Organohalogen concentrations and a gross and histologic ...

Figure 1
Capture locations of the polar bears
collected between January 1999
and September 2001 included in
this study.
Table 1
Number of analysed fat samples from polar bears sampled in Ittoqqortoormiit/Scoresby Sound,East Greenland) in 1999-2001 given by
age group, sex and month.
Jan Feb Mar Apr-Jul Aug Sept Oct Unknown Total
Subadult 8 4 6 3 8 19 1 1 50
Adult females 2 4 5 4 2 6 0 2 25
Adult males 5 2 3 1 3 2 0 0 16
Unknown 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
Total 15 11 14 8 13 27 1 3 92
OC Concentrations
ΣCBs was the dominant OC compound class, with means from 6470 ng/g lw
in subadults to 9100 ng/g lw in adult males, followed by ΣCHLs with means
from 1710 ng/g lw in adult males to 2220 ng/g lw in adult females (Table 2).
The mean ΣDDT concentrations, ranging from 462 ng/g lw in subadults and
adult females to 559 ng/g lw in adult males, were relatively low compared
to those of East Greenland ringed seals (prey) which could reflect the ability
of polar bears to metabolise DDTs (e.g. Letcher et al., 1995a, 1998; Norstrom
et al., 1998, Riget et al. Unpubl. data). Dieldrin exhibited mean concentrations
of 208 ng/g in adult females and 245 ng/g lw in adult males, ΣHCH
means ranged from 198 ng/g in subadults to 263 ng/g lw in adult females,
and ΣCBz means ranged from 100 ng/g adult females to 187 ng/g lw in
adult males. Mirex was found at the lowest concentrations, ranging from
2.79 ng/g adult females to 6.59 ng/g lw in adult males.
The large variability (SD) in the OC concentrations of adult females could
indicate OCs lipid mobilization from peripheral tissue (primary fat) during
reproductive cycles and associated conditions (e.g. Polischuk et al., 1995,
2002).
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