Fourier Transform Ion Cyclotron Resonance Mass Spectrometry Characterization of Athabasca Oil Sand Process-Affected Waters Incubated in the Presence of Wetland Plants

Abstract

Naphthenic acid fraction compounds (NAFCs) are naturally present in the oil sand. These compounds become integrated into the oil sands process-affected water (OSPW) during the bitumen extraction process. NAFCs have been identified as causing toxicity in the OSPW to aquatic organisms. Water treatment technologies that are largely passive, such as constructed treatment wetlands, are a sought-after technology for the degradation of NAFCs in aquatic environments, partly because of their low energy intensity. However, it can be challenging to accurately assess the performance regarding decreased NAFC concentration and biodegradation characteristics in water samples that have been exposed to such systems. This is due to interferences of biological products such as fatty acids and humic-like materials, which may give false-positive information on NAFCs estimation with conventional analytical sample cleanup methods such as liquid–liquid extraction (LLE). It is recognized that this same issue exists when attemptin...