of the strategies identified in the second workshop.
- Workshop: "Exploring the Options: Bilateral
Arrangements for Management
of The Gulf of Maine Ecosystem"
- Salt Marsh Restoration
- Communities United for the Gulf of Maine
- Education Materials on Land-Based Sources of Marine Pollution
- Low Trophic-Level Resource Harvesting and Policy Development
Conference
1999 Workshop: "Exploring the Options: Bilateral Arrangements for Management of the Gulf of Maine Ecosystem".
This conference will address the need to examine institutional arrangements that are or can be applied to the Gulf of Maine. The purpose is to enhance the ability of stakeholders to effectively address issues of regional concern, including i) the management of sewage-borne contaminants and other toxic chemicals, which will require sharing technical knowledge and establishing common standards for assessing environmental quality between agencies and communities and ii) the development of shared values, goals and targets to create integrated and sustainable coastal land and marine resources management.
Salt Marsh Restoration
Building on existing work in the state and provincial jurisdictions, this initiative will develop a regional database of restoration opportunities and standardized, regionally applicable criteria and protocols for evaluating the success of restoration projects in reconstructing the structure and functions of natural systems. It will establish a regional network of sites, consolidate existing coastal databases and update them for regional use as required. A salt marsh restoration site in Canada will be identified to educate local communities on the value of salt marshes and to apply the evaluation protocols to demonstrate successful restoration techniques.
Communities United for the Gulf Of Maine
This capacity building approach is intended to expand the capabilities of community-based organizations to monitor environmental quality and ultimately improve the management of coastal resources throughout the Gulf of Maine. This will be coordinated through the Coastal Network, an existing binational network that is monitoring environmental indicators such as water quality.
Education Materials on Land-Based Sources of Marine Pollution
The fundamental element to addressing the issues is the availability of effective materials to inform a general audience and school children about the impacts of their activities on the marine environment. Materials developed in this project will include a booklet about activities that cause pollution and habitat destruction and what can be done to help restore the health of the marine environment. Supporting materials will include items such as posters and fact sheets. An inventory will be done of existing materials within the state and provincial departments of education to avoid duplication of effort and survey the need for the kinds of materials and specific topics to guide their design.
Low Trophic-Level Resource Harvesting and Policy Development Conference
A conference will be held in 1999 to develop a research program and make policy recommendations for managing the harvesting of low trophic-level species such as rockweed and krill. Participants will examine how to sustain low trophic level species and their important function within the Gulf of Maine ecosystem. Within each of the measures undertaken, specific criteria for evaluating their success have been identified. These range from the increase in the number of volunteer water quality monitoring groups to influencing institutional arrangements in the Gulf of Maine.
Conclusions
The GPA has proven to be a valuable tool in promoting and advancing the protection of the Gulf of Maine ecosystem. It has added value to the existing collaborative efforts that are important to the health of the Gulf. The protocol introduced by the GPA with its very strategic approach to assessing problems and identifying actions enabled the Coalition to develop an implementation plan that will contribute in significant ways to addressing the issues in the Gulf. This has all been accomplished in an open and participatory approach that bridges jurisdiction, interest and geography.
As a pilot study in North America, this project has established that the GPA is of value even in areas with relatively mature regulatory and resource management frameworks. Both Canada and the United States have extensive legislation covering human activities that can affect the marine environment and existing arrangements for regional collaboration. The philosophy of the GPA and the approach that it promotes brings the many diverse interests of stakeholders from around the Gulf together. In this pilot project the result has been the development of a sense of ownership in the process, a clear understanding of issues and a clear list of specific activities that can be launched to address the issues raised.
References
Global Programme of Action Coalition for the Gulf of Maine (GPAC). 1998a. 1998 Action Plan. 11 pp.
Global Programme of Action Coalition for the Gulf of Maine (GPAC). 1998b. Workshop I: Protecting the Gulf of Maine from Land-Based Activities. Issues, Priorities and Actions. Montreal, QC: Commission for Environmental Cooperation. 21 pp.
Global Programme of Action Coalition for the Gulf of Maine (GPAC). 1999. Workshop II: Protecting the Gulf of Maine from Land-Based Activities. Developing Strategies and Actions. Montreal, QC: Commission for Environmental Cooperation. [In print].
Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment. 1996. Action Plan 1996–2001. Newcastle, Maine: Gulf of Maine Council on the Marine Environment. 38 pp.
Horsley and Witten, Inc. 1998. Impacts of Contaminants on the Resources of the Gulf of Maine. Working paper prepared for the Global Programme of Action Coalition for the Gulf of Maine (GPAC). Montreal, QC: Commission for Environmental Cooperation. 90 pp.
Percy, J.A. 1998. Land-based activities and their physical impacts on marine habitats of the Gulf of Maine. Working paper prepared for the Global Programme of Action Coalition for the Gulf of Maine (GPAC). Montreal, QC: Commission for Environmental Cooperation. 91 pp.
United Nations Environment Programme. 1995. Global Programme of Action for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-based Activities. (UNEP(OCA)/LBA/IG.2/7 5 December 1995), reprinted in Environmental Policy and Law 26 (1996): 38-51.
