What we've done

Publications

70. Dietz R, Søndergaard J, Heide-Jørgensen MP, Rosing-Asvid A, Gustavson K, McKinney MA, Sonne C, 2025. Mercury influx to Greenland societies from the hunt of toothed whales over three decades 1993-2020. Environmental Research. 285:122555.

70. Pedersen AF, Fisk AT, McMeans BC, Dietz R, Sonne C, Rosing-Asvid A, Ferguson SH, McKinney MA*, 2025. Fatty acid carbon isotopes as a new approach to assess POP and Hg accumulation among marine mammals and through food webs in the Arctic. Science of the Total Environment. 962: 178232.

69. Remili A, McKinney MA*, Maldonado Rodriguez A, Ferguson SH, Caputo M, Kiszka JJ, 2024. Legacy persistent organic pollutants among multiple cetacean species in the Northwest Atlantic. Science of the Total Environment. 954: 176746.

68. Pedersen AF, Bayen S, Liu L, Dietz R, Sonne C, Rosing-Asvid A, Ferguson SH, McKinney MA*, 2024. Nontarget and suspect screening reveals the presence of multiple plastic related compounds in polar bear, killer whale, narwhal and long-finned pilot whale blubber from East Greenland. Environmental Pollution. 357: 124417.

67. Leung G, McKinney MA, Yaylayan V, Bayen S, 2024. Abiotic degradations of legacy and novel flame retardants in environmental and food matrices - a review. Food Additives and Contaminants: Part A. 28: 1-22.

66. Stern JH, Laidre KL, Born EW, Wiig Ø, Sonne C, Dietz R, McKinney MA*, 2024. Space-use strategies drive diet composition of Baffin Bay polar bears. Ecosphere. 15: e4826.

65. Desforges JP, Ferguson SH, Remili A, McKinney MA, Watt CA, Matthews CJD, 2024. Assessment of persistent organic pollutants in killer whales (Orcinus orca) of the Canadian Arctic: Implications for subsistence consumption and conservation strategies. Environmental Research. 244: 117992.

64. Lacombe R, Atwood TC, Peacock E, Remili A, Dietz R, Sonne C, McKinney MA*, 2024. Long-term storage at -20 °C compromises fatty acid composition of polar bear adipose biopsies. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 728: 75-80.

63. Land-Miller H, Roos A, Simon M, Dietz R, Sonne C, Pedro S, Rosing-Asvid A, Rigét F, McKinney MA*, 2024. Comparison of feeding niches between Arctic and northward range-shifting sub-Arctic marine mammals in Greenland. Marine Ecology Progress Series. 728: 163-182.

62. Pedersen AF, Dietz R, Sonne C, Letcher RJ, Roos AM, Simon M, Rosing-Asvid A, Ferguson SH, McKinney MA*, 2024. Feeding and biological differences induce wide variation in legacy persistent organic pollutant concentrations among toothed whales and polar bears in the Arctic. Science of the Total Environment. 908: 168158.

61. Hopkins K, McKinney MA*, Saini A, Letcher RJ, Karouna-Renier NK, Fernie KJ, 2023. Characterizing the movement of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in an avian aquatic-terrestrial food web. Environmental Science and Technology. 57: 20249-20260.

60. Remili A, Dietz R, Sonne C, Samarra FIP, Letcher RJ, Rikardsen AH, Ferguson SH, Watt CA, Matthews CJD, Kiszka JJ, Rosing-Asvid A, McKinney MA*, 2023. Varying diet composition causes striking differences in legacy and emerging contaminant concentrations in killer whales across the North Atlantic. Environmental Science and Technology. 57: 16109-16120.
American Chemical Society Editors’ Choice Article (10/11/23)
Featured in CBC’s Quirks and Quarks, National Geographic, The Conversation

59. Yurkowski DJ, McCulloch E, Mundy CJ, Amiraux R, Basu N, Elliott KH, Fisk AT, Ferguson SH, Harris LN, Hedges KJ, Jacobs K, Johnson KF, Loewen TN, Matthews CJD, Niemi A, Ogloff WR, Rosenberg B, Watt CA, McKinney MA*, 2023. Mercury accumulation, biomagnification, and relationships to δ13C, δ15N and δ34S of fishes and marine mammals in a coastal Arctic marine food web. Marine Pollution Bulletin. 193: 115233.

