Levels of toxaphene congeners in white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from Svalbard, Norway

Abstract

This study reports concentrations of three pesticide toxaphene congeners (CHBs; from the blubber of ten adult, male white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from Svalbard, Norway. The CHB congeners that occurred at the highest levels in the blubber of the white whales were, as expected, CHB-26 (4636 F 1992 (SD) ng/g l.w.) and CHB-50 (6579 F 2214 ng/g l.w.); CHB-62 (232 F 231 ng/g l.w.) was also present, but at much lower concentrations. The mean level of the sum of the three CHBs (ACHBs = 11,447 F 4208 ng/g l.w.)…