News

The Missing Link: Contaminated Sediments Matter to Environmental & Human Health

Do the Canadian Environmental Guidelines respond effectively to the current contamination levels of the Halifax Harbour?

Marine Management graduate, Wenhui Geo discovered inconsistencies in the current standards used to measure contaminants, particularly in sediment contamination.

The quality of coastal sediment is important to environmental and human health. The Canadian Environmental Guidelines currently focus on water, and not sediment contaminants, creating a gap in the accuracy of contamination levels of the Halifax Harbour.

Wenhui outlines gaps and opportunities in her Graduate Research project, Sediment Quality Analysis and Related Management Approaches in Halifax Harbour.

Gao collaborated with Dr. Lucia Fanning of Marine Affairs and scientists at the Vancouver Aquarium’s Coastal Ocean Research Institute (CORI) to prepare this report.

The 15th Technical Report recaps Gao’s research - Emerging Contaminants of Concern in Canadian Harbours: A case study of Halifax Harbour.