Mercury Levels in Polar Bear Fur Across Arctic Regions
In the Arctic region associated with Russia, polar bears show notably low mercury concentrations in their wool compared with other areas. Researchers from the Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry (GEOKHI) at the Russian Academy of Sciences, along with international colleagues, analyzed mercury content in fur samples from polar bears across 87 individuals sourced from the Russian Arctic and Norway, collected between 2008 and 2016. The study also explored how the bears’ diets might influence the mercury levels observed in their fur. This overview reflects findings reported to socialbites.ca by the Ministry of Education and Science, and summarized by the Carbon Geochemistry Laboratory under GEOKHI RAS. The Principal Investigator Vyacheslav Sevastyanov provided the core interpretation of these results. [Citation: GEOKHI RAS, Carbon Geochemistry Laboratory]n
The research team examined a total of 100 wool samples from polar bears in two major subregions of the Arctic: the Norwegian sector and three Russian Arctic zones. The goal was twofold: first, to quantify the total mercury concentration in fur, and second, to assess whether dietary patterns could account for observed variations in mercury burden. Through this approach, the scientists aimed to understand how rapidly mercury moves through Arctic food webs and how species at the apex, like polar bears, accumulate this neurotoxin over time. The geographic scope and the multi-year sampling window provided a robust data set for cross-regional comparisons. [Citation: GEOKHI RAS, dietary linkage analysis]n
Key findings indicate that average mercury levels in polar bears from the Norwegian Arctic average around 1.99 µg/g dry weight, while bears in the three Russian Arctic regions show averages in the 1.33–1.75 µg/g dw range. In broad terms, these values are roughly 25–50 percent of the concentrations measured in Greenland and North American polar bear populations. In Norway, mercury concentrations tended to rise with consumption of marine and higher-trophic-level prey, consistent with what one would expect when diet shifts toward more energy-dense, mercury-rich prey items. By contrast, the isotopic signatures of carbon and nitrogen in the fur of Russian bears did not show a clear association with changes in mercury concentrations, suggesting regional differences in exposure pathways or dietary ecology. [Citation: Principal Investigator Vyacheslav Sevastyanov, GEOKHI RAS]n
The researchers explain that atmospheric mercury and its deposition into snow and water vary by region and season across the Arctic. The Arctic Ocean tends to have higher mercury content, a pattern influenced by freshwater input from major rivers such as the Mackenzie, Ob, Yenisei, Lena, and others. A fraction of atmospheric mercury is converted into organomercury compounds, which can be neurotoxic and accumulate in the food web. This transformation process often affects organisms at different trophic levels and is of particular concern for apex predators like polar bears, whose exposure reflects broader environmental mercury dynamics in the region. [Citation: Arctic environmental chemistry studies]n
The broader implications of mercury and other anthropogenic pollutants on polar bears are significant, especially in the context of ongoing climate change. Elevated mercury can pose health risks to polar bears, including neurologic and metabolic disturbances, and in severe cases may manifest as headaches, respiratory issues, abdominal discomfort, and vomiting. The United States and Canada have heightened interest in monitoring industrial discharges and regulating emissions into rivers and air to curb mercury influx into Arctic ecosystems. Scientists advocate for strengthened controls on industrial discharges and more vigilant tracking of mercury deposition to help mitigate potential health impacts on polar bears as Arctic conditions shift. [Citation: Arctic health and policy assessments]n
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