Methyl sulfone PCB and DDE metabolites in the polar bear (Ursus maritimus) food chain

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:367521

Letcher, R J ^[1]; Norstrom, R J ^[2]; Muir, D C.G. ^[3]

---

1. Carleton Univ., Ottawa, Ontario (Canada)
2. Environment Canada, Hull, Quebec (Canada)
3. Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans, Winnipeg, Manitoba (Canada)

An important Arctic marine food chain is polar bear, ringed seal (Phoca hispida) and Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida). The Arctic is relatively uncontaminated by chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminants (CHCs). However, high levels of CHCs are bioaccumulated through the marine food web. Methyl sulfone (MeSO{sub 2})-PCB and -DDE metabolites are major CHCs in polar bear, although the proportion of MeSO{sub 2}-PCBs derived from PCB metabolism and/or MeSO{sub 2}-PCB bioaccumulation from the diet is unknown. For this reason, the structure and concentration of MeSO{sup 2}-PCB and -DDE metabolites, PCBs and DDE were determined in whole body Arctic cod, the liver, adipose, lung and muscle of ringed seal and ten tissues of polar bear from the Resolute Bay area of the Canadian Arctic. Preliminary analysis of the ratios of MeSO{sub 2}-PCBs in bear fat and liver to their parent PCBs in seal blubber suggested that CB-49 and CB-87 result in a higher proportion of metabolites in bear than the other PCB congeners, assuming that the MeSO{sup 2}-PCBs are not themselves accumulated from the diet. Bio-availability of the precursor PCBs for subsequent metabolism may also be a factor. The absence in bears of MeSO{sub 2}-metabolites of other metabolizable PCBs in seal may indicate that some MeSO{sub 2}-PCBs are not formed or that they are formed and further metabolized. The MeSO{sub 2}-PCB and -DDE levels and congener patterns among seal and bear tissues and the difference in tissue distribution between species will also be compared. In polar bear, the s-MeSO{sub 2}-PCB to S-PCB and s-MeSO{sub 2}-DDE to DDE ratios were highest in liver, indicating preferred storage.

• OSTI ID: 367521
• Report Number(s): CONF-9511137--; ISBN 1-880611-03-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
56 BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
APPLIED STUDIES
ARCTIC REGIONS
BEARS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
BIOLOGICAL STRESS
CANADA
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
FOOD CHAINS
POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS
WATER POLLUTION