Patterns and levels of organochlorines (DDTs, PCBs, non-ortho PCBs and PCDD/Fs) in male harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from the Baltic Sea, the Kattegat-Skagerrak Seas and the west coast of Norway
P. Berggrena et al., Patterns and levels of organochlorines (DDTs, PCBs, non-ortho PCBs and PCDD/Fs) in male harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from the Baltic Sea, the Kattegat-Skagerrak Seas and the west coast of Norway, MAR POLL B, 38(12), 1999, pp. 1070-1084
Patterns and levels of chlorinated aromatic contaminants (DDTs, PCBs, non-o
rtho PCBs and PCDD/Fs) in blubber tissue were compared among six sample gro
ups of male harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from the Baltic Sea, the
Kattegat-Skagerrak Seas and the west coast of Norway. A principal component
and classification analysis showed that mature harbour porpoises from the
Baltic had significantly different contaminant patterns than animals from t
he Kattegat-Skagerrak and Norway. ANOVAs showed that mature porpoises from
the Baltic had higher levels of Sigma PCB and several individual PCBs and P
CDD/Fs than the Kattegat-Skagerrak and the Norwegian samples and higher Sig
ma DDT than the Norwegian, A comparison between immature porpoises showed t
hat Baltic animals had higher levels of Sigma PCDD/F than the corresponding
sample from the Kattegat-Skagerrak. The levels of Sigma DDT, Sigma PCB and
Sigma non-ortho PCB were significantly higher in animals collected during
1978-81 compared to animals collected in 1988-90 indicating a temporal decl
ine of these organochlorines in the Kattegat-Skagerrak Seas. The contaminan
t levels recorded in the Baltic Sea are a serious cause for concern and cou
ld have management implications for the already threatened harbour porpoise
s in this area. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd, All rights reserved.