An Ecological
Classification of the Marine Environment: Framework for Management Inka
Milewski,
Atlantic Marine Protected Areas Coordinator World Wildlife Fund
254 Douglasfield Road, Miramichi NB E1N 4S5
Abstract
Addressing the gaps in our knowledge about marine species, habitats, and processes and the growing conservation imperative for the marine environment, require achieving a balance between fine-scale, detailed information gathering exercises and coarse-scale planning that can operate in shorter time frames while still delivering protection to a significant proportion of Canada's native biodiversity. A marine classification framework has been developed through the collaborative efforts of World Wildlife Fund Canada, consultants and various academic and government agencies to assist in striking this balance for marine protected areas in planning. The classification framework utilizes the enduring and recurrent oceanographic and physiographic features of the marine environment. The framework is a natural hierarchical classification of marine environments which leads to the delineation of marine representative units (MRUs). A cast study demonstrating the application of the framework to the Scotian Shelf/Bay of Fundy area will be discussed.
Marine Protected
Areas in the Bay of Fundy – An Update Maria-Ines Buzeta¹
and Derek Fenton²,
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
¹Biological Station, St. Andrews NB E0G 2X0
²Bedford Institute, Dartmouth NS B2Y 4A2
Abstract
A new vision for the management of our oceans came into effect in January 1997 with the passage of the Oceans Act. Part II of the Oceans Act identifies three complementary initiatives by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans as part of a national strategy for managing Canada's oceans: integrated management plans in coastal and marine waters, the establishment of marine environmental quality guidelines and the designation of marine protected areas.
DFO has developed both a national policy and regional framework for establishing marine protected areas (MPAs) under the Oceans Act. As part of a ‘learn by doing' approach, DFO is currently involved in identifying potential sites or Areas of Interest (AOI) in order to test the process for evaluating and designating MPAs in the Maritimes. This paper provides an update on the progress of DFO in gathering input into the MPA Program and on specific projects underway in the Bay of Fundy. Particular focus will be on the proposal for a MPA in the Musquash estuary. A committee has been established and meets on a regular basis to further develop the proposal for Musquash Estuary Pilot Study in order to evaluate the benefits and requirements of a MPA in the area. The paper concludes with a discussion on further work and collaborative efforts in the Musquash area and in the Bay of Fundy as a whole.
Semipermeable
Membrane Devices for Environmental Monitoring of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons
Sean Brillant, Barry Leger, Matthew McKim and Vlado Zitko,
ACAP Saint John, P.O. Box 6878, Stn. A, Saint John NB E2L 4S3
Abstract
Investigation into the sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was identified as a priority by ACAP Saint John in the 1997 Comprehensive Environmental Management Plan for the Saint John Harbour. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are naturally occurring compounds which can also be produced through anthropogenic activities. Identified sources of PAHs include incomplete combustion, petroleum products, urban run-off and sewage. Some PAHs have been identified as carcinogenic compounds and therefore, are of particular concern.
In 1996, ACAP Saint John discovered extensive creosote contamination in Marsh Creek, a tributary of the Saint John Harbour. The extensive contamination originated from an historic creosote treatment plant located on the land currently owned by the Canada Post Corporation. ACAP Saint John has done a number of studies investigating the extent and effects of this creosote.
Given the variety of potential sources of PAHs in the Saint John Harbour (Marsh Creek, urban run-off, untreated municipal sewage), ACAP Saint John was interested in developing a technique to monitor PAHs. In addition to providing reliable data, several other criteria were required. First, as PAHs are hydrophobic and have a low solubility in water, the monitoring technique needed to be sensitive to low concentrations. Second, the monitoring mechanism was required to be integrative, sampling through intermittent storm cycles without missing sudden events. Third, the technique had to be simple and robust; able to survive the harsh conditions of some of the sampling sites with little or no maintenance. Finally, the technique had to be cost-effective in production and analysis.
The method chosen was to develop semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs). These devices consist of a hexane-filled dialysis tube enclosed in a protective cage. During their approximately 30 day deployment, hydrophobic PAHs in the water column are passively drawn through the semipermeable tube and accumulated in the hexane. The hexane can then be retrieved from the tube and tested directly, with little laboratory clean-up. As a result of the fluorescent characteristics of PAHs, preliminary screening of the UV and fluorescence spectra of the hexane samples allowed high values to be identified for more detailed analyses at a later date. Phase I of the pilot project consisted of field testing a limited number of SPMDs. Results from UV spectrophotometry were consistent with water samples taken at the same locations. This supported the use of the technique as an accurate and cost-efficient method of monitoring PAHs. A test was also performed to measure the rate of PAH uptake in the dialysis tubes. After a re-design of the SPMDs, Phase II, the PAH survey, began.
Phase II consisted of deploying 36 SPMDs at various locations throughout Saint John, including storm and municipal sewers, shopping mall parking lots, and several creeks and rivers that empty into the Saint John Harbour. The SPMDs were deployed for at least a 30 day period. After being collected, the UV and fluorescence spectra of the samples were analyzed. These data are currently being compiled.
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