Abstract
The Arctic Ocean has long been perceived as the last pristine bastion on the globe because it is isolated from industry and population by vast distances. Slowly we have become aware that the Arctic is not only firmly connected to the rest of the globe but that it is especially vulnerable to some of the contaminants being transported. Arctic haze was first noticed in the 1950s. A decade later organochlorine pesticide residues were found in arctic marine mammals. Surprisingly, it took more than another decade to discover elevated PCBs and toxaphene in humans. Five years of research under Canada’s Northern Contaminants Program followed by comprehensive international assessments of contamination in the Arctic have produced a clearer understanding of where contaminants are coming from, how they have been delivered and who they are aimed at. Two transporting fluids play a key role — the atmosphere and the ocean. However, it is specific biogeochemical pathways that deliver the unpleasant surprises. For many contaminants we have already “turned off the tap” but, unfortunately, the historical releases continue to cycle globally. In this chapter two very different types of contaminants, artificial radionuclides and organochlorines (OCs), are used to illustrate the importance of environmental pathways. These two contaminant classes have different, but effective, routes of transport into the Arctic Ocean. However, it is the organochlorines that pose the far greater risk to humans and ecosystems due to their interaction with ocean structure and the food web.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
References
Aagaard, K., Coachman, L.K., and Carmack, E.C., 1981, On the halocline of the Arctic Ocean: Deep-Sea Research, v. 28, p. 529-545.
Aarkrog, A., 1994, Radioactivity in polar regions, main sources: Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, v. 25, p. 21-35.
Anonymous, 1995, Nuclear Wastes in the Arctic: An Analysis of Arctic and other Regional Impacts from Soviet Nuclear Contamination: Washington DC, United States Government.
Berrow, S.D., Long, S.C., McGarry, A.T., Pollard, D., Rogan, E., and Lockyer, C, 1998, Radionuclides (137Cs and 40K) in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from British and Irish coastal waters: Marine Pollution Bulletin, v. 36, p. 569-576.
Braune, B., Muir, D., DeMarch, B., Gamberg, M., Poole, K., Currie, R., Dodd, M., Duschenko, W., Earner, J., Elkin, B., Evans, M., Grudny, S., Hebert, C, Johnstone, R., Kidd, K., Koenig, B., Lockhart, L., Marshall, H., Reimer, K., Sanderson, J., and Shutt, L., 1999, Spatial and temporal trends of contaminants in Canadian Arctic freshwater and terrestrial ecosystems: a review: The Science of the Total Environment, v. 230, p. 145-207.
Carmack, E.C., Aagaard, K., Swift, J.H., Macdonald, R.W., McLaughlin, F.A., Jones, E.P., Perkin, R.D., Smith, J., Ellis, K., and L., K., 1997, Rapid changes of water properties and contaminants within the Arctic Ocean: Deep-Sea Research, v. 44, p. 1487-1502.
Dahlgaard, H., 1995, Transfer of European coastal pollution to the Arctic: radioactive tracers: Marine Pollution Bulletin, v. 31, p. 3-7.
Gray, J., Jones, S.R., and Smith, A.D., 1995, Discharges to the environment from the Sellafield Site, 1951-1993: Journal of Radiological Protection, v. 15, p. 99-131.
Hileman, B., 1983, Arctic haze: Environmental Science and Technology, v. 17, p. 232A-236A.
Holden, A.V., and Marsden, K., 1967, Organochlorine pesticides in seals and porpoises: Nature, v.216, p. 1274-1276.
Kinloch, D., Kuhnlein, H., and Muir, D.C.G., 1992, Inuit foods and diet: a preliminary assessment of benefits and risks: The Science of the Total Environment, v. 122, p. 247-278.
Layton, D., Edson, R., Varela, M., and Napier, B.e., 1997, Radionuclides in the Arctic Seas from the Former Soviet Union: Potential Health and Ecological Risks, Arctic Nuclear Waste Assessment Program (ANWAP), Office of Naval Research (ONR).
Li, Y.F., Bidleman, T.F., Barrie, L.A., and McConnell, L.L., 1998, Global hexachlorocyclohexane use trends and their impact on the arctic atmospheric environment: Geophysical Research Letters, v. 25, p. 39-41.
