A group of researchers is investigating the impact of chemicals on the environment by studying mussels in the Grand River in Brantford, Ontario. Patty Gillis, a research scientist at Environment and Climate Change Canada, and her team at the Canada Centre for Inland Waters in Burlington, Ontario, use native freshwater mussels as indicators of water quality to examine the presence and effects of contaminants.
Mussels, being stationary creatures that filter water through their gills, are exposed to contaminants from both the water and riverbed as they reside in sediment. By analyzing the mussels’ tissues, the team can determine if the creatures have been exposed to substances like metals or pharmaceuticals that may affect their health.
The team is conducting sampling downstream of Brantford’s wastewater treatment plant to investigate how different chemicals and combinations of chemicals impact various mussel species. This research is part of the Integrated Chemical Mixtures Project (ICMP), which is a pilot initiative studying sites in Brantford and Windsor, Ontario, involving other teams studying different species like snails, birds, and fish.
Mark Hewitt, a chemist from Burlington and coordinator of the ICMP project, emphasizes the importance of understanding complex chemical mixtures, likening them to an iceberg where much remains unknown. This project aims to shed light on these unknown aspects and potentially find solutions to any harmful effects discovered.
The ICMP project aligns with the Canadian government’s commitment to a healthy environment, utilizing a collaborative approach to comprehend the impacts on human health and the ecosystem. The study involves analyzing stress levels in mussels, comparing results with other ICMP teams, and evaluating the effects of chemical contamination in different environments such as Sarnia and Brantford.
In their fieldwork near the Grand River, Gillis and her team measure mussel sizes, analyze hemolymph and gill samples for stress levels, dissect the mussels for contaminant analysis, and study the river environment by examining water flow, acidity, and invertebrate populations. Future plans include placing mussels upstream and downstream of the wastewater plant and an industrial area to track stress levels and chemical accumulation. The team aims to gather comprehensive data to understand how different organisms respond to chemicals and assess the broader environmental impact.