METHODOLOGY

Mining companies operating at the Alberta Oil Sands produce large quantities of oil sands process affected water (OSPW), which is stored in on-site tailing ponds. While toxicity of OSPW to aquatic organisms has been demonstrated, a comprehensive understanding of the mechanism(s) of its toxicity is currently unavailable. Acute toxicity of OSPW has been attributed to naphthenic acids (NA). These organic constituents are the focus of remediation efforts. There is evidence that ozonation attenuates adverse effects of OSPW. An understanding of the effect(s) of ozonated OSPW on exposed organisms is required. BACKGROUND Utilize state of the art open formatting mRNA sequencing technologies to investigate transcriptome wide alterations in gene expression profiles in Fathead minnows exposed to untreated and ozone-treated OSPW. To investigate possible mechanisms of OSPW toxicity through the identification of (novel) molecular responses to OSPW exposure. Explore a possible molecular basis for the attenuation of OSPW toxicity by ozon