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Arctic marine ecosystem contamination.

D C Muir1, R Wagemann, B T Hargrave

  • 1Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Central and Arctic Region, Winnipeg, Canada.

The Science of the Total Environment
|July 15, 1992
PubMed
Summary
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Arctic marine ecosystems show variable contaminant levels, with well-documented PCBs and heavy metals in mammals and fish. Some contaminants like hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) are higher in northern waters, indicating complex transport and bioaccumulation pathways.

Area of Science:

  • Environmental Science
  • Marine Biology
  • Ecotoxicology

Background:

  • Arctic marine ecosystems face diverse contaminant exposures, including PCBs, organochlorine pesticides, and heavy metals.
  • Contaminant levels and trends vary significantly across different pollutants and environmental compartments.
  • Data on contaminants in marine mammals and fish are relatively robust due to dietary and environmental concerns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To synthesize current knowledge on contaminant levels and spatial-temporal trends in the Arctic marine environment.
  • To identify key contaminants and their distribution patterns in Arctic biota and water.
  • To highlight data gaps in understanding contaminant dynamics.

Main Methods:

  • Review and synthesis of existing scientific literature on Arctic marine contaminants.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analysis of reported data on levels, spatial distribution, and temporal trends of various pollutants.
  • Comparison of contaminant concentrations in Arctic waters and biota with other regions.

    • Main Results:

    • Arctic Ocean waters show comparable levels of heavy metals, alkanes, PAHs, and OCs to mid-latitude waters, except for higher HCH concentrations in northern regions.
    • Major organochlorine contaminants in marine fish, mammals, and seabirds include polychlorinated camphenes (PCCs), PCBs, and DDT-related compounds.
    • Contaminant distribution in Canadian Arctic ringed seals and polar bears is generally uniform, with exceptions like alpha-HCH and PCDD/PCDFs showing specific geographic gradients. High cadmium levels were noted in narwhals, and mercury exceeded safe limits in seals and cetaceans.
    • Temporal trend studies indicate a decline in PCBs and DDT in Canadian Arctic seals and seabirds from the 1970s to 1980s, but data for other contaminants are scarce.

    Conclusions:

    • Contaminant profiles and distributions in the Arctic marine ecosystem are complex and pollutant-specific.
    • Bioaccumulation of contaminants occurs through the marine food web, starting from primary producers.
    • Significant data gaps exist for temporal trends of many contaminants, particularly heavy metals and hydrocarbons, hindering comprehensive risk assessment.