Organohalogen concentrations and a gross and histologic ...

Contents
Summary 7
Resumé 11
Preface 15
Acknowledgements 16
Structure of this thesis 18
List of publications and manuscripts included in the thesis 18
Abbreviations 19
Background and aims 20
Introduction 21
Study area and sampling method 21
Organohalogens 22
Age estimation 25
Chapter 1
Levels of organochlorines in East Greenland polar bear subcutaneous
adipose tissue from 1990 to 2001 26
Levels in East Greenland polar bears 1990-2001 26
Individual levels and biological effect parameters 29
Chapter 2
Fluctuating asymmetry in skulls from East Greenland polar bears
collected during 1892-2002 30
FA in East Greenland polar bears 30
FA in mammalian wildlife 32
Controlled laboratory studies 32
FA and organohalogen levels 33
Critical comments on the FA concept 34
Chapter 3
Bone mineral density and periodontitis in East Greenland polar bear
skulls collected from 1892 to 2002 35
Background 35
The method 36
Period differences and time trends 37
BMD and contaminant levels 37
Osteoporosis in East Greenland polar bears? 38
Macroscopic anatomy and BMD of bacula 39
Periodontitis 40
Chapter 4
Liver histology of East Greenland polar bears sampled during 1999
to 2002 41
Where do we stand? 41
Results and comparisons 42
Chapter 5
Histology of East Greenland renal tissue and adrenals sampled during
1999-2002 44
Renal lesions 44
Adrenals 47