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(Table 2) Mercury concentration in hair of Northwest Greenland polar bears (Ursus maritimus)

Hair samples from 117 Northwest Greenland polar bears (Ursus maritimus) were taken during 1892-2008 and analyzed for total mercury (hereafter Hg). The sample represented 28 independent years and the aim of the study was to analyze for temporal Hg trends. Mercury concentrations showed yearly significant increases of 1.6-1.7% (p < 0.0001) from 1892 to 2008 and the two most recent median concentrations from 2006 and 2008 were 23- to 27-fold higher respectively than baseline level from 1300 A.D. in the same region (Nuullit). This indicates that the present (2006-2008) Northwest Greenland polar bear Hg exposure is 95.6-96.2% anthropogenic in its origin. Assuming a continued anthropogenic increase, this model estimated concentrations in 2050 and 2100 will be 40- and 92-fold the baseline concentration, respectively, which is equivalent to a 97.5 and 98.9% man-made contribution. None of the 2001-2008 concentrations of Hg in Northwest Greenland polar bear hair exceeded the general guideline values of 20-30 µg/g dry weight for terrestrial wildlife, whereas the neurochemical effect level of 5.4 µg Hg/g dry weight proposed for East Greenland polar bears was exceeded in 93.5% of the cases. These results call for detailed effect studies in main target organs such as brain, liver, kidney, and sexual organs in the Northwest Greenland polar bears.

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Cite this as

Dietz, Rune, Born, Erik W, Rigét, Frank F, Aubail, Aurore, Sonne, Christian, Drimmie, R, Basu, Nandini (2011). Dataset: (Table 2) Mercury concentration in hair of Northwest Greenland polar bears (Ursus maritimus). https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.808872

DOI retrieved: 2011

Additional Info

Field Value
Imported on November 29, 2024
Last update November 29, 2024
License CC-BY-3.0
Source https://doi.org/10.1594/PANGAEA.808872
Author Dietz, Rune
Given Name Rune
Family Name Dietz
More Authors
Born, Erik W
Rigét, Frank F
Aubail, Aurore
Sonne, Christian
Drimmie, R
Basu, Nandini
Source Creation 2011
Publication Year 2011
Resource Type text/tab-separated-values - filename: Dietz_2011
Subject Areas
Name: BiologicalClassification

Name: Ecology

Name: HumanDimensions

Related Identifiers
Title: Temporal trends and future predictions of mercury concentrations in Northwest Greenland polar bear (Ursus maritimus) hair
Identifier: https://doi.org/10.1021/es1028734
Type: DOI
Relation: IsSupplementTo
Year: 2011
Source: Environmental Science & Technology
Authors: Dietz Rune , Born Erik W , Rigét Frank F , Aubail Aurore , Sonne Christian , Drimmie R , Basu Nandini .