58. Remili A, Dietz R, Sonne C, Samarra FIP, Rikardsen AH, Kettemer LE, Ferguson SH, Watt CA, Matthews CJD, Kiszka JJ, Jourdain E, Borgå K, Ruus A, Granquist SM, Rosing-Asvid A, McKinney MA*, 2023. Quantitative fatty acid signature analysis reveals a high level of dietary specialization in North Atlantic killer whales. Journal of Animal Ecology. 92: 1216-1229.
Featured in The Conversation, Winnipeg Free Press, Hakai Magazine, Science Magazine

57. Hopkins K, McKinney MA*, Letcher RJ, Fernie KJ, 2023. The influence of environmental and ecological factors on the accumulation and distribution of short- and long-chain perfluoroalkyl acids in a mid-trophic avian insectivore. Environmental Pollution. 321: 121133.

56. Franz M, Whyte L, Atwood TC, Menning D, Sonsthagen SA, Talbot SL, Laidre KL, Gonzalez E, McKinney MA*, 2023. Fecal DNA metabarcoding shows credible short-term prey detections and explains variation in the gut microbiome of two polar bear subpopulations. Marine Ecology Progress Series 704: 131-147.

55. Pedersen, A.F., Dietz, R., Sonne, C., Liu, L., Rosing-Asvid, A. and McKinney, M.A., 2023. Development and validation of a modified QuEChERS method for extracting polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides from marine mammal blubber. Chemosphere, 312 (Part 1): 137245.

54. Facciola, N., Houde, M., Muir, D.C., Ferguson, S.H. and McKinney, M.A., 2022. Feeding and contaminant patterns of sub-arctic and arctic ringed seals: Potential insight into climate change-contaminant interactions. Environmental Pollution, 313, p.120108.

53. Borgå K*, McKinney MA*, Routti H, Fernie K, Giebichenstein J, Hallanger I, Muir DCG. The influence of global climate change on accumulation and toxicity of persistent organic pollutants and chemicals of emerging Arctic concern in Arctic food webs, 2022. Environ. Sci: Processes & Impacts. In press.
*Joint lead authors

52. Remili A, Dietz R, Sonne C, Iverson SJ, Roy D, Rosing-Asvid A, Land-Miller H, Pedersen A, McKinney MA*, 2022. Validation of quantitative fatty acid signature analysis for estimating the diet composition of free-ranging cetaceans. Scientific Reports 12: 7938.

51. McKinney MA*, Chételat J*, Burke SM, Elliott K, Fernie K, Houde M, Muir DCG, Kahilainen KK, Letcher RJ, Morris A, Routti H, Yurkowski D, 2022. Climate change and mercury in the Arctic: Biotic interactions. Science of the Total Environment 834: 155221.
*Joint lead authors

50. Chételat J*, McKinney MA*, Amyot M, Dastoor A, Douglas TA, Heimbürger-Boavida L.-E., Kirk J, Kahilainen KK, Outridge P, Pelletier N, Skov H, St. Pierre K, Vuorenmaa J, Wang F, 2022. Climate change and mercury in the Arctic: Abiotic interactions. Sci. Total Environ. 824: 153715.
*Joint lead authors

49. Franz M, Whyte L, Atwood TC, Laidre KL, Roy D, Watson SE, Gongora E, McKinney MA, 2022. Distinct gut microbiomes in two polar bear subpopulations inhabiting different sea ice ecoregions. Sci. Rep. 12: 522.

48. Watson SE, McKinney MA, Pindo M, Bull MJ, Atwood TC, Hauffe HC, Perkins SE, 2021. Diet-driven mercury contamination is associated with polar bear gut microbiota. Sci. Rep. 11: 23372.

47. Stern JH, Laidre KL, Born EW, Wiig Ø, Sonne C, Dietz R, Fisk AT, McKinney MA, 2021. Feeding habits of Baffin Bay polar bears (Ursus maritimus); Insight from stable isotopes and total mercury in hair. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 677: 233-244.

46. Facciola N, Pedro S, Houde M, Fisk AT, Ferguson SH, Steer H, Muir DCG, McKinney MA, 2021 Measurable levels of short-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs) in western Hudson Bay fishes, but limited biomagnification from fish-to-ringed seals. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 40: 2990-2999.

45. Remili A, Letcher RJ, Samarra FIP, Dietz R, Sonne C, Desforges JP, Vikingsson G, Blair D, McKinney MA, 2021. Individual prey specialization drives PCBs in Icelandic killer whales. Environ. Sci. Technol. 55: 4923-4931.

44. Golzadeh N, Barst BD, Baker JM, Auger J, McKinney MA, 2021. Alkylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (alkyl-PAHs) are the largest contributor to polycyclic aromatic compound (PACs) concentrations in traditional foods of the Bigstone Cree Nation in Alberta, Canada. Environ. Pollut. 275: 116625.

43. Pedro S, Fisk AT, Ferguson SH, Hussey NE, Kessel ST, McKinney MA, 2020. Broad feeding niches of capelin and sand lance may overlap those of polar cod and other native fish in the eastern Canadian Arctic. Polar Biology 43: 1707-1724.

