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The Challenge : Safe release and reintegration of oil sands process‐affected water

The Challenge : Safe release and reintegration of oil sands process‐affected water Open‐pit mining of oil sands in Canada's Athabasca region relies on freshwater for the extraction of valuable bitumen. The resulting oil sands process‐affected water (OSPW) is toxic, mainly because of bitumen‐derived dissolved organic compounds. To date, no releases of treated OSPW to the natural aquatic environment have been approved. As production of bitumen increases, inventories of OSPW will likely grow. Furthermore, tailings pond seepage is now a growing concern and is being intensively studied. Although strategies for remediation of OSPW are under development, there are still no chemical or toxicological guidelines to regulate the safe release or reintegration of OSPW back into the surrounding environment. With so many stakeholders, an open discussion on what to do with this water is needed. Science, policy, and water‐management practices are evolving quickly, prompting us to seek informed perspectives on this challenging topic. Jonathan W. Martin University of Alberta Edmonton, Canada http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Oxford University Press

The Challenge : Safe release and reintegration of oil sands process‐affected water

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References (15)

Publisher
Oxford University Press
Copyright
© 2015 SETAC
ISSN
0730-7268
eISSN
1552-8618
DOI
10.1002/etc.3139
pmid
26605865
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Open‐pit mining of oil sands in Canada's Athabasca region relies on freshwater for the extraction of valuable bitumen. The resulting oil sands process‐affected water (OSPW) is toxic, mainly because of bitumen‐derived dissolved organic compounds. To date, no releases of treated OSPW to the natural aquatic environment have been approved. As production of bitumen increases, inventories of OSPW will likely grow. Furthermore, tailings pond seepage is now a growing concern and is being intensively studied. Although strategies for remediation of OSPW are under development, there are still no chemical or toxicological guidelines to regulate the safe release or reintegration of OSPW back into the surrounding environment. With so many stakeholders, an open discussion on what to do with this water is needed. Science, policy, and water‐management practices are evolving quickly, prompting us to seek informed perspectives on this challenging topic. Jonathan W. Martin University of Alberta Edmonton, Canada

Journal

Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry – Oxford University Press

Published: Dec 1, 2015

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