Mingyasharov Giyos
Северный Арктический Федеральный Университет имена И.М.Ломоносова
Water pollution in the Arctic
Keywords: Arctic environment, pollution, development and management
Abstract
The occurrence of high concentrations of anthropogenic contaminants in the Arctic
environment has been a concern for many years. The present overview of the current threats of
pollutants from atmospheric, oceanic, river, and local pathways uses results from recent national,
pan-Arctic, and international reports to emphasize the need to address issues arising from climate
change, particularly the effect of changing weather patterns on contaminant transportation via both
waterways and the atmosphere. Regional and international actions over the past two decades
attempting to manage pollutants in the Arctic environment from land-based sources have produced
recommendations that focus primarily on increasing cooperation in research and monitoring
activities, not only among the Arctic governments themselves, but also including the interests and
resources of non-polar countries. Our Canadian perspective on the domestic and circumpolar
context of the issue, with regard to mechanisms exerting immediate control on the spread of
contaminants, describes national programs and policies that are important to the Canadian North
and to the Arctic community as a whole. All levels of Canadian government, as well as foreign
governments, have joined in working towards safeguarding the Arctic and other marine
environments. Prioritization of concerns is an important approach to tackling the numerous current
issues related to the spread of contaminants in the Arctic environment. The government needs to
give increased priority to the North, and that action needs to be taken in partnership with local
communities and pursued at the regional, national, and international levels.
Key words: Arctic pollution, ocean, human health.
1 Introduction
The effects of global pollution are magnified in the Arctic such that its ecosystems and
people are often the first to feel adverse impacts – often compared with the “canary in the coal
mine”. Priority pollution issues over the past 20 years include: Persistent Organic Pollutants
(POPs), radionuclides, mercury and other heavy metals, acidifying substances, petroleum
hydrocarbons, greenhouse gases and other climate forcing substances such as black carbon and
aerosols. Many of the problems of pollution in the Arctic are related to “legacy” pollutants. If the
Arctic Council elects to take a leading role in addressing these “legacy” pollutants, priority should
be focused on the issues surrounding Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Current legal regimes
for POPs consist of a fragmented system which targets specific chemicals, and not the introduction
of chemicals and its influence on the environment. For instance, the effects of legacy POPs on
apex predators has yet to be determined. Other gaps in legal regimes include the lack of adequate
legal measures on greenhouse gases and the need for states to ratify the Stockholm convention. As
a priority, Arctic states could encourage proactive approaches to toxic chemicals management in
addition to precautionary approaches. Arctic states could also look to expedite risk assessment and
listing consideration for chemicals of high concern for the Arctic. Since many of the sources of
Arctic pollutants are from outside the region, Arctic states could make an international call for a
new global chemicals convention with strong precautionary provisions, such as:
✓ Reverse listing approach for new chemicals through a global safe list.
✓ Require registering of exiting chemicals on global registry.
✓ Mandatory submission of chemical data prior to market access.
Other options for the Arctic Council to deal with Arctic pollution issues could be to
strengthen the Council’s Regional Programme of Action for the Protection of the Arctic Marine
Environment from Land-based Activities (Arctic RPA) by broadening its objectives and
establishing support instruments. Arctic states may also elect to domestically implement the
European Union’s “REACH”3 regulation for improved and early identification of the intrinsic
properties of chemical substances. Consideration could also be made to establish a task force or
an expert group to address toxic chemicals of concern in the Arctic marine environment.
1.1 Moderator Comments
This chapter seems to indicate a need to address international instruments in an more
integrated manner, rather than just through sectoral lenses. One of the more practical opportunities
for Arctic states would be to look at integrating chemical information within legal regimes or by
piggy backing on existing initiatives. The Arctic Council could consider taking a leadership role
in addressing how this might be achieved, and if this has been successful in the past.
Summary of Plenary Discussions
International arrangements
✓ In the case of POPs, consideration could be made to establishing a task force to look at the
European Union’s “REACH” models for implementation throughout the Arctic states.
✓ Arctic states should pursue the ratification of the Stockholm Convention on POPs,
upcoming Mercury Agreement, in addition to addressing the issue of short lived climate forcers
(SLCF) and black carbon.
✓ An emphasis on a SLCF Agreement is needed, with the Arctic Council potentially playing
a leading role.
