Beluga Whale Blubber Contaminant Concentrations in the St. Lawrence Estuary, 1987-2009

128 beluga carcass samples from the St. Lawrence Estuary were analyzed for contaminant concentrations between 1987 and 2009. The dataset includes morphometric measurements, sex, age, cause of death, a fitness index, lipid proportions, and concentrations of flame retardants, PCBs, and pesticides. It was created by Fisheries and Oceans Canada to investigate temporal trends in contaminant exposure for this endangered population.

Use Cases

• Analyze temporal trends of contaminant concentrations based on sampling dates from 1987 to 2009.
• Investigate correlations between contaminant levels and biological variables like sex, age, and body condition.
• Assess the impact of specific contaminants like PCBs or flame retardants on population health based on cause of death and fitness index data.
• Model bioaccumulation pathways by comparing contaminant levels across different individuals and time periods.

Strengths

• Data covers a 22-year time series from 1987 to 2009.
• Samples from 128 individual belugas with detailed biological metadata.
• Quality control procedures included procedural blanks, Standard Reference Materials, and stable isotope analogs.
• Analytical method accuracy was validated in interlaboratory studies.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic and temporal bias inherent to the St. Lawrence Estuary carcass sampling.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Collection Method

Laboratory analysis of blubber samples from stranded beluga carcasses.

Time Range

1987 to 2009

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-20 17:12:21.949637; freshness should be verified.

Geography

St. Lawrence Estuary, Canada