Karsten Liber, University of Saskatchewan

Research

Read how they describe their research on their University of Saskatchewan profile.

Mining impacts and metal bioavailability and toxicity in aquatic ecosystems Pesticide ecotoxicology, particularly pesticide impact on aquatic life

Latest papers

Chronic Uranium Toxicity to Early Life Stage Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush) Under Laboratory Conditions.
Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology · 2026 · first author
Chronic toxicity thresholds for fish early life stages exposed to 226Ra in water.
Ecotoxicology and environmental safety · 2026
Chronic Radium-226 Bioaccumulation and Toxicity in the Aquatic Invertebrate Daphnia magna.
Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology · 2025 · senior author

All 85 publications

Latest funding

Radium effects on aquatic organisms (radiation)
NSERC · 2021 · Co-investigator
$799,800
Critical need for a new chiller for the Aquatic Toxicology Research Facility, Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan
NSERC · 2017 · Co-investigator
$149,233
Advancing environmental risk assessment of selenium (ERASe)
NSERC · 2015 · Co-investigator
$725,070

All 15 grants and awards

85 publications.

01

Chronic Uranium Toxicity to Early Life Stage Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush) Under Laboratory Conditions.

Liber K, Benson S, Janz D

Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology2026First author

DOI: 10.1007/s00244-025-01181-2 PMID: 41557203

02

Chronic toxicity thresholds for fish early life stages exposed to 226Ra in water.

Pérez E, Lacroix-Durand C, Liber K, Janz D

Ecotoxicology and environmental safety2026Open Access

DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2026.120674 PMID: 42612383

03

Chronic Radium-226 Bioaccumulation and Toxicity in the Aquatic Invertebrate Daphnia magna.

Lacroix-Durand C, Janz D, Liber K

Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology20252 citationsSenior author

DOI: 10.1007/s00244-024-01109-2 PMID: 39762491

04

Chronic Radium-226 toxicity to and oxidative stress in the aquatic invertebrate Chironomus dilutus.

Lacroix-Durand C, Janz D, Liber K

Toxicology research20252 citationsSenior authorOpen Access

DOI: 10.1093/toxres/tfaf001 PMID: 39822372

05

The Effects of Alkalinity and Hardness on Uranium Speciation and Toxicity to Daphnia pulex.

Liu D, Liber K

Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/s00244-025-01147-4 PMID: 40885872

06

The influence of sampling method and season on modeling of selenium into coldwater fish and implications on tissue-based water quality benchmarks.

Peixoto Mendes M, Cupe-Flores B, Woolhouse K, Fernandes S, Liber K

Integrated environmental assessment and management2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4859 PMID: 37909268

07

Water quality assessment of a novel pilot-scale pit lake in the alberta oil sands region.

Panigrahi B, Doig LE, Ezugba I, Davila-Arenas CE, Liber K

Environmental research2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2025.121142 PMID: 39956420

08

Cross-species apical microinjected selenomethionine toxicity in embryo-larval fishes.

Green D, Bluhm K, Brinkmann M, Raes K, Lane T, Liber K, Janz DM, Hecker M

The Science of the total environment20242 citations

DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.169338 PMID: 38104801

09

Laboratory and In situ Selenium Bioaccumulation Assessment in the Benthic Macroinvertebrates Hyalella azteca and Chironomus dilutus.

Peixoto Mendes M, Flores BC, Liber K

Archives of environmental contamination and toxicology2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1007/s00244-024-01056-y PMID: 38494559

10

Effects of diluted effluent on aquatic macroinvertebrate communities at the McClean Lake uranium operation in northern Saskatchewan.

Cupe-Flores B, Mendes M, Phillips I, Panigrahi B, Liu X, Liber K

Environmental research2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117951 PMID: 38135097

Radium effects on aquatic organisms (radiation)

Co-investigatorNSERC2021Alliance Grants

Principal investigators: Fortin, Claude JRC

Keywords: accumulation; aquatic organisms; effects; mining; radium; regulation; species sensitivity; toxicity; water quality criteria

$799,800

Critical need for a new chiller for the Aquatic Toxicology Research Facility, Toxicology Centre, University of Saskatchewan

Co-investigatorNSERC2017Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Hecker, Markus

$149,233

Advancing environmental risk assessment of selenium (ERASe)

Co-investigatorNSERC2015Strategic Projects - Group

Principal investigators: Hecker, Markus

$725,070

Understanding lake metabolism and algal blooms: New tools for the management of potable water sources

Co-investigatorNSERC2013Strategic Projects - Group

Principal investigators: Baulch, Helen

$618,614

Distribution and impact of neonicotinoid insecticides on agricultural wetlands and water birds of Prairie Canada

Co-investigatorNSERC2012Strategic Projects - Group

Principal investigators: Morrissey, Christy

$320,329

Effectiveness of model constructed wetlands for removal of selenium from mine effluent: Selenium accumulation in the larvae of the midge, Chironomus dilutus

Principal investigatorNSERC2012Engage Grants Program

Principal investigators: Liber, Karsten

$24,900

Carbon dynamics, food web structure & reclamation strategies in Athabasca oil sands wetlands

Co-investigatorNSERC2007Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Principal investigators: Ciborowski, Jan

$924,276

Investigation of temporal and spatial distribution, fate and biological effects of selenium in a boreal aquatic ecosystem

Co-investigatorNSERC2007Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Principal investigators: Janz, David

$376,890

Aquatic Toxicology Research Facility

Principal investigatorCFI2006Innovation Fund: New Initiatives Fund 2006

Principal investigators: Liber, Karsten

Keywords: Aquatic toxicology research facility, northern ecotoxicology, water quality, contaminants of concern, chronic and behavioural toxicity, molecular toxicology, transgenic fish

$2,806,000

Investigation of cause of benthic community impairment at two uranium mines and associated assessment of uranium uptake accumulation and adaptation in aquatic invertebrates

Principal investigatorNSERC2004Collaborative Research and Development Grants

Principal investigators: Liber, Karsten

$87,000

From public funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998 with their latest competition results, the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Genome Canada, the Canadian Space Agency, Canada Research Chairs, the Fonds de recherche du Québec, Ontario research funding, Michael Smith Health Research BC, the Canadian Cancer Society, Heart & Stroke and Brain Canada.

Frequent collaborators

Department of Biology
School of Environment and Sustainability
School of Public Health Sciences
Department of Veterinary Biomedical Sciences
Department of Plant Agriculture
Department of Kinesiology and Health Sciences
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Other

Applying for

Paper to mention

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Mining impacts and metal bioavailability and toxicity in aquatic ecosystems Dear Professor Liber, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Chronic Uranium Toxicity to Early Life Stage Lake Trout (Salvelinus namaycush) Under Laboratory Conditions." (2026), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]