| Summary: | Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were determined in environmental samples collected from Ny-Alesund and London Island, Svalbard, the Arctic. Total PCB concentrations (Sigma(25)PCBs) varied from 0.57 to 2.52 ng g(-1) dry weight (dw) in soil, 030 to 1.16 ng g(-1) dw in plants and 0.56 to 0.98 ng g(-1) dw in reindeer dung. The non-Aroclor congener of CB-11 was predominant in most samples compared to other congeners, accounting for 16.0 +/- 9.8% to the Sigma(25)PCBs. The Sigma 13PBDEs concentrations were 1.7-416,36.7-495 and 28.1-104 pg g(-1) dw in soil, plants and reindeer dung, respectively. The signature of enantioselective biotransformation was observed in all samples for chiral CB-95, whereas in parts of samples for other chiral PCBs. Bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) in six plant species varied within individual contaminant congeners and plant species, with BAFs less than 1 for Sigma PCBs and higher than 1 for Sigma PEDEs. BAF values decreased with increasing soil concentrations, suggesting that high background levels in soil restricted the accumulation of these contaminants by plants. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
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