Results of contaminant analyses are presented for bottom sediments collected from the Peace and Athabasca River basins from 1988-90 by Alberta Environmental Protection and in 1992 by the Northern River Basins Study. Contaminant groups represented are the polychlorinated dibenzo-p- dioxins and dibenzofurans, resin acids, chlorophenolic compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.
Contaminant concentrations were correlated with percent organic carbon of the fine fraction (the fraction on which contaminant analyses were performed). There was no significant correlation. Organic carbon content of the sediments was a poor predictor of contaminant concentration.
Correlations between concentrations of bleached kraft mill-related contaminants were also investigated. Correlations between 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzofuran and chlorinated dehydroabietic acid concentrations were not significant at the 20% level, but correlations between dehydroabietic acid and chlorinated resin acids were significant at the 1% level.