Mercury is the single most toxic element for seabirds. Mercury, along with Cadmium and lead, is one of the heavy metals that are of environmental concern as it can be toxic at levels only moderately elevated above natural ambient levels.
Heavy metals in muscles. Selenium (Se)
Selenium is an essential micronutrient for animals. Concentrations of approximately 30 mg/kg dry weight are considered as background levels.
Persistent organic pollutants in liver. ΣCHL – sum of 5 individual chlordanes
Chlordane was used as a pesticide in the United States from 1948 to 1988. Chlordane is considered to have high acute toxicity based on short-term animal tests in rats.
Heavy metals in muscle. Arsenic (As)
Arsenic is a highly poisonous metalloid with many allotropic forms, including a yellow (molecular non-metallic) and several black and grey forms (metalloids).
Heavy metals in muscles. Zinc (Zn)
Zinc is an essential trace element. It is an especially important element in enzymes and plays a critical role in normal functioning of the brain and central nervous system.
Persistent organic pollutants in seabird eggs. HCB – hexachlorobenzene
Overall there has been a significant reduction of hexachlorobenzene concentrations in seabird eggs during the time period from 1983 to 2003.
Status for contaminants in seabirds
Environmental pollutants from industrialised parts of the world reach the Arctic via air, ocean currents, rivers and sea ice. A wide range of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals have been detected in Arctic wildlife. The levels of the most toxic trace elements (mercury and cadmium) measured in muscle and liver tissue of seabirds from the Barents Sea exceed background levels, but are low compared to those in similar seabird species from
Persistent organic pollutants in liver. ΣHCH – sum of 3 individual hexachlorocyclohexanes
Lindane and the other HCH isomers are members of the organochlorine family of chemicals. For decades, lindane, the gamma isomer, has been widely used as an insecticide.
Persistent organic pollutants in liver. ΣDDT – sum of 5 individual dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethanes
DDT was developed as the first of the modern synthetic insecticides in the 1940s. It was initially used with great effect to combat malaria, typhus, and other insect-borne human diseases among military and civilian populations.
It was also used for insect control in crop and livestock production, institutions, homes, and gardens. Today, DDT is classified as a probable human carcinogen. There have been restrictions on the use of DDT since 1972. However, DDT has a limited use in mosquitoes control and prevention of malaria.
Heavy metals in muscles. Cadmium (Cd)
Cadmium has a high toxicity and is carcinogenic. Cadmium, along with mercury and lead, is one of the heavy metals that are of environmental concern as it can be toxic at levels only moderately elevated above natural ambient levels.
Persistent organic pollutants in seabird eggs. ΣPCB – sum of 21 individual polychlorinated biphenyls
The PCB makes up the majority of persistent organic pollutants in seabird eggs.
Persistent organic pollutants in seabird eggs. ΣHCH – sum of 3 individual hexachlorocyclohexanes
There has been a significant reduction of HCH concentrations in seabird eggs in the period from 1983 to 2003.
Heavy metals in muscles. Chromium (Cr)
Chromium is an important metal in industry, for example as additive in iron for stainless steel production.
Persistent organic pollutants in liver. HCB – hexachlorobenzene
Animal studies show that long time exposure to hexachlorobenzene can harm the liver, immune system, kidneys, and blood and it can produce eruptions and pigmentations of the skin.
Persistent organic pollutants in seabird eggs. ΣPBDE – sum of 11 individual polybrominated diphenyl ethers
PBDEs are accumulating in the environment, including humans, and have shown an exponential increase over the past few decades.
The persistence and bioaccumulative characteristics of PBDEs and their similarities to known toxic PCBs, raises concern over potential human health effects, especially during early development.
PBDEs increased in the period from 1983 to 1993 and then leveled out from 1993 to 2003.
Heavy metals in muscles. Copper (Cu)
Copper is an essential element that is metabolically regulated in the tissue of seabirds.
Persistent organic pollutants in liver. ΣPCB – sum of 21 individual polychlorinated biphenyls
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a class of organic compounds with 1 to 10 chlorine atoms attached to biphenyl. Theoretically there are 209 different congeners of PCB, of which 130 different are found in environmentally samples.
Persistent organic pollutants in seabird eggs. ΣPFS – sum of 4 individual perfluorinated surfactans and ΣPFCA – sum of 10 individual perfluorinated carboxylic acids
Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) refer to a class of organofluorine compounds that have all hydrogens replaced with fluorine on a carbon chain—but also contain at least one different atom or functional group.
Heavy metals in muscles. Manganese (Mn)
The kidneys of adult animals excrete excess Manganese efficiently. Therefore Manganese is not seen as a problem in Arctic marine ecosystems.
Persistent organic pollutants in seabird eggs. HBCDD – sum of 3 individual Hexabromocyclododecane
Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD) is a brominated flame retardant.