MEPS 337:155-164 (2007)  -  doi:10.3354/meps337155

ABSTRACT: Concentrations of organochlorines (OCs) such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane (DDT), hexachlorocyclobenzene (HCB), chlordanes, and hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) were measured in 3 different species of benthic marine amphipods (Eurythenes gryllus, Anonyx nugax, and Paramphitoe hystrix) from 4 different locations: 2 from the Canadian Arctic and 2 from the Norwegian Arctic. In addition, polycyclicaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and brominated flameretardants (BFR) such as polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) were measured in E. gryllus from the Norwegian Arctic. For all species and locations, concentrations of OCs in the amphipods were higher than those found in zooplankton and other benthic organisms from the same areas. If the amphipods’ OC concentrations were determined by sediment exposure, their values would be close to other benthic infauna, suggesting that sediment exposure does not explain the amphipods’ higher OC concentrations. In fact, the OC concentrations in benthic amphipods were similar to those in seals and gulls, which provides strong evidence that benthic amphipods are scavengers of higher trophic level carrion. Concentrations of PBDE and PAH were also high in E. gryllus (ΣPBDE 115 to 493 ng g^–1 lipid weight [lw]; ΣPAH 269 ng g^–1 lw), and were in the same range as measured in marine animals. BFR concentrations correlated with PCB and DDT concentrations (PCBs: r² = 0.61 p < 0.0076; DDTs: r² = 0.530 p < 0.0171), indicating the same bioaccumulation potential. BFRs are thereby emerging problems as their concentrations increase in Arctic regions.

KEY WORDS: Arctic · Benthic amphipods · Organochlorines · Scavenger · PCB · DDT · PBDE · HBCD · PAH