Airborne contaminants in the Arctic: what we need to know

Arctic contaminant research is expensive and current international resources are restricted. It is incumbent upon current and future Arctic research programs to focus efforts where the greatest and most relevant information can be gained. This paper is an attempt to help guide future work to focus on the most pressing information needs. The following several summary points relate to environmental research in the Arctic; some may also relate to environmental research outside the Arctic as well: The Arctic is a unique region, where continued scientific investigation of airborne contaminants promises to reveal issues of global significance regarding airborne contaminant distribution, the physical and chemical processes involved, and their ecological effects. Ecological studies, especially monitoring, require a continuous commitment over a substantial period of time. Funding agencies and researchers should plan for long-term studies that may require up to 10–15 years to demonstrate advances in our basic understanding of arctic contaminant science. Monitoring work may require even more time to verify changes. Arctic contaminant problems are multidisciplinary and the best chance of advancing our scientific information base is through interdisciplinary studies that are integrated from the start and that incorporate traditional knowledge. Human and ecological biomarkers and bioindicators should be developed that are sensitive, relatively inexpensive to measure, and broadly available. The most persistent and deleterious chemical contaminants should be controlled globally now; other chemicals should be substituted that have been adequately screened for their effects on the developing endocrine, immune, and nervous systems, as well as for traditional health endpoints. Early on in the process, indigenous people should be involved in the scientific studies and research findings should be communicated to them in a meaningful way. Finally, a work to scientists: do not wait for governments or policy makers to implement these recommendations. Each one of us can and must make our own, personal effort to harmonize our sampling and analytical methods, reporting, databases, analyses, and communications with colleagues at other institutions around the world. Only through continued cooperation and individual effort can we hope to be successful in providing pertinent environmental data on a circumarctic and global scale.