Joanne Delaronde and Allison MacHutchon
November, 07 - 2007
Nov. 07, 2007
Off the coast of Banks Island Canada
Joanne Delaronde and Allison MacHutchon
Our group is here in the Beaufort Sea on the CCGS Amundsen collecting samples of air, water, zooplankton (very small animals that drift in the water), fish, sediment and ice as part of this International Polar Year project.
We are looking for compounds in these samples that are among a large group called contaminants. Contaminants generally do not occur naturally in the environment. Most of the contaminants found in the Arctic are not produced there but make their way from lower latitudes and warmer climates through air movement, wind patterns, precipitation, river and water systems, ocean currents and other pathways. Contaminants can include everything from waterproof coating on clothing to pesticides to floor polish to industrial pollutants. These kinds of contaminants are often designed to last and can remain in the environment for long periods of time. They are referred to as persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
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One of the main focuses of our project involves HCHs or hexachlorocyclohexanes. Lindane, an agricultural insecticide, in an example of an HCH that we can detect in the samples we gather. Using a procedure called gas chromatography, it is possible to determine chemical signatures for the HCHs and to distinguish sea-derived compounds from those delivered through background air. This is part of understanding the fate of these compounds once they are introduced to the environment.
Another contaminant that we are measuring is mercury (Hg). Mercury is a trace element that has long been known to cause damage to the central nervous system. It has become a critical contaminant concern in the Arctic. Although Hg does occur naturally, it does not pose a problem when it is bound to other minerals in the earth’s surface. It becomes an issue once it is released into the atmosphere through human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, flooding of land for the creation of reservoirs and strip mining. It is then transported to the Arctic with air currents and is deposited on snow, ice and water surfaces. From here it makes its way into the food chain via bioaccumulation (the tendency for organisms to accumulate a contaminant in their tissues) and biomagnification (the increase in the concentration of a contaminant as it is passed up the food chain). The amount of mercury increases and it ultimately reaches the people who consume northern foods as part of their traditional diet.
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Why should we be concerned about contaminants in the Arctic environment? Currently, we have some understanding of the linkages among contaminant sources, pathways and levels in Arctic systems. Will these be altered due to climate variability and change? Have they already been altered? Arctic ecosystems exist in a delicate balance affected by climate change. Therefore, it is important to study and understand contaminant pathways and changes in Arctic ecosystems because of the potential consequences of altering this balance and affecting the health of these ecosystems, and the humans and organisms residing there.
Off the coast of Banks Island Canada
Joanne Delaronde and Allison MacHutchon
Our group is here in the Beaufort Sea on the CCGS Amundsen collecting samples of air, water, zooplankton (very small animals that drift in the water), fish, sediment and ice as part of this International Polar Year project.
We are looking for compounds in these samples that are among a large group called contaminants. Contaminants generally do not occur naturally in the environment. Most of the contaminants found in the Arctic are not produced there but make their way from lower latitudes and warmer climates through air movement, wind patterns, precipitation, river and water systems, ocean currents and other pathways. Contaminants can include everything from waterproof coating on clothing to pesticides to floor polish to industrial pollutants. These kinds of contaminants are often designed to last and can remain in the environment for long periods of time. They are referred to as persistent organic pollutants (POPs).
>>>>>>>>
One of the main focuses of our project involves HCHs or hexachlorocyclohexanes. Lindane, an agricultural insecticide, in an example of an HCH that we can detect in the samples we gather. Using a procedure called gas chromatography, it is possible to determine chemical signatures for the HCHs and to distinguish sea-derived compounds from those delivered through background air. This is part of understanding the fate of these compounds once they are introduced to the environment.
Another contaminant that we are measuring is mercury (Hg). Mercury is a trace element that has long been known to cause damage to the central nervous system. It has become a critical contaminant concern in the Arctic. Although Hg does occur naturally, it does not pose a problem when it is bound to other minerals in the earth’s surface. It becomes an issue once it is released into the atmosphere through human activities such as the burning of fossil fuels, flooding of land for the creation of reservoirs and strip mining. It is then transported to the Arctic with air currents and is deposited on snow, ice and water surfaces. From here it makes its way into the food chain via bioaccumulation (the tendency for organisms to accumulate a contaminant in their tissues) and biomagnification (the increase in the concentration of a contaminant as it is passed up the food chain). The amount of mercury increases and it ultimately reaches the people who consume northern foods as part of their traditional diet.
>>>>>>>>
Why should we be concerned about contaminants in the Arctic environment? Currently, we have some understanding of the linkages among contaminant sources, pathways and levels in Arctic systems. Will these be altered due to climate variability and change? Have they already been altered? Arctic ecosystems exist in a delicate balance affected by climate change. Therefore, it is important to study and understand contaminant pathways and changes in Arctic ecosystems because of the potential consequences of altering this balance and affecting the health of these ecosystems, and the humans and organisms residing there.
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