Persistent Organic Pollutants in Polar Ecosystems: Current Situation and Future Challenges Under Climate Change

Abstract

The polar regions had long been regarded as healthy ecosystems free of any hazardous traces left by human activity. Unfortunately, since the intensification of industrial activities leading to huge releases into environment, anthropogenic pollutants through global atmospheric and ocean currents were found with more or less high concentrations in all polar ecosystem compartments. Among these pollutants, one of the most dangerous categories is persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Since polar ecosystems are fragile and have a limited capacity for resilience, their contamination can generate unforeseeable consequences that can affect global cycles. Our work aims to compile data collected through a review of studies carried out within the framework of POPs evolution in polar regions, and then to compare them in order to identify future improvements to be made within the framework of POPs monitoring in the Arctic and Antarctic. According to our observations, POPs concentrations in all ecosystem compartments in Arctic are much higher than in Antarctica. Moreover, global warming influencing the abiotic factors of diffusion and mobility of POPs has led to a massive revolatization of POPs in the Arctic as well as an increase in their concentrations in large mammals. We also noted a lack of availability of consistent and continuous long-term data in Antarctic, which is why an ambiguity persists in the understanding of the POPs contamination routes, their evolution as well as the application of projection models.