Persistent organic pollutants in large concentrations in Arctic areas: Fires spread environmental toxins over the Arctic
Tuesday, June 1, 2010 - 09:11
in Earth & Climate
Forest fires and straw and stubble burning in North America and Eastern Europe are leading to record-high concentrations of the environmental toxin PCB over Svalbard. As a result of climate change, airborne pollution is thus becoming an increasing problem in the Arctic. For the last decades, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) have been found in large concentrations in Arctic areas. These substances accumulate in living organisms and are enriched throughout the food chain. Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) is one of the most important environmental toxins of this type.