Lobster Contaminants
Title
Screening the Levels of Lead, Cadmium, Arsenic, Chromium, Zinc, Mercury, and Thallium in the Traditional Food-Lobster of Eel River Bar First Nation
Description
The purpose of this project was to examine the concentrations of heavy metal contaminants: cadmium, lead, arsenic, and mercury as well as chromium, thallium and zinc within the lobster traditionally consumed by the Mi’gmaq of Eel River Bar, New Brunswick.
A total of 44 lobsters we tested, where 22 were cooked and 22 were raw. Due to high laboratory analysis costs, a decision was made to test both lobster meat and tomalley together for each lobster.
The mean concentrations for all 44 lobsters were found to be lower than the maximum allowed levels according to International standards for arsenic, cadmium, lead, and mercury. However, when observing the levels of heavy metals in individual lobsters, five (5) lobster had levels of cadmium that were in excess of its respecting International standard of 0.5 mg/kg set by the Commission of the European Communities. There were no International standards identified for chromium, thallium and zinc in lobster. There was no observed correlation on the concentrations of heavy metals between raw and cooked lobster.
Project Details
- Year: 2011-2012
- Status: Complete
- Project Funding Source: Health Canada – RFNCP
Files:
Welcome Biologist Allen Beck
The Gespe’gewaq’gi Institute of Natural Understanding would like to welcome our new biologist to the GINU team. Allen Beck will be working on the coastal restoration project. My name is Allen Beck, and I’m very excited to be joining the GINU team as a Biologist with the research department. In this new role, I will be creating an inventory of coastal wetlands in need of assistance and to carry out several restoration projects. I am very passionate about the restoration and preservation of our natural coastlines. I make sure to use natural materials and try to consider the needs of both community and environment. I studied coastal snail ecology as a master’s student with UNB Fredericton, and I’ve been practicing wetland restoration for nearly a decade across New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. In my work, I make heavy use of drone imagery to capture the environmental challenges our coastlines face. I’m always interested in learning how new technologies can better inform practices and share success stories with others. By sharing knowledge in both directions, I believe we can better prepare ourselves and our coastlines for the future.
Summer Student Gaining Valuable Work Experience
Lashawnee Myo joined the Gespe’gewa’gi Institute of Natural Understanding (GINU) this summer to gain experience working in the science field. Lashawnee has worked closely with our research department. She has shared with us all about her experiences being part of our team.
During my time working at GINU, I had the opportunity to work with many different people and learn new things while being on the field. Despite there being some language barriers, I’ve learnt how to do substrate analysis and fill in data sheets. I’ve learned how to use the flow tracker and to check flow, depth, temperatures, and coordinates. I’ve gotten to help electro fish and caught some good size trout in the process.
During my summer employment, I collected and sorted samples of microinvertebrates and learned their different names. I had the opportunity to do a dissection on a trout and collect a stomach and tissue sample and learn how eDNA works. I had the chance to filter a sample that will be sent to a lab. They can see what type of fish have been in those waters through the traces of cells in the sample. I got to see how they create maps and thermal maps using the drone.
I also learned how to get water samples for water quality and how to change thermographs. Overall, I learnt a lot while working at GINU and this line of work is something that I am interested in pursuing. I had a lot of fun working here this summer.
GINU Mentors Our Youth