ARCTIC VEGETATION AND SOIL DATABASE OF ORGANOCHLORINE PESTICIDES AND PCBS IN ALASKA AND SIBERIA

• Main Authors: J Ford, D Muir, L Kaputska, D Landers
• Format: Text
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2005
• Subjects: Arctic; Arctic monitoring and assessment program; Alaska; Siberia
• Online Access: http://oaspub.epa.gov/eims/eimsapi.dispdetail?deid=64097

The US EPA Office of Research and Development conducted the Arctic Contaminant Research Program (Landers, D. H. et al. 1992) from 1991 to 1994 through the Corvallis, Oregon, research laboratory. The purpose of this effort was to evaluate the evidence for atmospheric contamination of terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems in the U. S. and Russian arctic. Both persistent organochlorine compounds and metals were considered to be of concern and included in the design of the program. Vegetation and soils were sampled across broad regions of the landscape to evaluate the baseline exposure that may have occurred through atmospheric pathways. Lake sediments were analyzed to evaluate the historic dimension of possible contamination and to distinguish natural from anthropogenic sources of metals. Animals (fish, ground squirrels and lemmings) were sampled to evaluate biomarkers and tissue concentrations that would suggest bioaccumulation and possible responses to any bioaccumulation. This program was conceived to support the Agency's role in contributing to the International Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program. This final data base of vegetation and soil analyses for organochlorine pesticides and PCBs represents one of the multitude of products resulting from this research program. The data have been thoroughly reviewed, documented and annotated with regard to data quality. The desire of the authors and the Agency is that these data will provide useful information regarding the status of atmospheric organic contaminants to the Arctic.