Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts blog

Understanding the impact of long term human exposure to organic contaminants in the Arctic as a result of global climate change  is no mean feat – we barely understand the complicated Northern ecosystem as it is.  This comprehensive review from James Armitage and colleagues at the University of Toronto carefully outlines our existing knowledge of the system – and the gaps in it.

Their goal is to identify the key research questions that must be answered in order to increase our ability to see what the future holds for a warmer Arctic – why not check out the article today, you might get some ideas for your next project!

This article is free to access for the next four weeks:

Global climate change and contaminants—an overview of opportunities and priorities for modelling the potential implications for long-term human exposure to organic compounds in the Arctic
James M. Armitage, Cristina L. Quinn and Frank Wania
J. Environ. Monit., 2011, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C1EM10131E

Why not also take a look at this review article by Susan Nash at Griffith University, describing the challenges faced by the research community in obtaining accurate information on the impact of persistent organic pollutants in Antarctica:

Persistent organic pollutants in Antarctica: current and future research priorities
Susan Bengtson Nash
J. Environ. Monit., 2011, 13, 497-504