Future Impacts of Hydroelectric Power Development on Methylmercury Exposures of Canadian Indigenous Communities

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dc.contributor.authorCalder, Ryan S. D.en
dc.contributor.authorSchartup, Amina T.en
dc.contributor.authorLi, Milingen
dc.contributor.authorValberg, Amelia P.en
dc.contributor.authorBalcom, Prentiss H.en
dc.contributor.authorSunderland, Elsie M.en
dc.coverage.countryCanadaen
dc.date.accessioned2023-06-22T17:15:11Zen
dc.date.available2023-06-22T17:15:11Zen
dc.date.issued2016-12-06en
dc.date.updated2023-06-22T14:37:04Zen
dc.description.abstractDeveloping Canadian hydroelectric resources is a key component of North American plans for meeting future energy demands. Microbial production of the bioaccumulative neurotoxin methylmercury (MeHg) is stimulated in newly flooded soils by degradation of labile organic carbon and associated changes in geochemical conditions. We find all 22 Canadian hydroelectric facilities being considered for near-term development are located within 100 km of indigenous communities. For a facility in Labrador, Canada (Muskrat Falls) with planned completion in 2017, we probabilistically modeled peak MeHg enrichment relative to measured baseline conditions in the river to be impounded, downstream estuary, locally harvested fish, birds and seals, and three Inuit communities. Results show a projected 10-fold increase in riverine MeHg levels and a 2.6-fold increase in estuarine surface waters. MeHg concentrations in locally caught species increase 1.3 to 10-fold depending on time spent foraging in different environments. Mean Inuit MeHg exposure is forecasted to double following flooding and over half of the women of childbearing age and young children in the most northern community are projected to exceed the U.S. EPA's reference dose. Equal or greater aqueous MeHg concentrations relative to Muskrat Falls are forecasted for 11 sites across Canada, suggesting the need for mitigation measures prior to flooding.en
dc.description.versionPublished versionen
dc.format.extentPages 13115-13122en
dc.format.extent8 page(s)en
dc.format.mimetypeapplication/pdfen
dc.identifier.doihttps://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.6b04447en
dc.identifier.eissn1520-5851en
dc.identifier.issn0013-936Xen
dc.identifier.issue23en
dc.identifier.orcidCalder, Ryan [0000-0001-5618-9840]en
dc.identifier.pmid27934282en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/115485en
dc.identifier.volume50en
dc.language.isoenen
dc.publisherAmerican Chemical Societyen
dc.relation.urihttp://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000389557100066&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=930d57c9ac61a043676db62af60056c1en
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectBOREAL FOREST SOILSen
dc.subjectMERCURY EXPOSUREen
dc.subjectMETHYL MERCURYen
dc.subjectRESERVOIR CREATIONen
dc.subjectFISH CONSUMPTIONen
dc.subjectORGANIC-MATTERen
dc.subjectUNITED-STATESen
dc.subjectHUMAN HEALTHen
dc.subjectJAMES BAYen
dc.subjectQUEBECen
dc.subject7 Affordable and Clean Energyen
dc.subject.meshAnimalsen
dc.subject.meshHumansen
dc.subject.meshMercuryen
dc.subject.meshMethylmercury Compoundsen
dc.subject.meshWater Pollutants, Chemicalen
dc.subject.meshRiversen
dc.subject.meshEnvironmental Monitoringen
dc.subject.meshCanadaen
dc.titleFuture Impacts of Hydroelectric Power Development on Methylmercury Exposures of Canadian Indigenous Communitiesen
dc.title.serialEnvironmental Science & Technologyen
dc.typeArticle - Refereeden
dc.type.dcmitypeTexten
dc.type.otherArticleen
dc.type.otherJournalen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Techen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/Veterinary Medicineen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/Veterinary Medicine/Population Health Sciencesen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/Faculty of Health Sciencesen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/All T&R Facultyen
pubs.organisational-group/Virginia Tech/Veterinary Medicine/CVM T&R Facultyen

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