Petroleum Contaminants Community Research Project (Phase 2)

The members of the West Moberly and Saulteau First Nations communities have increasingly observed abnormalities in the game they harvest and were concerned that these abnormalities may be related to contamination from oil and gas activity.

Phase 1 of the study, conducted in 2003/2004, found that there was no evidence of contamination from oil and gas exploration and development. In Phase 2 of the study, the intent was to harvest more moose to increase the sample size and achieve a more representative sample. Samples of moose tissue were collected from a treatment area (TA) in close proximity to oil and gas activity and compared to samples from a control area (CA) where oil and gas activity was largely absent. These tissue samples were analysed for the presence of 28 metals, 30 extractable petroleum hydrocarbons (EPHs) and 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Contaminant levels within the moose samples were compared to Health Canada’s toxicological reference values (TRVs). Interviews were also conducted with the communities to gain a better understanding of the conditions of the moose that had been harvested in the past from the treatment area and control area, respectively.

According to the study findings, cadmium concentrations were above the toxicological reference value in moose harvested from both the treatment and control areas. Since there were no significant differences between the levels of contaminants, including those of cadmium, other metals and hydrocarbons, in either of the two areas, the study authors concluded that it was unlikely that the observed concentrations were the result of contamination from the petroleum industry The research team recommended a more in depth study in which moose that frequent areas known to contain toxic substances (e.g., well sites, flare pits, sumps) are selected for sampling using GPS radio collaring to monitor their movements.