[Shadow_Group] Fw: [Left Hook] Chemical concentrations rise in polar bears

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Chemical concentrations rise in polar bears
WebPosted Oct 5 2004 09:39 AM CDT
CBC North

IQALUIT - Scientists have found the levels of fluorinated chemicals in
polar bears in the Canadian Arctic are increasing at an alarming rate.

Levels of fluorinated chemicals are doubling every four to six years in
the bears, scientists say
The chemicals are used as stain repellents on carpets, clothing and
furniture.

They add to the already high levels of PCBs found in polar bear fat.

Fluorochemicals

PCB levels have been slowly coming down in polar bears as an worldwide ban
reduces the amount found in the environment, but there isn't a similar
agreement on the emissions of fluorinated chemicals.

The chemicals are used in Stainmaster carpets, Gore-Tex fabric, Teflon
frying pans, medical equipment tubing and the oil-repellent wrappers used
by fast food restaurants to serve hamburgers.

They evaporate off items and make their way through the atmosphere,
carried by snow and rain, to the North.

Now they're ending up in the liver of the animal found at the top of the
Arctic food chain. Some researchers suggest fluorinated chemicals have now
become the most highly concentrated pollutants in Arctic life

Derek Muir, a research scientist with Environment Canada, says the
chemicals are doubling in concentration in polar bears every four to six
years.

"We've found some fluorinated chemicals that we frankly didn't expect to
see," he says. "These are things used on carpets as stain repellents and
we've also recently found that these amounts are going up in the bears."

Health Canada is concerned high levels of fluorinated chemicals in bears
means the same fate for humans.

But preliminary findings from blood samples taken from more than 500
people in the North show so far that's not the case.

Inuit eat polar bear meat but not the liver, and that could be one of the
reasons the rates are low.

"The concentrations did not appear greater in the northern population than
those reported for southern population," says Samuel Benrejeb, who is with
Health Canada's Bureau of chemical safety.

Benrejeb says Health Canada is now preparing to do a more extensive study
in the North.

As for polar bears, the high levels of fluorinated compounds are a concern.

Biologists fear they will affect the bear's thyroid and growth.

Fluorochemicals are known to be a rat carcinogen, but it's not known what
it's effect is on humans.

--
Macdonald Stainsby
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green<http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green>
In the contradiction lies the hope.
--Brecht.
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