Macdonald, R.W., Barrie, L.A., Bidleman, T.F., Diamond, M.L., Gregor, D.J., Semkin, R.G., Strachan, W.M.J., Li, Y.F., Wania, F., Alaee, M., Alexeeva, L.B., Backus, S.M., Bailey, R., Bewers, J.M., Gobeil, C, Halsall, C.J., Harner, T., Hoff, J.T., Jantunen, L.M.M., Lockhart, W.L., Mackay, D., Muir, D.C.G., Pudykiewicz, J., Reimer, K.J., Smith, J.N., Stern, G.A., Schroeder, W.H., Wagemann, R., and Yunker, M.B., 2000a, Sources, occurrence and pathways of contaminants in the Canadian Arctic: A review: The Science of the Total Environment, v. in press.
Macdonald, R.W., and Bewers, J.M., 1996, Contaminants in the arctic marine environment: priorities for protection: ICES Journal of Marine Science, v. 53, p. 537-563.
Macdonald, R.W., Eisenreich, S.J., Bidleman, T.F., Dachs, J., Pacyna, J., Jones, K., Bailey, B., Swackhamer, D., and Muir, D.C.G., 2000b, Case studies on persistence and long range transport of persistent organic pollutants, in Klecka, G., and Mackay, D., eds., Evaluation of persistence and long-range transport of organic chemicals in the environment: Pensacola, SETAC Press, In press.
Macdonald, R.W., Paton, D.W., Carmack, E.C., and Omstedt, A., 1995, The freshwater budget and under-ice spreading of Mackenzie River water in the Canadian Beaufort Sea based on salinity and 18O/16O measurements in water and ice: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 100, p. 895-919.
McLaughlin, F.A., Carmack, E.C., Macdonald, R.W., and Bishop, J.K.B., 1996, Physical and geochemical properties across the Atlantic/Pacific water mass boundary in the southern Canadian Basin: Journal of Geophysical Research, v. 101 (CI), p. 1183-1197.
Muir, D., Braune, B., DeMarch, B., Norstrom, R., Wagemann, R., Lockhart, L., Hargrave, B., Bright, D., Addison, R., Payne, J., and Reimier, K., 1999, Spatial and temporal trends and effects of contaminants in teh Canadian Arctic marine ecosystem: a review: The Science of the Total Environment, v. 230, p. 83-144.
Muir, D.C.G., and Norstrom, R.J., 1994, Persistent organic contaminants in Arctic marine and freshwater ecosystems: Arctic Research, v. 8, p. 136-146.
Pfirman, S.L., Eicken, H., Bauch, D., and Weeks, W, 1995, The Potential transport of pollutants by Arctic sea ice: Science of the Total Environment, v. 159, p. 129-146.
Pfirman, S.L., Kögeler, J.W., and Rigor, I., 1997, Potential for rapid transport of contaminants from the Kara Sea: Science of the Total Environment, v. 202, p. 111-122.
Smith, J.N., and Ellis, K.M., 1995, Radionuclide tracer profiles at the CESAR Ice Station and Canadian Ice Island in the western Arctic Ocean: Deep-Sea Research, v. 42, p. 1449-1470.
Smith, J.N., Ellis, K.M., Naes, K., Dahle, S., and Matishov, D., 1995, Sedimentation and mixing rates of radionuclides in Barents Sea sediments off Novaya Zemlya: Deep-Sea Research, v.42,p. 1471-1493.
Smith, J.N., K.M. Ellis, and Kilius, L.R., 1998,129I and 137Cs tracer measurements in the Arctic Ocean: Deep-Sea Research I, v. 45, p. 959-984.
van Oostdam, J., Gilman, A., Dewailly, E., Usher, P., Wheatley, B., Kuhnlein, H., Neve, S., Walker, J., Tracy, B., Feeley, M., Jerome, V., and Kwavnick, B., 1999, Human health implications of environmental contaminants in Arctic Canada: a review: The Science of the Total Environment, v. 230, p. 1-82.
Wilson, J.S., Murray, J.L., and Huntington, H.P., 1998, AMAP Assessment Report: Arctic Pollution Issues: Oslo, Norway, Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme, p. 859.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2001 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Macdonald, R.W. (2001). The Arctic Ocean and Contaminants: Pathways That Lead to Us. In: Bendell-Young, L., Gallaugher, P. (eds) Waters in Peril. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1493-0_9
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-1493-0_9
Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA
Print ISBN: 978-1-4613-5581-6
Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-1493-0
eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive