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Is bone mineral composition disrupted by organochlorines in east Greenland polar bears (Ursus maritimus)?
| Content Provider | Europe PMC |
|---|---|
| Author | Sonne, Christian Dietz, Rune Born, Erik W. Riget, Frank F. Kirkegaard, Maja Hyldstrup, Lars Letcher, Robert J. Muir, Derek C. G. |
| Abstract | We analyzed bone mineral density (BMD) in skulls of polar bears (Ursus maritimus) (n = 139) from East Greenland sampled during 1892–2002. Our primary goal was to detect possible changes in bone mineral content (osteopenia) due to elevated exposure to organochlorine [polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites, chlordanes (CHLs), dieldrin, hexacyclohexanes, hexachlorobenzene] and polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) compounds. To ensure that the BMD value in skull represented the mineral status of the skeletal system in general, we compared BMD values in femur and three lumbar vertebrae with skull in a subsample. We detected highly significant correlations between BMD in skull and femur (r = 0.99; p < 0.001; n = 13) and skull and vertebrae (r = 0.97; p < 0.001; n = 8). BMD in skulls sampled in the supposed pre-organochlorine/PBDE period (1892–1932) was significantly higher than that in skulls sampled in the supposed pollution period (1966–2002) for subadult females, subadult males, and adult males (all, p < 0.05) but not adult females (p = 0.94). We found a negative correlation between organochlorines and skull BMD for the sum of PCBs (∑PCB; p < 0.04) and ∑CHL (p < 0.03) in subadults and for dieldrin (p < 0.002) and ∑DDT (p < 0.02) in adult males; indications for ∑PBDE in subadults were also found (p = 0.06). In conclusion, the strong correlative relationships suggest that disruption of the bone mineral composition in East Greenland polar bears may have been caused by organochlorine exposure. |
| ISSN | 00916765 |
| Journal | Environmental Health Perspectives |
| Volume Number | 112 |
| PubMed Central reference number | PMC1253664 |
| Issue Number | 17 |
| PubMed reference number | 15579418 |
| e-ISSN | 15529924 |
| DOI | 10.1289/ehp.7293 |
| Language | English |
| Publisher | National Institute of Environmental Health Science |
| Publisher Date | 2004-12-01 |
| Access Restriction | Open |
| Rights License | Publication of EHP lies in the public domain and is therefore without copyright. All text from EHP may be reprinted freely. Use of materials published in EHP should be acknowledged (for example, ?Reproduced with permission from Environmental Health Perspectives?); pertinent reference information should be provided for the article from which the material was reproduced. Articles from EHP, especially the News section, may contain photographs or illustrations copyrighted by other commercial organizations or individuals that may not be used without obtaining prior approval from the holder of the copyright. |
| Subject Keyword | BMD bone mineral density chlordane DDT dieldrin endocrine disruption osteoporosis PCBs polar bear polychlorinated biphenyls Ursus maritimus |
| Content Type | Text |
| Resource Type | Article |
| Subject | Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health |