✓ Arctic states could also be encouraged to join the Climate and Clean Air Coalition.
Human Dimension
✓ Participants reiterated the idea throughout the discussion that pollution in the Arctic is not
a case of history, but present in the Arctic. As such, the Arctic Council should look to emphasize and
apply ethical, human rights considerations to pollution management.
✓ Mercury pollution continues to be a major factor in the health of Arctic inhabitants and
needs to be expressed in terms of the implications on humans.
Arctic Council
✓ The issue of Arctic pollution is complex, but the Arctic Council should consider the
designation of one assessment and monitoring program. This will focus the efforts of a limited
capacity of subject matter experts towards common objectives.
✓ An expert group could be established with the mandate of identifying toxic chemicals of
relevance to the Arctic marine environment, including the reduction and containment of chemical
releases from activities.
✓ The implication of chemical pollutants on the marine environment needs to be highlighted
with respect to key drivers and explicit description of triggers for new actions.
✓ Improvements are needed regarding the coordination and monitoring of pollutants, and the
dissemination or accessibility of pollution related data.
✓ Arctic Council Ministers may have some challenges to link the AOR recommendations to
the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) objectives.
There should be a transition from science based decision making processes to ethicsbased
decision making.
2. Arctic Pollution Sources
This session focused on identifying existing and emerging issues of Arctic pollution
sources, with particular attention to the impacts on the marine environment; how pollution impacts
Arctic inhabitants and communities; and, options for possible future agreements and measures.
These topics where divided into the following three presentations as summarized below:
✓ Priority pollutant sources and their impact on the marine environment – Helgi Jensson
✓ Contaminants and human health – Duane Smith, James Stotts
✓ Preliminary reflections on possible future agreements/ measures – David L. VanderZwaag
Priority pollutant sources and their impact on the marine environment
It was noted that recent time series data of legacy Persistent Organic Pollutants (PCB,
DDT, HCH, etc.) indicate a decreasing trend over the past two decades in the Arctic marine
environment. While these signs are encouraging, the concentrations in animals are still high
enough to affect the health of the marine food web, and the pathways and distribution of the
contaminants may be affected by climate change in the future. The primary concerns with
emerging and current POPs is the lack of pan-Arctic time series data, the high volume of chemicals
with POPs characteristics that are being produced on a yearly basis, and the lack of global capacity
to determine the long term health effects of new contaminants in the environment. Short term
actions for consideration include the necessity to support a global mercury treaty, ratify the
Stockholm convention to reduce levels of POPs, and strengthen measures and plan the safe
transport of potentially harmful waste.
2.1 Contaminants and human health
Arctic inhabitants have an acute interest in supporting efforts to globally strengthen the
control of pollution sources and environmental contamination. Ensuring a sufficient source of
nutritious and safe country food is of high importance to the cultural, economic and social well
being of Arctic inhabitants and communities. These sources are being compromised through global
pollution sources which accumulate in the food chain and result in contamination levels in Arctic
inhabitants that exceed acceptable levels by the World Health Organization. The recent health
trend for Arctic inhabitants has shown that the adoption of a western diet into their lifestyle may
increase the likelihood of high blood pressure, diabetes, weakening immune systems, and
developmental effects in children. The Permanent Participants of the Arctic Council and Arctic
States should continue to be involved in developing global partnerships and instrument
development to reduce pollution sources, research the effects of new contaminants, and support
the development of an agreement on mercury.
2.2 Opportunities and Options
Existing international agreements and arrangements relevant to Arctic pollutants are
fragmented and do not offer a clear direction on ways to strengthen the prevention and control of
Arctic pollutants. However, there are many opportunities within these agreements and
arrangements to attain an international consensus to address pollution issues of relevance for the
Arctic. States should be encouraged to ratify existing international agreements relevant to Arctic
pollution (i.e. Stockholm Convention). Under the existing international agreements and
arrangements, implementation measures should be taken to expedite risk assessments and listing
considerations for chemicals of high concern in the Arctic. The Arctic States should also encourage
the completion of international negotiations and review processes relevant to Arctic pollutants (i.e.
Mercury, Short Lived Climate Forcers). The rapid rate of new chemicals introduced into the
market each year emphasizes the need for a more proactive approach to chemical management,
e.g. registration of chemical, toxicological and eco-toxicological information, before they become
an additional factor in the pollution of the Arctic marine environment.
