Organochlorines in Greenland lake sediments and landlocked Arctic char ( Salvelinus alpinus)

Abstract

Lake sediments and landlocked Arctic char ( Salvelinus alpinus) were sampled in 1994 and 1995 at four different locations in Greenland, three at the west coast and one at the east coast. Sediments, char muscle and char liver were analysed for PCBs (10 congeners), DDTs (pp′), HCHs (α, β, γ), dieldrin, HCB and chlordanes (5) and char in addition to toxaphene (total and 4 congeners). All organochlorines in the sediment samples were below the detection limit of 0.1 μg kg −1 dry wt., while the overall geometric means in Arctic char muscle were, in μg kg −1 wet wt., for PCBs 11 (range 1–140), for DDTs 4.0 (1–35), for HCHs 0.4 (0.06–1.5), for dieldrin 0.7 (<0.1–4.2), for HCB 0.7 (0.09–3.8), for chlordanes 4.8 (1–57) and for total toxaphene 13 (1–180). The sums of PCBs, DDTs, chlordanes and total toxaphene disclosed higher concentrations in muscle of char from the east coast compared to char from the west coast. Dieldrin and HCB showed the same tendency, but less pronounced, while the sum of HCHs were found in highest concentrations at the west coast. PCB, DDT, chlordane and toxaphene concentrations showed a decreasing trend following the East Greenland Current. Principal component analysis on PCB congeners showed that the proportion of higher chlorinated PCBs (Cl >5) were higher in Qaqortoq in south Greenland compared to the three other sampling areas in Greenland. However, no correlation was seen either between degree of chlorination and latitude or between degree of chlorination and PCB concentrations.