PERSISTENT ORGANIC SUBSTANCES IN ARCTIC SEDIMENT AND BENTHIC BIOTA

Abstract

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), some organochlorinated pesticides (OCPs), and polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), were analyzed in sediment and lower trophic benthic organisms from Kongsfjorden at Svalbard (Norwegian Arctic). The overall concentration ranges (unit: ng g-1 dry weight) in sediments were 0.02-0.05 for PBDEs, 0.27-1.5 for PCBs, n.d.-0.18 for DDTs, 0.02-0.26 for HCHs, 0.01-0.03 for CHLs, and 27-321 for PAHs, respectively. The concentrations (unit: ng g-1 dry weight) of PBDEs, PCBs, DDTs, HCHs, CHLs, and PAHs in benthic organisms were in the ranges of 0.05-3.6, 1.7-52, 0.3-31, 0.12-5.3, and 0.3-36, respectively. Except for PBDEs, the POPs concentrations in sediment were significantly correlated to sedimentary organic carbon content, indicating that the organic content in the sediments is a major factor in retaining the contaminants in this bay. On the other hand, the POPs concentrations in the benthic invertebrates and fish showed a good correlation with their lipid content. The most common organochlorines in the Arctic benthic environment are PBDE 49, p,p’-DDE, -HCH, and trans-nonachlor.