Pollutants resurfacing but health risks overlooked.

A news article by Canada's Postmedia News nicely describes the results from a recent study that reports an increase in Arctic levels of several persistent organic pollutants (POPs) during the past two decades. Many of these chemicals were transported in the atmosphere to this region and deposited in soil, ice and water. Recent warming trends have led to the release of some of these "stored" contaminants.

However, the article fails to convey the environmental and health impacts of these chemicals.

One extensively studied class of POPs on the rise in the region – the polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) – was historically used as coolants or heat transfer agents in electrical transformers. Human contact to these chemicals during pregnancy is associated with persistent neurological deficits and immune disorders and to increased risk of some forms of cancer in adults. Of special concern are local populations – such as the Inuit – whose traditional diet relies heavily on local fish and wildlife that are contaminated by these chemicals, resulting in high-level dietary exposures.

Importantly, some effects of PCB exposures on Arctic wildlife also have been reported, including altered hormone levels, reproduction, and the immune system in glaucous gulls and polar bears. However, important knowledge gaps still exist on the impact of PCBs and other POPs on these uniquely sensitive populations.

The article covers a very important relationship between climate change and the remobilization of some POPs, but would have benefited from a discussion of the human and wildlife impact of these contaminants.

The above work by Environmental Health News is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.environmentalhealthnews.org.