ARCTIC POPs 2001-2004ARCTIC POPs 2001-2004

Science, education and friendship

Science, education and friendship

Arctic POPs 2001-2004POP= Persistent Organic Pollutants

How did it started?

Project objectives

Scientific results

Educational results

Arctic POPs 2001-2004

Collaboration among Arctic GLOBE schools

1999 Contact with NILU (Norwegian Institute for Air

Research) Finding interested scientists Choosing theme

• POPs and potential POPs (brominated flame retardants)

2000 Presentation of the project at GLOBE annual

conference Invitation of schools (2 from each country)

2001 Development of protocols Workshop in Fairbanks

Project Objective

InvestigateInvestigate the distribution and level of new selected POPs in the Arctic region

Increase the knowledgeIncrease the knowledge of POPs and general environmental science in the involved schools

Contribute to the Contribute to the documentationdocumentation of new POPs in the Arctic, needed for international political processes

PBDE47

PBDE99

PCB153

Scientific resultsProtocol 2001-2004

Scientific correct sampling of fish tissue liver from cod, burbot, haddock, whitefish fillets from salmonids (salmon, trout, char, whitefish)

Written protocol by NILU Precleaned and burned equipment from NILU

Biological parameters length, weight, maturity, otoliths and scales

Preparing datasheets, documentation with camera marking and packing in a correct way and shipping to NILU

Reporting via internet portal www.nilu.no/web/arcticpops

FilletingFilleting

MaturityMaturity

LengthLength

OtolithsOtoliths

Packing the filletPacking the fillet

What is POPs?

New POPs(Persistent Organic Pollutants)

Brominated flame retardants

Used in electronic equipment, textiles, and furnitures to prevent fires

Electronic parts of color televisions and personal computers

Textile coatings; sofas, in seats of cars, buses, and aircraft.

PBDE47

PBDE99

PCB153

PBDE=polybrominated diphenyl ethers

PCB=polychlorinated biphenyls

Old Crow

Pangnirtung

Akureyri

Vestmanneyjar

Leknes

Vannareid

Kjøllefjord

Apatity

Kiruna

Tornio

Pajala

15 schools15 schools

Kodiak High school

Polaris K12 School

Chief Zzeh Gittlet School Samuel Hearne Secondary High School

Attagoyuk School

Barnaskoli Vestmannaeyja

Verkmenntaskólinn á Akureyri

Vannareid skole Honningsvåg fiskarfagskole og vg skole

Vestvågøy videregående skole

The Murmansk Vocational Maritime lyceum 6

Laestadiusskolan

Gymnasium 1

Hjalmar Lundbohmsskolan Pudas School

Fish types 2001-2002COD Norway VND 6 cod VVO 6 cod KFD 6 cod Iceland VMA 6 cod

BVA 4 haddock, 2 cod Alaska KHS 6 cod POK 2 cod

38 cod liver samples

Salmon, char, trout Sweden LAE 2 salmon

HJS 5 trout Alaska POK 4 salmon Canada ATT 4 char

15 fillet samples of salmon, char and trout

Burbot Finland PUS 4 burbot Canada SHH 2 burbot (loche) Sweden LAE 4 burbot

10 burbot liver samples

Whitefish Finland PUS 2 whitefish fillets Sweden HJS 1 whitefish fillet Russia GYM 4 whitefish fillets,

2 whitefish livers Canada CZG 2 whitefish livers

11 whitefish samples

PCB153 wet weightPCB153 wet weight

Median valuesMedian values

79

270

Monitoring cod liver 1990-2000:

PCB153median:76

294

Burbot liver:

SumPCBmedian: 553

125

PBDE47 median lipid weight

96

32

Cod liver

North Sea: 99 ng/g lw (63-307)

Burbot liver

Mariussen, Dioxin 2003 Mjøsa:

Burbot: 18710

Whitefish, trout:

Mariussen, Dioxin 2003 Mjøsa:

Com whitefish: pbde47: 134.7

Euro whitefish: pbde47: 1475

Trout:2197

Arctic POPs 2001-2004Educational results

Doing real science

Doing sampling following a protocol

Practice interpretation of measurements

Design their own projects

International collaboration

New York 22.04.04

Levels of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Cod, Salmon, Char, and Trout Taken From

Arctic Countries

Polaris K-12 School July 15 2003

Questions How do the levels of PBDE 47, PBDE

99, and PCB 153 in fish from Alaska, Sweden, and Canada vary? What may have influenced these variations?

How do POP levels from salmon, char, and trout vary?

What threats might these POPs pose to Alaskans?

Hypotheses

Our hypotheses are: POP levels will vary greatly between

Alaska and Sweden, and less between Alaska and Canada.

POP levels between Salmon, Char, and Trout will be similar.

These POPs will threaten the health of subsistence relying Alaska Natives.

Sampling Site-Ship Creek, Elmendorf Fish Hatchery

Going over the procedures

Results Toxin levels in Sweden tended to be higher

than Alaska and Canada. The schools that sampled salmon, trout, or

char in the fall of 2002 found lower levels than the previous years.

Swedish salmon contained higher levels of PBDE 47 than Swedish trout. Both were higher than Canadian char and Alaskan salmon.

Swedish trout and salmon vary in levels of PBDE 99, but both have higher levels than the Alaskan salmon and Canadian char. The char had slightly higher levels than the Alaskan salmon.

Discussion Alaskan and Canadian PCB and PBDE levels are lower than Europe’s,

however they may still pose a threat to Alaskans, especially if they rise. According to the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation,

PCBs and PBDEs may be coming to the North Pacific from East Asia. Fish represents almost 60% Alaska native diets. According to “Persistent Organic Pollutants in Alaska” by ACAT, PCB

levels in Alaskan lake trout are about 3.7 ng/g

Conclusions POP levels varied greatly between Alaska,

Sweden and Canada. These variations are most likely due to location. Salmon, trout and char have similar levels of

POPs with respect to their location. Alaskan POP levels are lower than most other

countries. POPs pose a threat to subsistence relying Alaska

Natives and are known to have terrible health effects.

POP levels in Alaskan fish have not yet reached a level to do substantial damage to health. However due to biomagnification and rising amounts, POP levels could get dangerous further up the food chain.