Chemicals pose threat to the Arctic bird population

With heavy usage of chemicals round the clock and its unstoppable limit to levy its usage the Arctic bird population is being rightly affected. From pollution, climate change and various other factors the Arctic population has had its own reach ability of getting endangered. The exposure to organic chemical pollutants (POPs) is also one of the prime reasons affecting the lives of the population in the region especially the glaucous gulls.

Several contaminants, plus other threats that endanger the gull, like global warming and new parasites in the environment, work together to harm the gull. Studies show that the gull is a bioindicator species that provides clear evidence that the Cape Dorset marine food web consists of a complex mixture of a more recently introduced chemicals of potential health concern to Arctic wildlife. Also as per research it was found that the gull’s liver contained high levels of methyl mercury and mercury. Also, traits of flame retardants were found in liver. Flame retardants are chemicals that are pre dominantly used in the North and swept by the atmospheric waves in the Arctic region. However, such chemicals increasingly being a part of the food web are posing a great threat to the health and wellness of the bird and above all are a very big setback to the ecosystem and the global environment as well.

Most of the synthetic chemicals found in Arctic animals break down very slowly. The persistence in the environment lets them to accumulate in animals, and pass on to the food web. Arctic animals store energy as fat for survival in the cold, and therefore fat is an important part of the diet. Most of the organic pollutants are fat-soluble and accumulate in the fatty tissues of animals. Henceforth, with the fat in their diet, animals take in the organic contaminants.

However effective steps are being taken to stop the usage of flame retardants as an effective measure In Europe a proof has to be given to the legislations that the product to be used is not persistent, bioaccumulation in species, and is not toxic. Thereby, Hope is but sustained that effective methodology will be adopted to the ecosystem and the Arctic environment.

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