Arctic- Environmental Problems
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Persistent organic pollutants are present throughout the Arctic environment.  PCB levels in some areas are high enough to affect the health of individual animals particularly their ability to fight infections.  In many animals there is not enough documentation of effects but based on new research  on more species, PCB levels ar high enough  to see the effects on
resistance to disease, reproduction and neurobehavioral developement.  PCB's are banned  by both regional and global regulations but local sources are indicated in regions of the White Sea, the Kara Sea,  an eastern Barents Sea.  In Russia many PCB's still remain in many existing electrical installations.  PCB contamination is also in Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Norway mostly from dumped material.
Levels of dioxin substances which are abundant can and will affect reproductive effects in some Arctic sea birds and on the immune system in Arctic foxes, killer whales, and northern fur seals.  The source of these is coming from waste incineration and the metallurgical industries. 
We have seen a fresh input of DDT in the Barents region and Toxaphene in the White Sea.  This shows that pesticides are still being used or old stocks are leaking into the environment.  The pesticide Lindane is still being used in regions of the Arctic.  There are other POP's also that have showed up such as  brominated flame retardants (PBDE).
The following is a list of some of the contaminants that are showing up in the animal life, plant life, and among the peoples of the  Arctic.
Cadmium (Cd)  Mining, smelting, waste handling and fertilzers.
Chlordanes (CHL)  Insecticides.
Cesium-137 (Cs-137)  Nuclear.
DDT,DDE,DDD.  Insecticides.
Hexachlorobenzene (HCB)  Industrial fungiside.
  Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)  Insecticide.
Mercury (Hg)  Fossil fuels, waste disposal, mercury containing equipment.
I-129  (Iodine-129)  Nuclear.
Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) Petroleum.
Lead (Pb)  Smelting, fossil fuel, leaded gasoline.
Polybrominated dipheynol ethers  (PBDE's)  Flame retardant.
Polychlorinated  biphenyls (PCB's) Plastic and sealent compounds,paint additive
Polychlorinated  dibenzo-p- dioxins (PCDD's)  Industrial processes, insecticides
Polychlorinated dibenzofurans  (PCDF's)  Industrial processes, insectisides.
Polychlorinated  naphthalenes  (PCN's)  lubricant solvent,electrical equip.
Plutonium  (Pu-238/239/240/241) Radiation nuclear
Cesium (Radiocesium)  Radiation nuclear
Strontium -90  (Sr-90)  Radiation nuclear
Tributylin  (TBT)  Antifouling agent
Technetium-99  (Tc-99)  Burning nuclear fuel, reprocessing nuclear fuel.
      Dioxin (TCDD)
      Toxaphene   Insecticides
We have strong evidence that the routes and mechanisms by which POP's, heavy metals and radionucldes are delivered to the Arctic are strongly influenced by climate variability and global climate change.  These pathways are complex, interactive systems involving a number of factors such as temperature, precipitation, winds, oceans currents, snow and ice cover.
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