Organochlorine contaminants in arctic marine food chains: identification, geographical distribution, and temporal trends in polar bears

Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/es00174a011· OSTI ID:5986085

Norstrom, R J; Simon, M; Muir, D C.G.; Schweinsburg, R E

Contamination of Canadian arctic and subarctic marine ecosystems by organochlorine (OC) compounds was measured by analysis of polar bear (Ursus maritimus) tissues collected from 12 zones between 1982 and 1984. PCB congeners (S-PCB), chlordanes, DDT and metabolites, chlorobenzenes (S-CBz), hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (S-HC-H), and dieldrin were identified by high-resolution gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Nonachlor-III, a nonachlor isomer in technical chlordane, was positively identified for the first time as an environmental contaminant. S-PCB and S-CHLOR accounted for >80% of the total organochlorines in adipose tissue. Six PCB congeners constituted approximately 93% of S-PCB in polar bears. Levels of most OCs were lowest in the high Arctic, intermediate in Baffin Bay, and highest in Hudson Bay. Levels of ..cap alpha..-HCH were evaluated in zones influenced by surface runoff. Levels of S-CHLOR were four times higher and levels of the other OCs were two times higher in adipose tissue of bears from Hudson Bay and Baffin Bay in 1984 than in adipose tissue archived since 1969 from these areas; levels of S-DDT did not change.

• Research Organization: Environment Canada, Ottawa, Ontario
• OSTI ID: 5986085
• Journal Information: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Sci. Technol.; (United States) Vol. 22:9; ISSN ESTHA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

520200* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ADIPOSE TISSUE
ANIMAL TISSUES
ANIMALS
ARCTIC REGIONS
AROMATICS
BEARS
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
BODY
CANADA
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
CONNECTIVE TISSUE
CONTAMINATION
DISTRIBUTION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
FOOD CHAINS
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
MAMMALS
MASS SPECTROSCOPY
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
POLAR REGIONS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
SPECTROSCOPY
TISSUES
VERTEBRATES
WILD ANIMALS