Supporting Online Material for:
Spatial and temporal patterns in trace element deposition in the Athabasca oil sands region (Alberta,
Canada)
Colin A. Cooke1,2,*, Jane L. Kirk3,*, Derek C.G. Muir3, Johan A. Wiklund3, Xiaowa Wang3, Amber Gleason3,
Marlene S. Evans4
1Environmental Monitoring and Science Division, Alberta Environment and Parks, 9888 Jasper Avenue,
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
2Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, 1-26 Earth Sciences Building, University of Alberta,
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
3Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario
L7S 1A1, Canada
4National Water Research Institute, Environment and Climate Change Canada, 11 Innovation Blvd.,
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
*corresponding author: [email protected]
Table S1. Physical and chemical properties of the lakes included in this study. RAMP stands for the Regional Aquatics Monitoring Program, and
most sites are referred to by their RAMP lake name designation; other names are shown in brackets.
Year cored
Lake Latitude Longitude Lake surface area (km2)
Catchment area (km2)
C:L area ratio
Elevation (masl)
Zmax (m) Distance from AR6
2011 NE13 57.071 -111.475 0.03 1.92 56 320 1.5 10
2011 NE20 57.125 -111.558 0.05 2.12 44 265 1.7 16
2011 SE22 56.900 -111.140 0.04 1.34 32 455 4.1 22
2011 RAMP226 (SW22) 56.810 -111.723 0.18 4.12 23 500 1.5 26
2011 RAMP 223 (NW35) 57.146 -111.983 0.03 0.31 9 360 1.5 33
2012 RAMP 268 (E15) 56.894 -110.903 1.89 6.15 3 490 1.8 35
2012 RAMP 418 (Kearle) 57.292 -111.238 5.46 65.18 12 330 3.5 35
2012 RAMP 225 56.800 -111.918 0.23 2.19 9 510 1.2 36
2012 RAMP 185 57.147 -110.863 0.11 3.24 31 595 2.0 40
2012 2014-B 56.985 -110.811 0.07 1.53 22 522 1.9 41
2014 RAMP 209 (P7) 57.231 -110.746 0.11 1.09 10 580 1.2 50
2013 Gregoire 56.477 -111.145 26.57 262.45 10 475 7.2 61
2013 RAMP 175 (P13) 57.315 -112.398 0.38 4.97 13 590 1.5 64
2013 Pushup (2014-C) 56.386 -110.947 0.17 0.82 4 485 6.6 75
2014 2014-Z 57.436 -112.527 0.51 1277.11 2503 674 4.7 79
2014 2014-X 57.358 -112.731 0.08 0.50 5 746 1.6 84
2014 RAMP 271 56.645 -110.221 4.00 19.41 5 487 1.5 88
2013 2014-D 56.950 -113.025 0.04 1.58 35 529 2.1 94
2014 RAMP 464 (L60) 57.655 -112.617 0.93 29.21 31 685 4.6 100
2013 2014-Y 56.824 -113.268 0.06 3.82 62 493 2.0 108
Table S2a. The method detection limit (MDL) and average (±1 percent recovery of elements quantified within the certified reference
materials (CRMs). One of each CRM was analyzed with each batch of sediment samples.
As Be Bi Cd Co Cu Li Mo Ni Pb Rb Sb Tl
MDL (g/g) 0.02 0.005 0.005 0.1 0.01 0.2 0.05 0.02 0.2 0.02 0.05 0.01 0.005
NRC MESS-3 (n=4) 86(±5) 35(±1) 50(±14) 95(±7) 85(±5) 95(±8) 35(±2) 60(±9) 82(±6) 87(±6) - 39(±19) 15(±1)
NIST RM 8704 (n=5) 96(±6) 45(±3) 103(±2) 106(±1) 87(±5) - - - 87(±9) 99(±5) - 62(±11) -
LKSD-3 (n=5) 55(±4) 32(±2) 94(±2) 91(±2) 94(±6) 101(±4) - 44(±1) 105(±6) 98(±2) 31(±1) 55(±7) -
U Al Ba Cr Fe Mn Sr V Zn Ca Mg Na K
MDL (g/g) 0.002 20 0.5 0.05 5 0.5 0.05 0.1 0.5 50 10 5 20
NRC MESS-3 (n=4) - 16(±2) - 25(±4) 81(±10) 95(±13) 43(±3) 23(±1) 89(±8) 91(±7) 85(±12) 102(±13) 14(±2)
NIST RM 8704 (n=5) 22(±1) 18(±3) 20(±0) 60(±8) 86(±8) 84(±24) - 22(±2) 96(±5) 85(±6) 72(±10) - -
LKSD-3 (n=5) 80(±2) - 25(±1) 100(±10) 94(±7) 103(±10) 10(±1) 86(±6) 98(±3) - - - -
Table S2b. The average percent recovery of mercury quantified within the certified reference materials (CRMs) and the mean percent difference
between samples analyzed in duplicate and in triplicate.
QC Sample Certified
value Mean [Hg]
(ng/g) % Recovery n
2976 Mussel 61 ± 4 59 ± 2 97% 20
Mess-3 91 ± 9 91 ± 2 1% 19
Tort-2 270 ± 60 250 ± 28 93% 19
Blanks 0.1 ± 0.2 n/a 121
QC Sample Mean %
difference n Duplicates 3 ± 2 14 Triplicates 6 ± 8 6
Table S3. Summary of exceedences to the interim sediment quality guidelines (ISQG) and the probable
effects levels (PEL) as set by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME).
Number of ISQG Exceedences
Number of PEL Exceedences
Lake As Cd Cr Cu Pb Hg Zn
As Cd Cr Cu Pb Hg Zn
SE22
3
RAMP 226 (SW22)
25
25
RAMP 223 (NW35)
RAMP 268 (E15)
1
RAMP 418 (Kearle)
1
RAMP 225
1
RAMP 185
24
9
2014-B
RAMP 209 (P7)
6
1
Gregoire 20 20
2
RAMP 175 (P13)
31
Pushup
10 10
1
2014-Z
2014-X
RAMP 271 2
2014-D 23
3
RAMP 464 (L60)
24
24 23
2
2014-Y
1
14
RAMP 282
RAMP 274
RAMP 265
SUM 45 132 0 0 0 37 87
4 0 0 0 0 0 1
Figure S1. Google Earth images of Gregoire Lake (top) and Pushup Lake (below), both of which rest in
watersheds impacted by development.
Figure S2. (A) Age-depth models derived using the constant rate of supply (CRS) model and (B) CRS-derived sedimentation rates for each of the
sediment cores.
Age-depth model
Sedimentation rate (g/m2/y)
Year
Figure S3. Mean lake water V, Pb, Al, and Ca concentrations from a network of 50 regional lakes. Error
bars are 1 SD. Each lake was sampled once annually (in the fall) between 1999 and 2013.