| Title | Overview of the geochemical properties of the marine sediments of Koojesse Inlet, Frobisher Bay, Nunavut |
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| Author | Tremblay, T; Kamula, C M; Ciastek, S; Kuzyk, Z A |
| Source | Canada-Nunavut Geoscience Office, Summary of Activities 2019, 2020 p. 125-143  Open Access |
| Links | Online - En ligne
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| Image |  |
| Year | 2020 |
| Alt Series | Natural Resources Canada, Contribution Series 20190499 |
| Publisher | Canada-Nunavut Geoscience Office |
| Document | serial |
| Lang. | English |
| Media | on-line; digital |
| File format | pdf |
| Province | Nunavut |
| NTS | 25N/01; 25N/07; 25N/08; 25N/09; 25N/10; 25N/15; 25O/03; 25O/04; 25O/05; 25O/06; 25O/11; 25O/12; 25O/13 |
| Area | Koojesse Inlet; Frobisher Bay; Iqaluit; Baffin Island |
| Lat/Long WENS | -69.0000 -67.0000 64.0000 63.0000 |
| Subjects | marine geology; surficial geology/geomorphology; geochemistry; environmental geology; paleontology; geochronology; sedimentology; Nature and Environment; Science and Technology; Transport; environmental
studies; marine environments; coastal environment; offshore areas; marine sediments; marine sediment geochemistry; marine sediment cores; marine sediment geochemistry; pollution; pollutants; radioisotopes; lead; cesium; carbon geochemistry; organic
carbon; sulphur geochemistry; major element geochemistry; trace element geochemistry; metals; mercury geochemistry; benthos; fossils; radiometric dating; radiocarbon dating; grain size analyses; sediment colour patterns; Urban communities; Urban
development; Infrastructures; environmental baseline studies |
| Illustrations | location maps; geoscientific sketch maps; photographs; tables; profiles; plots; time series |
| Program | Canada-Nunavut Geoscience Office, Funding Program |
| Released | 2020 03 01 |
| Abstract | Rapid growth and modernization of the City of Iqaluit during recent decades may have led to changes in sediments, nutrients, carbon and contaminants cycling in the nearby shallow coastal environment of
Koojesse Inlet in Frobisher Bay. However, there has been very limited environmental investigation of Koojesse Inlet during this period of rapid growth. Here, a first step is taken toward describing the physical and geochemical properties of Koojesse
Inlet sediments and assessing recent changes to the marine environment using a suite of sediment core collected in 2017-2018, prior to the development of a new deep-water port. Seven sediment core were analyzed for radioisotopes (210Pb and 137Cs) and
sediment geochemical properties, including inorganic and organic carbon, major elements and metals. Surface samples (n = 20) were also analyzed for geochemical properties. Significant surface sediment hypoxia, strongly reducing (sulphidic) conditions
within near-surface sediments, elevated organic carbon and sulphur burial, and slightly anomalous concentrations of metals (but near natural background levels) characterize the environmental status of the sediments in Koojesse Inlet. From 210Pb
chronology and 137Cs distributions, sediment accumulation rates and mixing rates are greater in Koojesse Inlet relative to deeper waters of inner and outer Frobisher Bay. Core from the deeper waters contain sedimentary records of environmental
change, allowing for the resolution of changes over periods of ~25-30 years. This paper provides preliminary results of analyses and highlights a need for closer investigation of how redox chemistry within Koojesse Inlet sediments may have been
impacted in recent decades, with implications for carbon and metal sequestration rates and living conditions for benthic biota. |
| Summary | (Plain Language Summary, not published)
Rapid growth and modernization of the city of Iqaluit during recent decades may have led to changes in sediments and geochemistry in the nearby shallow
coastal environment of Koojesse Inlet in Frobisher Bay. Here, a first step is taken toward describing the physical and geochemical properties of Koojesse Inlet sediments and assessing recent changes to the marine environment, prior to the development
of a new deep-sea port. Seven sediment cores were analyzed for ages and geochemistry. Significant surface sediment oxygen-poor conditions within near-surface sediments, and slightly anomalous concentrations of metals (but near natural background
levels) characterize the environmental status of the sediments in Koojesse Inlet. Sediment accumulation rates are greater in Koojesse Inlet relative to deeper areas of inner and outer Frobisher Bay. |
| GEOSCAN ID | 321740 |
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