Arctic air pollution and human health: what effects should be expected?

摘要: Persistent contaminants such as heavy metals and organochlorine compounds are transported from distant sources to the Arctic by oceanic atmospheric currents. Natives inhabiting can be exposed, because they exist at highest trophic level of arctic aquatic food chain, along which biomagnification occurs. We reviewed data available on metal body burden in natives different regions Nunavik (northern Que´bec) assessed potential risk health effects. In addition, we investigated relationship between each contaminant plasma omega-3 fatty acid content phospholipid, a surrogate measure for consumption. Cadmium exposure appears unrelated consumption species chain (r = 0.0004; P 0.99), whereas PCBs mercury were 0.49and0.52, respectively;P ≤ 0.0001). Mean blood levels measured northern Que´bec below those associated with significant neurological disorders. Typical daily intakes dioxin-like compounds, PCBs, DDE, dieldrin estimated mean concentration milk fat pharmacokinetic models. The calculated PCB intake (0.3 μg/kg/day) exceeds acceptable intake, effects reproduction development being most relevant assess future epidemiological studies.