PCDD and PCB Concentrations in Antarctic and Arctic Wildlife

Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and dioxin-like PCBs were measured in liver and egg samples from four polar species. The dataset compares toxic equivalent (TEQ) values across Adélie penguin eggs, South Polar skua eggs, Weddell seal livers, and polar bear livers from the Alaskan Arctic. It was published by the organization SCIOPS, with data last updated in March 1999.

Use Cases

• Compare total PCDD/DF concentrations between species like skua eggs (mean=181 pg g–1) and polar bear liver.
• Analyze estimated 2378-TCDD toxicity equivalents (TEQs) across sample types, such as skua eggs (mean=344 pg g–1) versus polar bears (mean=120 pg g–1).
• Assess health risks by comparing measured TEQ values, like in skua eggs, to known toxicity thresholds for avian species.
• Investigate bioaccumulation patterns of dioxin-like PCBs across different trophic levels and tissues (liver vs. egg).

Strengths

• Provides comparative contaminant data for four key polar vertebrate species.
• Reports specific mean concentration values (e.g., 181 pg g–1 total PCDD/DFs in skua eggs) and toxicity equivalents (TEQs).
• Includes samples from both Antarctic (penguin, skua, seal) and Arctic (polar bear) regions for a broad geographic perspective.

Limitations

• Sample size and number of records are unknown, limiting statistical power assessment.
• Data is from 1999, which may not reflect current contaminant levels due to changing environmental policies and conditions.
• Specific measurement columns (e.g., individual congener data) and file structure are unspecified.

Provenance

Source

SCIOPS, accessed via NASA EarthData.

Collection Method

Chemical analysis of contaminants in collected wildlife tissue and egg samples.

Time Range

Collection date unknown; dataset last updated 1999.

Freshness

1999-03-30

Geography

Alaskan Arctic (polar bears) and Antarctic (Adélie penguins, South Polar skuas, Weddell seals).