Publications by authors named "R J B Dietz"
Article Synopsis
- Research found significant differences in persistent organic pollutants (POPs) between polar bears and toothed whales in the Arctic, potentially linked to biological susceptibility and feeding patterns.
- Analyzed samples from 2012 to 2021, killer whales had the highest concentrations of several POPs, while polar bears had lower amounts, especially of organochlorine pesticides.
- The study highlighted that dietary habits largely influenced PCB concentrations, while biological factors played a larger role in explaining variations in organochlorine levels, indicating complex interactions affecting pollutant accumulation in these species.
Article Synopsis
- The risk of zoonotic diseases, which are diseases transmitted from animals to humans, is particularly high for individuals in close contact with both domestic and wild animals, especially in remote Arctic regions.
- Approximately 75% of human infectious diseases are zoonotic, and the potential health impacts increase in areas with limited healthcare access and disease surveillance.
- The Arctic is facing changes from pollution, climate change, and biodiversity loss, which heighten the risk of these diseases, necessitating a One Health approach that integrates human, animal, and environmental health to address these challenges effectively.
Article Synopsis
- This study investigates the gross pathology and mercury levels in liver tissue of harbour porpoises, harbour seals, and grey seals from Denmark, finding the highest mercury concentrations in grey seals and subadult harbour seals from the Baltic Sea.
- It reports that pneumonia was the most common health issue observed, with a range of other parasitic infections and injuries noted, showing significant relationships between mercury levels and respiratory parasites in harbour porpoises as well as various health issues in harbour seals.
- The findings indicate that mercury exposure poses potential health risks in marine mammals, and these species are useful indicators of the overall health of Danish marine ecosystems amidst various environmental stressors.
This cross-cutting review focuses on the presence and impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the Arctic. Several PFAS undergo long-range transport via atmospheric (volatile polyfluorinated compounds) and oceanic pathways (perfluorinated alkyl acids, PFAAs), causing widespread contamination of the Arctic. Beyond targeting a few well-known PFAS, applying sum parameters, suspect and non-targeted screening are promising approaches to elucidate predominant sources, transport, and pathways of PFAS in the Arctic environment, wildlife, and humans, and establish their time-trends.
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