3 Types of Water Pollution
The contamination of water bodies can be classified into three types, mainly,
groundwater pollution, marine pollution and surface water pollution. Contaminated water from
drains and industries which flows above the topmost layer of the soil usually creeps into the soil
and gets mixed with the groundwater, thereby polluting it. This contaminated water then
interacts with the nutrients present in the soil and alters their quality. This is termed as
groundwater pollution.
Similarly, the wastewater released from the industries flows into the river and thereby
reaches the seas and oceans. This is termed as marine pollution. It only affects humans but has an
adverse effect on marine life as well.
In the case of surface water pollution, the wastewater remains on the surface of the earth
and polluted it. This leads to the deficiency of nutrients in the soil as nutrients from other sources
are not able to penetrate in the soil due to the presence of this contaminated water.
3.1 Sources and Effects of Water Pollution
Different activities of humans have led to the contamination of the water bodies. For instanceIndustrial Waste - Pollutants such as mercury, asbestos, lead and petrochemicals which
are released as industrial waste, find their way in the water bodies and contaminate them. Often
this makes the water unfit not only for drinking but also for domestic use and survival of marine
life as well. There have been numerous occasions where groups of dead fish have swept ashore
at a given time due to the sudden increase of such chemicals in the water. Moreover, the spillage
of oil from the ships often creates a hindrance for the oxygen in the air to get dissolved in water,
thereby making it difficult for the marine animals to breathe.
Sewage and Waste Water - Another instance where the water bodies get contaminated
is due to the release of sewage and wastewater directly into the bodies without being treated.
Untreated wastewater can at times pose to be very poisonous not only for human life but for
fishes as well.
Global Warming – Global warming is another phenomenon which has been often
credited with the cause of increasing water pollution. There has been a rise in water temperature
levels due to global warming which has even led to the death of water animals as well as plants
as they were not able to survive in the increased temperatures.
Radioactive Waste – Radioactive waste is another major cause of water pollution.
Radioactive substances are utilized in atomic power plants, mechanical, medicinal and other
logical procedures. They can be found in watches, glowing timekeepers, TVs and x-beam
apparatus. There are likewise normally occurring radioisotopes from creatures and inside the
earth. If not appropriately discarded, radioactive waste can result in genuine water contamination
episodes.
Dumping – Dumping of strong squanders and litters in water bodies cause
water pollution. Litters incorporate glass, plastic, aluminium, Styrofoam and so on. They
influence amphibian plants and creatures.
3.2 Measures to Control Water Pollution:
It has become utmost importance for all of us that we must seriously think over executing some
strong steps so as to decrease, if not stop, this ever growing menace of water pollution. Some of
the measures which can be incorporated are:
Educating People – First and above all measure, we ought to teach individuals on the
harmful impacts of water pollution. In cities where lack of education is high among the rustic
individuals, there ought to be state-funded training from those talented in these fields to assist the
provincial individuals with stopping the release of waste in the water bodies. Moreover, open
defecation and wrong fishing practices should be controlled.
Fines and Laws – In the urban zones, Industries and production lines let out a
considerable measure of their waste into the water bodies. An appropriate fine forced on them
and in addition publication on their wrongdoing will enable them to stop these practices. Laws
ought to be likewise authorized to guarantee that such industries stop from rough spillage
strategies which wreck water assets like fish, lobsters and so on.
Media contribution – Using radio and TV with adverts on the impacts of water
contamination additionally ought to be urged to get the message crosswise over and also Public
Service Announcements. The more developments there are to lessen water pollution, the more
secure the water bodies will be.
Appropriate transfer of waste – There ought to be legitimate transfer of both strong and
fluid waste. Experts in charge of waste administration in the nation must give territories to
discard waste so that waste is not spilt all around. Businesses ought to be set up to reuse waste
materials.
Appropriate utilization of chemicals on farms – Water pollution can be controlled if
agriculturists are made to apply agro-synthetic concoctions legitimately on their farms through
state-provided instructions. This will reduce the spillage of such synthetic compounds into
waterways, lakes, tidal ponds and streams when rain falls. Farmers ought to be warned not to
wash the compartments of the synthetics into water bodies.
