Sources and transport of persistent pollutants to the Arctic

During the last two decades the importance of long-range transport as a contaminant source for the pristine Arctic regions has been proven. Models are developed in order to predict spatial, seasonal and structural dependent patterns in the distribution of antropogenic pollutants. The most accepted theory today describes the transport of semi-volatile persistent organic pollutants as a temperature and weather dependent repeated deposition and remobilization process between the atmosphere and the ocean and land surface, with a final deposition in the cold northern region. Results also indicate possible new local sources of pesticides in the European Arctic in addition to the long-range transport from more temperate areas. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.