Contaminants in Canadian arctic biota and implications for human health: Conclusions and knowledge gaps

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2005.08.030

Science of The Total Environment

Volumes 351–352, 1 December 2005, Pages 539-546

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2005.08.030 Get rights and content

Abstract

This paper summarizes the major findings of the special issue entitled “Contaminants in Canadian Arctic Biota and Implications for Human Health.” The individual papers and reviews in this special issue present a large amount of new information on contaminants in biota primarily from the Canadian arctic as well as from Alaska, Greenland and the European Arctic. Temporal and spatial trends are examined and potential biological effects on wildlife are assessed. The special issue also presents new and updated data on human exposure to and possible health effects of current levels of environmental contaminants in the Canadian Arctic. As part of the assessment of the human health implications, the unique structures and processes that have developed in the Canadian Arctic under the Northern Contaminants Program (NCP) of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada to build partnerships and manage and communicate the benefits and risks associated with contaminant exposure are discussed. Application of this information in international forums to reduce anthropogenic emissions of contaminants to the environment is also discussed.

Introduction

The individual papers and reviews in this special issue present a large amount of new information on contaminants in biota, humans, associated risk management strategies and application of this information in international forums to reduce anthropogenic emissions of contaminants to the environment.

Section snippets

Biota

The biota papers present new and updated information on temporal trends of organic and metal contaminants; spatial trends of mercury and persistent organochlorines (OCs) in freshwater, marine and terrestrial biota; food web dynamics of PCBs, mercury and other elements and biological effect indicators in fish and seabirds. Perhaps the most significant advance has been the expansion of temporal trend data sets, which were previously limited to OCs in ringed seals and polar bears. These now cover

Human health

The human health paper presents new and updated data on human exposure to and possible health effects of current levels of environmental contaminants in the Canadian Arctic. It addresses concerns about possible adverse health effects in people exposed to contaminants. These concerns are significant for northern Aboriginal peoples because of the high proportion of traditional/country foods in their diet. Bioaccumulation of lipophilic environmental contaminants contributes to the high

Risk/benefit management and communication

The Human Health paper in this special issue presents the unique structures and processes that have developed in the Canadian Arctic under the Northern Contaminants Program (NCP) of Indian and Northern Affairs Canada, to build partnerships and manage and communicate the benefits and risks associated with contaminant exposure. The paper also demonstrates how this information has gone on to support the establishment of international agreements to help achieve the Program's primary goal “to reduce

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Contaminants in Canadian arctic biota and implications for human health: Conclusions and knowledge gaps

Abstract

Introduction

Section snippets

Biota

Human health

Risk/benefit management and communication

Sci Total Environ

Sci Total Environ

Sci Total Environ

Recent temporal trend monitoring of mercury in Arctic biota—how powerful are the existing data sets?

J Environ Monit

AMAP assessment 2002: persistent organic pollutants in the Arctic