Persistent organic pollutants in four bivalve species from Svalbard waters.
Organochlorine compounds (OC) were determined in Arctic bivalves (Mya truncata, Serripes groenlandicus, Hiatella arctica and Chlamys islandica) from Svalbard with regard to differences in geographic location, species and variations related to their size and age. Higher chlorinated polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB 101-PCB 194), chlordanes and α-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH) were consistently detected in the bivalves and PCBs dominated the OC load in the organisms. OC concentrations were highest in Mya truncata and the lowest in Serripes groenlandicus. Species-specific OC levels were likely related to differences in the species' food source, as indicated by the δ(13)C results, rather than size and age. Higher OC concentrations were observed in bivalves from Kongsfjorden compared to the northern sampling locations Liefdefjorden and Sjuøyane. The spatial differences might be related to different water masses influencing Kongsfjorden (Atlantic) and the northern locations (Arctic), with differing phytoplankton bloom situations.
Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, N-9296 Tromsø, Norway. ireen.vieweg@npolar.no
Ireen
I
Vieweg
Haakon
H
Hop
Thomas
T
Brey
Sandra
S
Huber
William G
WG
Ambrose
William L
WL
Locke
Geir W
GW
Gabrielsen
D000818:Animals; D049872:Bivalvia / Q000378:metabolism*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000378:metabolism*; D013538:Svalbard; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical