Organohalogen concentrations and a gross and histologic ...

Table 4
Range in the levels (ng/g l.w. or w.w.) of organohalogene compounds associated with osteoporosis and dysosteogenesis in wildlife and
laboratory mammals compared to levels measured in the adipose tissue of polar bears in the present study as well as their prey (blubber
of ringed seal) and thereby intake. Data from: Bergman et al. 1992 1 , Lind et al. 2003 2 , Blomkvist et al. 1992 3 , Mortensen et al.
1992 4 , Schandorff 1997a 5 , Lind et al. (2004) 6 , Beard and Jong 2000 7 , Glynn et al. (2000) 8 , Guo et al. (1994) 9 , Alveblom et al. (2003) 10 ,
Lind et al. (1999) 11 , Riget et al. (In press) 12 , Johansen et al. (2004) 13 , Lind et al. 2000a, b 14, 15 . ND: below dectection limit.
Study Compound n Concentration Concentration in adipose tissue
(a) and food (f) of
East Greenland polar bears
Wildlife:
1, 2
Grey seal
1, 2
Grey seal
4, 5
Harbour seal
4, 5
Harbour seal
Alligator 6
Humans:
Woman 7
Men 8
Men 8
Men 8
Men 8
Women 9
Women (and Men) 10
Laboratory studies:
Rats 11
Rats 14
Rats 15
∑-DDTs 38 11000-1600000 ng/g l.w. (blubber) 3
74-1112 ng/g l.w. (a)
∑-PCBs 37 32000-5300000 ng/g l.w. (blubber) 3
898-20407 ng/g l.w. (a)
∑-DDTs 38 2000-13000 ng/g l.w. (blubber) 3
74-1113 ng/g l.w. (a)
∑-PCBs 37 6000-110000 ng/g l.w. (blubber) 3
898-20407 ng/g l.w. (a)
∑-DDTs 16 ? 74-1112 ng/g l.w. (a)
4,4’-DDE 68 ND-45 ng/g w.w. (serum) 66-1019 ng/g l.w. (a)
Oxychlordane 115 4-36 ng/g w.w. (serum) 171-6022 ng/g l.w. (a)
4,4’-DDE 115 25-4030 ng/g w.w. (serum) 66-1019 ng/g l.w. (a)
∑-DDTs 115 >25-4140 ng/g w.w. (serum) 74-1113 ng/g l.w. (a)
∑-PCBs 115 >110-1805 ng/g w.w. (serum) 898-20407 ng/g l.w. (a)
∑-PCBs 25 10 ng/g w.w. (serum) 898-20407 ng/g l.w. (a)
∑-PCBs 82 2000 ng/g w.w. (serum) 898-20407 ng/g l.w. (a)
PCB-126 20 7 ng/g body wgt./day (i.p.) 0.003 ng/g body wgt./day 12, 13 (f)
PCB-126 20 7 ng/g body wgt./day (i.p.) 0.003 ng/g body wgt./day 12, 13 (f)
PCB-126 20 5 ng/g body wgt./day (i.p.) 0.003 ng/g body wgt./day 12, 13 (f)
In our study, we cannot prove whether the negative correlation between
organohalogens and BMD is true cause-effect relations. This would require a
case-control, dose-effect study on polar bears or another Arctic relevant top
predator. However, such controlled studies are in progress on domestic
Greenland sledge dogs (Canis familiaris) and Svalbard Arctic fox (Alopex lagopus)
in cooperation with Norwegian research groups.
Macroscopic anatomy and BMD of bacula
Beside the analysis of skull BMD from the period 1892 to 2002, the baculum
from a sub-set of 52 East Greenland male polar bears (n=52) sampled during
1999-2002 was investigated macroscopically and analysed by DXA-scanning.
The statistical analysis applied to the bacula data followed those described
in Paper III.
The polar bear penis and bacula were similar to carnivorous in general and
all were morphologically normal without any sign of malformation or asymmetry.
The BMD in the baculum increased with age, similar to skull BMD,
and was significantly positively correlated to BMD in skull (r=0.85; p0.05; n=41). This
could probably be due to the lower metabolic activity of cortical bone tissue,
compared to trabecular bone tissue, in this specific site of the skeletal system
which make it less susceptible to endocrine disruption from organohalogens
(e.g. Kanis 1997).
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