In the summer of 2019, Anthony Fontaine and Mackenzie Martyniuk, respectively master’s and doctoral students under the supervision of researcher Patrice Couture, conducted field work in the Fermont and Schefferville areas of Québec. The objective of this work was to collect field data that would allow the evaluation of the effects of metals and mining on fish and their habitat.
The team sampled three lakes reported to have received input from past and present mining operations. They also sampled a reference lake located more than 200 km away whose watershed is free of any mining activity in order to compare results. This lake was chosen because it has similar physico-chemical and ecological characteristics to the sites sampled near the mining sites. In each of the lakes, the team collected water, sediments, and fish samples.
Their collaborator Conrad André guided them through the Nitassinan.
The fish were then dissected to remove several different tissues. This step was also carried out with the students of the Kanatamat school to provide them with an opportunity to discover an aspect of research in ecotoxicology. At the same time, they were informed of the progress of this research project taking place near their school.
Then, these samples were brought back to the laboratory at the Centre Eau Terre Environnement of the Institut national de la recherche scientifique. Here the team measured the concentrations of 14 elements in each sample. They also analyzed enzyme activity, lipid peroxidation, and DNA damage, which are all indicators of fish health.
This was just the beginning of this ecotoxicology project, which has been continued by PhD student Mackenzie Martyniuk. She has further worked in collaboration with members of the Innu Nation of Matimekush-Lac John and members of the Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach. Field work was also conducted in the summer of 2021. Click here to learn more about further field work in ecotoxicology.