Polar Bears May be Drastically Impacted by Contaminants

Polar bears may be in more trouble than researchers first expected. They've created a guide to evaluate the conditions of the polar bear's health and have found that although climate change is its biggest threat, plastic pollution and environmental contaminants in its habitat are starting to affect its endocrine system and reproduction.

"The health of the arctic polar bear is being attacked from all fronts, but among many other factors is the exposure to environmental contaminants," said Maria Jesus Obregon, one of the researchers, in a news release.

The researchers focused on the exposure of the arctic polar bear that lives in Greenland to growing levels of environmental contaminants. A wide variety of organochlorine compounds and pesticides have an effect on the thyroid hormones in plasma.

The scientists analyze more than 50 organohalogen contaminants and their metabolites in bear plasma and tissue. In the end, they found that these contaminants were linked to tissue alteration.

"We still don't know to what extent environmental changes will affect polar bear health and therefore its conservation," write the authors.

Because of this, this recent study will act as a starting place to contextualize the health of the polar bear and act in a context of environmental change.

The findings are published in the journal Environmental Research.

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