Spatial differences in persistent organochlorine pollutant concentrations between the Bering and Chukchi Seas (1993)

Area of Science:

• Environmental Chemistry
• Marine Pollution
• Arctic Research

Background:

• Organochlorine compounds, including pesticides and PCBs, are persistent environmental pollutants.
• The Bering and Chukchi Seas are critical marine ecosystems with significant geopolitical and ecological importance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify concentrations of organochlorine pesticides and PCB congeners in water, sediment, and air samples.
• To estimate the fluxes of these contaminants through the Bering Strait.
• To assess the environmental fate and partitioning of these compounds in the study area.

Main Methods:

• Joint Russian-United States expedition collecting water, sediment, and air samples.
• Analysis of 19 organochlorine pesticides, 11 chlorobenzenes, and 113 PCB congeners.
• Calculation of contaminant fluxes and fugacity ratios.

Main Results:

• Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were detected in most samples, with highest HCH concentrations in open waters of the Bering Strait.
• PCB and DDT concentrations were generally higher in the Bering Sea compared to the Chukchi Sea.
• Estimated fluxes indicated significant transport of HCH and PCBs through the Bering Strait, with HCH degassing and PCBs absorbing in the studied seas.

Conclusions:

• Organochlorine contaminants are present in the Bering and Chukchi Seas, with varying distribution and partitioning.
• The Bering Strait acts as a conduit for contaminant transport between the Pacific and Arctic Oceans.
• Further research is needed to understand the long-term ecological impacts of these persistent pollutants.