Legacy and Emerging Persistent Organic Pollutants in Antarctic Benthic Invertebrates near Rothera Point, Western Antarctic Peninsula

Pollutant
levels in polar regions are gaining progressively more
attention from the scientific community. This is especially so for
pollutants that persist in the environment and can reach polar latitudes
via a wide range of routes, such as some persistent organic pollutants
(POPs). In this study, samples of Antarctic marine benthic organisms
were analyzed for legacy and emerging POPs (polychlorinated biphenyls
(PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and organochlorine
pesticides) to comprehensively assess their current POP concentrations
and infer the potential sources of the pollutants. Specimens of five
benthic invertebrate species were collected at two distinct locations
near Rothera research station on the Antarctic Peninsula (67°35′8
̋ S and 68°7′59 ̋ W). Any impact of the nearby
Rothera station as a local source of pollution appeared to be negligible.
The most abundant chemicals detected were hexachlorobenzene (HCB)
and BDE-209. The highest concentrations detected were in limpets and
sea urchins, followed by sea stars, ascidians, and sea cucumbers.
The relative congener patterns of PCBs and PBDEs were similar in all
of the species. Some chemicals (e.g., heptachlor, oxychlordane, and
mirex) were detected in the Antarctic invertebrates for the first
time. Statistical analyses revealed that the distribution of the POPs
was not only driven by the feeding traits of the species but also
by the physicochemical properties of the specific compounds.