Cleaning of Drains – To avoid water pollution, the drains are required to be cleaned all
the time. In the provincial territories, pucca channels are required to be made, on the grounds that
the water is going wherever in a proper way and not just reaching the rives and seas straightaway
without being properly treated. We ought to build up an innovation to repel the channels from
the water sources.
4 Effects of pollutants
Effects of pollutants have been found in animals high in the food chains in the Arctic.
Impacts on the hormone and immune systems, reduced reproduction and increased offspring
mortality are some of the effects found in the polar bear, arctic char and harp seal. Impaired
immune system and reduced reproduction show that far-transported pollutants affect populations
of arctic animals.
The polar bear is a predator at the peak of the marine food chain in the Arctic. It mainly
eats seals, such as the ringed seal, which it hunts on the ice. Polar bears are extremely dependent
upon sea ice for hunting and living on, and will be affected by changes in the ice. As a top predator
in the marine food web, it is exposed to high levels of contaminants, especially the persistent
organic pollutants. These are slowly degradable contaminants which are stored in fat and increase
in concentration up the food chain.
Like the ringed seal, the polar bear is exposed to both pollution and decreasing sea ice.
Effects from persistent organic pollutants have been demonstrated on the hormone, vitamin,
enzyme, and immune systems of polar bears. This is a stress factor which may pose a threat to the
population in Svalbard. In addition, it has been observed that higher mortalities of cubs coincide
with higher contaminant loads in Svalbard and Franz Josef Land compared with Russia, Alaska
and Greenland. This indicates that the reproductive ability of the polar bear may also be weakened
by contaminants. Ringed seals form an important food item for polar bears, and they in turn feed
on such creatures as crustaceans and polar cod. The content of contaminants in ringed seals was
investigated in 1996 and 2004, and PCB levels fell significantly in this period.
As a top predator in the marine food web, polar bears are exposed to high levels of
contaminants, especially the persistent organic pollutants. These are slowly degradable
contaminants which are stored in fat and increase in concentration up the food chain. Effects from
persistent organic pollutants have been demonstrated on the hormone, vitamin, enzyme, and
immune systems of polar bears. This is a stress factor which may pose a threat to the population
in Svalbard.
Effects from persistent organic pollutants have been demonstrated on the hormone,
vitamin, enzyme, and immune systems of polar bears. Lower concentrations of pollutants may
mean that these effects will decline in the years to come. Since the fitness of polar bears and their
food supply can vary considerably in the course of a year, there will be periods when bears will be
more prone to the effect of the fat-soluble pollutants.
In addition, it has been observed that higher mortalities of cubs coincide with higher
contaminant loads in Svalbard and Franz Josef Land compared with Russia, Alaska and Greenland.
This indicates that the reproductive ability of the polar bear may also be weakened by
contaminants.
The sea ice is the most important polar bear hunting ground. The primary threat to the polar
bear will therefore be global warming and melting sea ice. If these lead to food becoming less
readily available, the concentration of contaminants may rise because the polar bear must turn to
its body fat and burn that, but it is not clear how the contaminants will affect the bear in such
periods. Changes in the type of prey due to altered habitat use may also result in changes in how
the animals are exposed to different types of contaminants. Future studies will be able to reveal
how levels and effects of different substances may be determined by changes in habitat use as a
consequence of climate change.
Arctic Fox. The Arctic fox in Svalbard belongs to the ecotype, coastal fox, which mainly
subsists on birds and carrion. The arctic fox is a top predator, linked to all the main groups of
animals in the archipelago, and utilizes both the terrestrial and marine food chains. Due to its link
to the marine food chain and the enormous variation in its storage of fat from one season to another,
the arctic fox is exposed to high levels of contaminants.
The arctic fox is exposed to relatively high levels of contaminants, corresponding to those
measured in polar bears. The levels in arctic foxes in Svalbard exceed those found in Alaska,
Canada and Iceland. A study of young arctic foxes from West Spitsbergen has shown a reduction
in persistent organic pollutants between 1997 and 2010 (Andersen et al. unpublished).
