Flame Retardant Concentrations in St. Lawrence and Arctic Whales

Blubber samples from 51 male belugas and 12 minke whales in the St. Lawrence Estuary, plus 6 male belugas from Nunavik, were analyzed for 35 PBDE congeners and 13 emerging flame retardant compounds. The dataset includes measurements of sex, age, body length, lipid percentage, carcass freshness index, stable isotopes (d13C, d15N), and contaminant concentrations in ng/g lipid weight. Samples were collected from 1997 to 2014 by Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Use Cases

• Model contaminant concentration in blubber as a function of stable isotope ratios (d13C, d15N) and whale age to trace bioaccumulation pathways.
• Analyze trends in specific PBDE congener levels across the 1997-2014 time range to assess temporal changes in pollutant exposure.
• Compare flame retardant concentrations between beluga and minke whale species using sex, body length, and lipid percentage data.
• Investigate correlations between carcass freshness index and measured contaminant concentrations to assess sample degradation effects.

Strengths

• Includes 69 individual whale samples with detailed biological and contaminant measurements.
• Covers 35 PBDE congeners and 13 emerging flame retardant compounds for a total of 48 analyzed contaminants.
• Sample collection spans 17 years (1997-2014), enabling temporal trend analysis.
• Quality control procedures included method blanks, duplicate samples, and standard reference materials for each batch.

Limitations

• Sample size is limited, with only 6 male belugas from the Nunavik region and no female belugas from the St. Lawrence population.
• Temporal coverage is discontinuous, relying on stranded carcasses and subsistence hunt samples rather than systematic annual sampling.

Provenance

Source

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, based on research published in Simond et al. (2017).

Collection Method

Tissue samples collected from stranded whale carcasses in the St. Lawrence and from landed carcasses during Inuit subsistence hunts in Nunavik, with lab analysis following published methods.

Time Range

1997 to 2014

Freshness

Data last updated on the platform in March 2026, but sample collection ended in 2014.

Geography

St. Lawrence Estuary (Canada) and Nunavik (Canadian Arctic)