Abstract:
This report describes a pilot project that was initiated to characterize levels and types of petroleum hydrocarbons in eight different matrices from bowhead whales collected in the North Slope area of Alaska during the spring hunt of 2002. Because of the significance of the bowhead in the diet of the Native residents there is concern regarding palatability and human food safety. This project, while only a pilot program, will establish a baseline of hydrocarbon distribution and concentration in the bowhead, which may be critical for assessing any possible future impacts due to oil exploration and its associated hazards.
