Contaminants in the great lakes: An introduction

Abstract

The Great Lakes represents a combined watershed containing one fifth of the world’s freshwater supply and supporting one of the largest ecosystems on the planet. Contaminants, emitted to the lake through both past and present anthropogenic activity, have stressed this important aquatic ecosystem, e.g. through toxic algal blooms, bioaccumulation of heavy metals and hydrocarbons, and invasion of non-naïve species. This introductory chapter provides the broader context for the following ten chapters, which explore this broad range of both established and emerging contaminants. We examine contaminant sources, transport pathways and fate, and address one of the most difficult challenges in the Great Lakes, of engaging effective solutions. Lastly, we discuss the knowledge gaps and future research directions required to protect this valuable freshwater resource.