Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biology, Ryerson University, Canada

Speech Title: Atmospheric loading and deposition in Toronto, Canada and their effect on water quality in Lake Ontario

Abstract: Mercury (Hg) is a persistent bioaccumulative toxic metal that can pose health risks to humans and wildlife. It can be emitted from natural and anthropogenic sources. Atmosphere is a major pathway of transporting mercury in the environment and it is, in turn, a course of mercury to surface terrestrial and water bodies. Mercury is therefore called a global pollutant. Since anthropogenic sources of mercury are concentrated in cities, atmospheric loading of mercury is normally higher in urban atmosphere than in rural and remote atmosphere. Despite efforts to reduce mercury emission, mercury continues to be a problem for many water bodies, in which mercury can be transformed from its inorganic forms to organic form that is much more toxic and bioaccumulative. Fish consumption advisories in many North American lakes are indeed a result of this process. Estimating the amount for mercury entering bodies of water bodies like the Great Lakes is therefore important. Toronto area is the largest metropolitan in Canada with a population of 6,242 thousands (Statistics Canada, 2016) and it is located in the Great Lakes basin by Lake Ontario.