Perfluoroalkyl substances in circum-ArcticRangifer: caribou and reindeer

• Published in: Environmental Science and Pollution Research
• Main Authors: Roos, Anna Maria, Gamberg, Mary, Muir, Derek, Kärrman, Anna, Carlsson, Pernilla, Cuyler, Christine, Lind, Ylva, Bossi, Rossana, Rigét, Frank
• Other Authors: Naturvårdsverket, Svalbard Environmental Fund, Danish Cooperation for Environment in the Arctic, CARMA, Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Government of Northwest Territories
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Springer Science and Business Media LLC 2021
• Subjects: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis; Pollution; Environmental Chemistry; General Medicine; Canada; Greenland; Kangerlussuaq; Maniitsoq; Svalbard; Rangifer tarandus; Norrbotten
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-16729-7; https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11356-021-16729-7.pdf; https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11356-021-16729-7/fulltext.html

Abstract Livers of caribou and reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus ) from Canada ( n = 146), Greenland ( n = 30), Svalbard ( n = 7), and Sweden ( n = 60) were analyzed for concentrations of eight perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids and four perfluoroalkane sulfonic acids. In Canadian caribou, PFNA (range < 0.01–7.4 ng/g wet weight, ww) and PFUnDA (<0.01–5.6 ng/g ww) dominated, whereas PFOS predominated in samples from South Greenland, Svalbard, and Sweden, although the highest concentrations were found in caribou from Southwest Greenland (up to 28 ng/g ww). We found the highest median concentrations of all PFAS except PFHxS in Akia-Maniitsoq caribou (Southwest Greenland, PFOS 7.2–19 ng/g ww, median 15 ng/g ww). The highest concentrations of ΣPFAS were also found in Akia-Maniitoq caribou (101 ng/g ww) followed by the nearby Kangerlussuaq caribou (45 ng/g ww), where the largest airport in Greenland is situated, along with a former military base. Decreasing trends in concentrations were seen for PFOS in the one Canadian and three Swedish populations. Furthermore, PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFDoDA, and PFTrDA showed decreasing trends in Canada’s Porcupine caribou between 2005 and 2016. In Sweden, PFHxS increased in the reindeer from Norrbotten between 2003 and 2011. The reindeer from Västerbotten had higher concentrations of PFNA and lower concentrations of PFHxS in 2010 compared to 2002. Finally, we observed higher concentrations in 2010 compared to 2002 (albeit statistically insignificant) for PFHxS in Jämtland, while PFNA, PFDA, PFUnDA, PFDoDA, and PFTrDA showed no difference at all.