title: Contaminants in Canadian arctic biota and implications for human health: conclusions and knowledge gaps.
abstract: This paper summarizes the major findings of the special issue entitled "Contaminants in Canadian Arctic Biota and Implications for Human Health." The individual papers and reviews in this special issue present a large amount of new information on contaminants in biota primarily from the Canadian arctic as well as from Alaska, Greenland and the European Arctic. Temporal and spatial trends are examined and potential biological effects on wildlife are assessed. The special issue also presents new and updated data on human exposure to and possible health effects of current levels of environmental contaminants in the Canadian Arctic. As part of the assessment of the human health implications, the unique structures and processes that have developed in the Canadian Arctic under the Northern Contaminants Program (NCP) of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada to build partnerships and manage and communicate the benefits and risks associated with contaminant exposure are discussed. Application of this information in international forums to reduce anthropogenic emissions of contaminants to the environment is also discussed.
authors.affiliation: National Water Research Institute, Environment Canada, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON, Canada L7R 4A6. derek.muir@ec.gc.ca
authors.forename: Derek C G
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Muir
authors.forename: Russel G
authors.initials: RG
authors.lastname: Shearer
authors.forename: Jay
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van Oostdam
authors.forename: Shawn G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Donaldson
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Furgal
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001110:Arctic Regions; D002170:Canada; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D020387:Food Chain; D005506:Food Contamination; D006801:Humans; D008670:Metals / Q000032:analysis; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis; D018570:Risk Assessment
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D008670:Metals; D009930:Organic Chemicals