POPS
PRODUCERS
POPs in the Arctic
Table 2: Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) that contaminate the
Arctic
Additional AMAP-POPs: (Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program 1998)
| Endosulfan |
TBT |
| HCH-mixed
isomers |
Lindane
(gamma-HCH) |
| Atrazine
|
Pentachlorophenol
(PCP)* |
| Chlorothalonil
|
Chlorpyrifos |
| Methoxychlor
|
|
*
PCP has limited capacity to volatilise from water. PCP is slowly dechlorinated
in anaerobic sediments and is also converted to pentachloroanisole (PCA)
by biomethylation. PCA is quite volatile and detectable in Arctic air,
water, plants, and lower food web organisms.
Chemicals detected in biota from Svalbard, Northern Norway (AMAP
1998):
Brominated Flame Retardants
Polychlorinated Naphthalenes
Chlorinated Paraffins
Table 4. Some of the world leading chemical companies that have been
involved in the manufacture of one or more POPs contaminating the Arctic
(source: adapted from: United Nations 1994)
| Hoechst
(Germany): |
heptachlor
HCH
Endosulfan |
| BASF
(Germany): |
Aldrin
Lindane
Methoxychlor
|
| Bayer
(Germany): |
Hexachlorobenzene
PCB's
Endosulfan
Lindane |
| ICI
(UK): |
DDT
Aldrin
Endosulfan
Lindane
|
| Rhône
Poulenc (France): |
Aldrin
Endosulfan
Lindane
Methoxychlor
PCP |
| Du
Pont (US): |
Endosulfan |
| Shell
(Netherlands/UK): |
Aldrin
Dieldrin
HCH
Endosulfan |
Akzo
Nobel (Netherlands/Sweden):
Nobel: |
Endosulfan
Lindane
Methoxychlor
PCP |
Novartis
(Ciba/Sandoz, Switzerland)
Sandoz: |
Chlordane
Aldrin
Endosulfan
Lindane |
| Monsanto
(US): |
PCB's |
| EniChem
(Italy): |
DDT |