Selected chlorobornanes, polychlorinated naphthalenes and brominated flame retardants in Bjørnøya (Bear Island) freshwater biota.
Levels of selected sparsely investigated persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been measured in organisms from two Arctic lakes on Bjørnøya (Bear Island). Elevated levels of chlorobornanes (CHBs) (up to 46.7 ng/g wet weight=ww), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) (up to 27.2 ng/g ww), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs) (up to 1.1 ng/g ww) and polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs, only 4 congeners) (up to 62.7 pg/g ww), were measured in biota from Lake Ellasjøen. In Lake Øyangen, located only 5 km north of Ellasjøen, levels of these contaminants were significantly lower. delta(15)N-values were 7-10 per thousand higher in organisms from Ellasjøen as compared to Øyangen. This is attributed to biological inputs related to seabird activities. The present study illustrates that contaminants such as CHBs, brominated flame retardants and PCNs accumulate in the Ellasjøen food web in a manner similar to PCBs and conventional organochlorine pesticides. Transport mechanisms that control PCB and DDT distributions, i.e. atmospheric long-range transport and biotransport by seabirds, are also relevant for the contaminants investigated in the present study.
Evenset
Anita
A
Akvaplan-niva, Polar Environmental Centre, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway. ae@akvaplan.niva.no
Christensen
Guttorm N
GN
Kallenborn
Roland
R
D000818:Animals; D001110:Arctic Regions; D001717:Birds / Q000378:metabolism; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000032:analysis*; D020387:Food Chain; D005618:Fresh Water; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D014337:Trout / Q000378:metabolism; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D015048:Zooplankton / Q000378:metabolism
D005411:Flame Retardants; D011075:Polybrominated Biphenyls; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls