Abstract:

This study presents our preliminary results of the concentrations of chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminants in muscle, liver of caribou and intestine tissues of seal collected from the Arctic Area by China Arctic Scientific Expedition in April 1995. Hexachlorocyclohexanes (α, β, γ and δ-HCH), DDT group (p, P′-DDE, o, P′-DDT, p, P′-DDD and p, P′-DDT) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were analyzed. The concentrations of ∑HCH ranged from 3.13 ng/g to 7.02 ng/g and those of ∑DDT ranged from 0.16 ng/g to 1.28 ng/g. 14 individual PCB congeners, each in the range of 0.01-0.12 ng/g, were detected and the concentration of ∑PCB was from 0.14 ng/g to 0.60 ng/g. Also, the results were compared with the data reported previously.

Key words: organic chlorinated pesticides, PCB, caribou, seal, Arctic