Brominated flame retardants in polar bears 1999-2002

From Muir et al. 2006, Environ. Sci. Technol. 40: 449-455
Download

Brominated flame retardants were analysed in tissues collected from polar bears that were either harvested or immobilised for research purposes. Bears were collected on 9 locations (see map to the right). Rhere were no bears from Russian populations sampled, other than a few from the joint Alaska-Chokotka population, sampled in Alaskan territory.

Sampling locations for the study

Mean concentrations of ZPBDE in female polar bears from 9 areas. Results are arranged longitudinally from west to east.

Geometric mean concentrations of ZPBDE ranged from 6.7 ng/g lipid weight in the Bering-Chukchi females to 69.6 ng/g lipid weight in East Greenland. Concentrations of ZPBDE were significantly higher in bears from East Greenland and Svalbard than all other locations.