Evaluation of various models for monitoring and risk assessment of POPs in the Arctic. Polar bear used as a model

The main aim of the project is to establish various models as valuable tools for monitoring and risk assessment of POPs in the Arctic. We aim at identifying significant explanatory variables for exposure, bioaccumulation, biotransformation, and effects o f POPs to be included in national and international monitoring programs and risk assessment. An existing and unique data-set resulting from previous polar bear studies, will be used to validate, improve and integrate various already developed methodologie s and approaches for this purpose (Quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR), food web models, fingerprinting, a.o.). The modelling will integrate the data from the present project to verify whether current model approaches also apply to other types of compounds, such as persistent flame retardants. This proposal represents a coordinated study between scientific groups in Norway, Sweden and the Netherlands. The project will contribute to competence building, network building and use of complem entary expertise in the field of modelling and risk assessment. The active partners in this proposal Mats Tysklind, Patrik Andersson, Magnus Bergknut, Theo Traas, Nico van den Brink and Bjorn Munro Jenssen together with Janneche Utne Skåre are all partner s/involved in an ongoing EU project; Flame retardants Integrated Risk assessment for Endocrine effects (FIRE) (EU project no: QLK4CT2002596). Collaboration with the FIRE project is considered a unique opportunity to come in dialogue with a very important project on POPs, e.g. BFRs, addressing both toxicological and ecotoxicological issues as well as integrated risk assessment. This study will significantly increase our understanding of mammalian bioaccumulation and effects of POP’s and contribute to the v alidity of the final FIRE models. Environmental toxicology and risk assessment are scientific issues highly prioritized in the strategy plan of the applying institutions.