Recent research has found that polar bears near Hudson Bay in Canada are carrying around a wide array of chemical contaminants.
According to a report by The Canadian Press, a group of scientists tested tissue from 41 bears for 295 persistent organic compounds. Ultimately, they found traces of 210 compounds “with some frequency” but at varying levels of contamination (most were present at parts per billion).
Some of the chemicals included banned or restricted substances like DDT or PCBs, which have been declining in the environment in recent years. However, levels for other chemicals that have been restricted in the last few decades remained the same as previous studies — a result that confounded the researchers.
The good news, the group says, is that chemical contamination in bears doesn’t appear to be increasing overall.
Because they are at the top of the food chain, chemical contamination in bears is indicative of widespread pollution throughout the environment.
The scientists hope to use this study to inform further research about how polar bears are adapting to climate change.
“It’s a major challenge for us to understand how climate change variables are affecting contaminant exposure,” one of the scientists said.
