"Occurrence of Dioxins, Furans and Dioxin-Like PCBs in Arctic and Antarctic Wildlife" 

Kurunthachalam Senthil Kumar¹, Kurunthachalam Kunnnan², Simonetta Corslini³, Thomas Evans⁴, John P. Giesy², Shigeki Masunaga¹, Junko Nakanishi⁵

¹Yokohama National University
²Michigan State University, USA
³Universita di Siena, Italy
⁴US Fish and Wildlife Service, USA
⁵National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology

Organohalogen Compounds, Vol.52 pp.499-502 (2001)

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Abstract

Planar chlorinated hydrocarbons (PCHs), such as polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs) and non- and mono-ortho-substituted polychlorinated biphenyls (dioxin-like PCBs), are ubiquitous contaminants in aquatic ecosystems. Consequently, PCDDs, PCDFs and dioxin-like PCBs have been detected in freshwater and marine organisms throughout the northern hemisphere(1). 

Concentrations in the marine environment of the southern hemisphere are generally lower and it is believed that atmospheric transport accounts for most of these materials transported to the southern oceans(2). Oceans were major sinks and final destination for persistent pollutants, which are transported from continental areas by atmospheric and or by oceanic currents. 

Furthermore, global distillation or fractionation by condensation in cold polar waters has been proposed as a mechanism whereby the polar regions may become sinks for some PCHs. Penguins in Antarctic have been reported to contain detectable levels of environmental contaminants such as PCBs and DDE in their fat and eggs (3-5). Very little is known on the accumulation of dioxins, furans and dioxin-like PCBs in polar animals. In this study, dioxins, furans and dioxin-like PCBs were measured in wildlife samples from polar regions.

Keywords

Planar chlorinated hydrocarbons, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins , dibenzofurans, non- and mono-ortho-substituted polychlorinated biphenyls