Water expert moves lab to U of S

David Hutton, June 16, 2007, The StarPhoenix -- When John Giesy, one of the world's leading water researchers, was approached to move his work from Michigan to the University of Saskatchewan, his immediate response was "no."

"I thought that there was just no way the University of Saskatchewan could support my lab, the largest and best in the world," Giesy said Friday.

He was impressed by the people and the ambitious projects being undertaken, but turned off by the lack of research facilities. So he passed a list of the things he'd need on to Karsten Liber, the director of the toxicology centre at the U of S. Liber has been checking off the items on that list ever since.

The result: One of the world's leading water pollution research facilities opened Friday at the U of S, part of an $11.8-million expansion of the toxicology centre on campus.

The facility will enable a diverse team of U of S toxicology researchers, Giesy included, to further evaluate pollution in Canada's lakes, rivers and aquatic ecosystems and tackle a growing water crisis in Canada.

"It's every aquatic toxicologists dream facility," Liber said. "The facility has some of the best research facilities and researchers in the world to examine water pollution issues."

The expansion includes state-of-the-art water tanks and purification systems that will help researchers work with a variety of aquatic species, such as fish and frogs, in a controlled environment. The facility works by removing contaminants and chemicals found in tap water so researchers can add complex mixtures that mimic the natural environment the species is found in. The species being assessed are then put into the tanks so researchers can test the impact of chemicals, pesticides and other pollutants on their development.

Liber, for instance, will be able to recreate water conditions in northern Saskatchewan, where uranium mining is occurring. Other researchers are investigating the potential impact of pesticide usage on the environment, and the effect of the oilsands on water quality and amphibian life.

Monique Dube, one of Canada's leading river health researchers, takes a broader approach, looking at the degradation of Canada's river systems through urban and industrial development, farming and hydroelectric development. The facility will help her identify "hot spots" across the country where a river's water quality is low and policy needs to be considered. She'll work in the lab before setting out across the country in her mobile research trailer to test her findings in the field.

"We're all exposed to chemicals every day. There's nothing we can do about that," Liber said.

"But what we want to make sure is that the chemicals we're exposed to are as safe as they can be."

One of the main purposes of the lab is to work alongside industry to improve environmental conditions, Liber said. It's also going to be a main component in the university's new school of environment and sustainability.

"We can do more because we have attracted more people," Liber said. "Water is what we're all about and, in my opinion, water is what the future of the province hinges on."