Contaminants found in oil spills, wildfire smoke and traffic pollution are making their way into the skeletons and livers of two B.C. killer whale populations, according to a new study.
In a first in Canada, University of British Columbia researchers tested the beached carcasses of 14 Bigg’s and southern resident killer whales in search of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). The impact of the class of chemicals is still being analyzed, but study authors said PAHs are widely regarded as a serious concern for marine environments.