Volume 533, 15 November 2015, Pages 290–296
Highlights
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- Four polar bears swam in malnourished condition from East-Greenland to Iceland.
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- Organohalogen compounds (PCBs, chlordane, PBBs, PBDEs, HCB) were quantified.
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- Dec-602 was tentatively identified in all tissues and an unknown compound in liver.
Abstract
Levels
of organohalogen compounds (PCBs, chlordane, PBB 153, PBDEs, HCB) were
determined in adipose tissue, liver, kidney and muscle of four polar
bears which swam and/or drifted to Iceland in extremely malnourished
condition. Since the colonization in the 9th century polar bears have
been repeatedly observed in Iceland. However, in recent years three of
the animals have clearly left their natural habitat in poor condition in
May or June, i.e. at the end of the major feeding season. The fourth
bear is believed to have drifted with melting ice to North-Eastern
Iceland in mid-winter. The concentrations of the POPs were within the
range or higher than the typical concentrations measured in polar bears
from the East Greenland population. In addition to the targeted
compounds, we tentatively detected Dechlorane 602 and its potential
hydrodechlorinated Cl11-metabolite in all samples. Moreover, a
polychlorinated compound which partly co-eluted with PCB 209 was
detected in all liver samples but not in adipose tissue, kidney or
muscle. The mass spectrum of the potential metabolite did not allow
determining its structure. Polar bears are good swimmers and can reach
Iceland from the ice edge of East Greenland within a few days. Potential
reasons for the swims are briefly discussed.
Graphical abstract
Keywords
- Polyhalogenated compounds;
- POPs;
- Dechlorane-602;
- Unknown liver peak;
- Polar bears;
- Malnourished
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