Toxic chemicals in the Arctic

Arctic Gulls Ingest Chemical Cocktail

CBC

The glaucous gull is found in Arctic regions around the world. It is a large omnivorous gull that is the top predator in its particular food web.

They were first studied in the 1980's because they had declined in number by about 50 percent.

The main causes were suspected to be global warming, as well as chemical contamination of their livers, eggs and plasma.

Recent research by Dr. Jonathan Verreault, Canada Research Chair in Comparative Avian Toxicology and an Assistant Professor at Université du Quebec à Montreal, has found that the same problems face the glaucous gull today.

Although DDT and PCB's were banned in the 1970's, they still persist in the frigid Arctic.

Similarly, some flame retardants - found in many household products - were banned less than a decade ago, and also show up in the birds.

However, scientists were surprised to find evidence of six new flame retardants in the gulls as well.

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