Concentrations of brominated and chlorinated contaminants in adipose tissue of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) between 1991-2007 ...

• Main Authors: McKinney, Melissa A, Stirling, Ian, Lunn, Nick J, Peacock, Elizabeth, Letcher, Robert J
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: PANGAEA 2010
• Subjects: Biological sample; International Polar Year 2007-2008 IPY; Hudson Bay; International Polar Year; IPY; Ursus maritimus
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.1594/pangaea.816171; https://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.816171

Adipose tissue was sampled from the western Hudson Bay (WHB) subpopulation of polar bears at intervals from 1991 to 2007 to examine temporal trends of PCB and OCP levels both on an individual and sum-contaminant basis. We also determined levels and temporal trends of emerging polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) and other current-use brominated flame retardants. Over the 17-year period, sum DDT (and p,p'-DDE, p,p'-DDD, p,p'-DDT) decreased (-8.4%/year); alpha-hexachlorocyclohexane (alpha-HCH) decreased (-11%/year); beta-HCH increased ( + 8.3%/year); and sum PCB and sum chlordane (CHL), both contaminants at highest concentrations in all years (>1 ppm), showed no distinct trends even when compared to previous data for this subpopulation dating back to 1968. Some of the less persistent PCB congeners decreased significantly (-1.6%/year to -6.3%/year), whereas CB153 levels tended to increase (+ 3.3%/year). Parent CHLs (c-nonachlor, t-nonachlor) ... : Data extracted in the frame of a joint ICSTI/PANGAEA IPY effort, see http://doi.pangaea.de/10.1594/PANGAEA.150150 ...