Sources and pathways of persistent polychlorinated pollutants to remote areas of the North Atlantic and levels in the marine food chain: a research update

A summary is given of research conducted by our laboratory since 1991 on the dispersion and pathways of persistent organochlorines (POCs) to remote regions of the Northern North Atlantic. This review includes data not previously published and an overall interpretation of our results. Levels of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans, biphenyls and pesticides in marine mammals and sediments from these areas are presented and discussed. Special attention is given to the levels of polychlorinated bornanes (toxaphene), to date the most heavily used insecticide worldwide. Finally, temporal trends are presented.