The fat reserves of Arctic foxes change dramatically through the year, making them
especially vulnerable because contaminants stored in adipose tissue may be liberated when the fat
stores are burnt. Large, natural, annual fluctuations in the storing of body fat mean that toxins may
be liberated from adipose tissue in the form of lipids to internal organs like the liver and brain. The
highest level of lipids, over 20 %, is attained in November-December and it is reduced during the
spring to a minimum of 6 % in summer. The Arctic fox also experiences extreme variations in its
fat reserves through the winter in periods when food is in short supply.
Animals that are in good health have been found to have lower levels of contaminants than
unfit ones. Arctic foxes have little body fat when they are experiencing a comparatively high
degree of physiological stress in the breeding season in spring and summer, and in periods when
they are hungry in winter.
We know very little about the effects the high levels of contaminants have on, for example,
a suckling mother and her cubs, or a fox that cannot find food and has to burn its lipid reserves in
winter. An impairment of their immune system has been found in sledge dogs in Greenland after
they have been fed whale blubber containing high levels of contaminants. It is therefore likely that
the current high level of contaminants may have negative effects on the immune and reproductive
systems of the Arctic fox.
Polar cod and capelin are key species in the arctic ecosystem, and both are being monitored
with a view to their contaminant load. Since both species are important food items for other fisheating fish and for seals, whales and seabirds, this monitoring will provide better information about
the bioconcentration up the food chain.
In general, the levels of organic pollutants are very low in both polar cod and capelin, and
it is believed that neither of these species suffers any effects of a contamination load.
Conclusion
Water has played a pretty much noticeable role is the sustenance of life on the earth.
Present-day practices have regularly disregarded the old practices of saving water leading to
undesired results in the form of increasing water pollution.
In any case, in the present social orders, we frequently observe a recovery of old
conventions and a more normal and manageable utilization of water. Finding the correct blend
among ‘old’ and ‘present day’ rehearses finds practical answers for adapt to environmental
change.
Water pollution has turned into a consistent expanding issue on the earth which is
influencing human and creature lives in all viewpoints. Water contamination is tainting the
drinking water by the harmful toxins produced by the human exercises. The entire water is
getting dirtied through numerous sources, for example, urban spill over, rural, mechanical,
sedimentary, syphoning from landfills, creature squanders, and other human exercises. Each one
of the toxins is exceptionally destructive to nature. Human populace is expanding step by step
and in this way their requirements and rivalry driving contamination to the best dimension. We
have to pursue some extreme changes in our propensities to spare the water on earth and also
proceed with the likelihood of life here. Or else, the day is not far off when life would not be
able to survive on earth to the enormous levels of water pollution.
References
1. Acid Rain, A Plague Upon the Waters, Robert Ostmann Jr.
2. The Sky Is Still Falling, Donald E. Carr
3. Canadian Geographic, Feb.-March 1991, v111, n1, p.53 (8), "The not-so-pristine Arctic:
from plankton to polar bears, the food chain contaminated by global pollution."
4. Environment, Dec. 1992, v34, n10, p.6 (9), "The odyssey of Arctic haze: toward a global
atmospheric regime."
5. The Science of the Total Environment, An International Journal for Scientific Research
Into the Environment and Its Relationship to Man. Jan. 15, 1995, volumes 160, 161
6. Bach L, Fischer A, Strand J (2010) Local anthropogenic contamination affects the
fecundity and reproductive success of an Arctic amphipod. Mar Ecol Prog Ser 419:121–
128
7. Bressler JM, Hennessy TW (2018) Results of an Arctic council survey on water and
sanitation services in the Arctic. Int J Circumpolar Health
8. Dudley JP, Hoberg EP, Jenkins EJ, Parkinson AJ (2015) Climate change in the north
american arctic: a one health perspective. EcoHealth 12:713–725
9. Bressler JM, Hennessy TW(2018) Results of an Arctic councilsurvey on
water and sanitation services in the Arctic. Int J Circumpolar Health
10. Dudley JP, Hoberg EP, Jenkins EJ, Parkinson AJ (2015) Climate change
in the north american arctic: a one health perspective. EcoHealth 12:
713–725
11. Parkinson AJ, Evengard B, Semenza JC, Ogden N, Borresen ML, Berner
J et al (2014) Climate change and infectious diseases in the arctic:
establishment of a circumpolar working group. Int J Circumpolar
Health 73:25163
Отзывы:
Авторизуйтесь, чтобы оставить отзыв