42. Bourque J, Desforges JP, Levin M, Atwood TC, Sonne C, Dietz R, Jensen TH, Curry E, McKinney MA, 2020. Climate-associated drivers of plasma cytokines and contaminant concentrations in Beaufort Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Sci. Total Environ. 745: 140978.

41. Golzadeh N, Barst BD, Basu N, Baker JM, Auger J, McKinney MA, 2020. Evaluating the concentrations of total mercury, methylmercury, selenium and selenium:mercury ratios in traditional foods of the Bigstone Cree in Alberta, Canada. Chemosphere 250: 126285.

40. Bourque J, Atwood TC, Divoky GJ, Stewart C, McKinney MA, 2020. Fatty acid‐based diet estimates suggest ringed seal remain the main prey of southern Beaufort Sea polar bears despite recent use of onshore food resources. Ecol. Evol. 10, 2093-2103.

39. Dietz R, Letcher RJ, Desforges JP, Eulaers I, Sonne C, Wilson S, Andersen-Ranberg E, Basu N, Barst BD, Bustnes JO, Bytingsvik J, Ciesielski TM, Drevnick PE, Gabrielsen GW, Haarr A, Hylland K, Jenssen BM, Levin M, McKinney MA, Nørregaard RD, Pedersen KE, Provencher J, Styrishave B, Tartu S, Aars J, Ackerman JT, Rosing-Asvid A, Barrett R, Bignert A, Born EW, Branigan M, Braune B, Bryan CE, Dam M, Eagles-Smith CA, Evans M, Evans TJ, Fisk AT, Gamberg M, Gustavson K, Hartman CA, Helander B, Herzog MP, Hoekstra PF, Houde M, Hoydal K, Jackson AK, Kucklick J, Lie E, Loseto L, Mallory ML, Miljeteig C, Mosbech A, Muir DCG, Nielsen ST, Peacock E, Pedro S, Peterson SH, Polder A, Rigét FF, Roach P, Saunes H, Sinding MHS, Skaare JU, Søndergaard J, Stenson G, Stern G, Treu G, Schuur SS, Víkingsson G, 2019. Current state of knowledge on biological effects from contaminants on Arctic wildlife and fish. Sci. Total Environ. 696: 133792.

38. Watson SE, Hauffe HC, Bull M, Atwood TC, McKinney MA, Pindo M, Perkins SE, 2019. Global change-mediated behavioral shift in polar bears alters faecal microbiota. ISME J. 13: 2916-2926.

37. Pedro S, Dietz R, Sonne C, Rosing-Asvid A, Hansen M, McKinney MA, 2019. Are vitamins A and E associated with persistent organic pollutants and fatty acids in the blubber of highly contaminated killer whales (Orcinus orca) from Greenland? Environ. Res. 177: 108602.

36. Routti H, Atwood TC, Bechshøft TØ, Boltunov A, Ciesielski TM, Desforges JP, Dietz R, Gabrielsen GW, Jenssen BM, Letcher RJ, McKinney MA, Morris AD, Rigét FF, Sonne C, Styrishave B, Tartu S, 2019. State of knowledge on current exposure, fate, and potential health effects of contaminants in polar bears from the circumpolar Arctic. Sci. Total Environ. 664: 1063-1083.

35. Pedro S, Fisk AT, Ferguson SH, Hussey NE, Kessel ST, McKinney MA, 2019. Limited effects of changing prey fish communities on food quality for aquatic predators in the Eastern Canadian Arctic in terms of essential fatty acids, methylmercury and selenium. Chemosphere 214: 855-865.

34. Sonne C, Jepson PD, Desforges JP, Alstrup AKO, Olsen MT, Eulaers I, Hansen M, Letcher RJ, McKinney MA, Dietz R, 2018. Pollution threatens toothed whales. Science 361: 1208.

33. Bourque J, Dietz R, Sonne C, St. Leger J, Iverson, SJ, Rosing-Asvid A, Hansen M, McKinney MA, 2018. Feeding habits of a new Arctic predator: Insight from full-depth blubber fatty acid signatures of Greenland, Faroe Islands, Denmark, and managed-care killer whales Orcinus orca. Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser. 603: 1-12. [Feature Article (9/17/18]

32. Atwood TC, Duncan C, Patyk KA, Nol P, Rhyan J, McCollum M, McKinney MA, Ramey A, Cerqueira-Cézar CK, Kwok OCH, Dubey JP, Hennager S, 2017. Environmental and behavioral changes may influence the exposure of an Arctic apex predator to pathogens and contaminants. Sci. Rep. 7: 13193.

31. Pedro S, Boba C, Dietz R, Sonne C, Rosing-Asvid A, Hansen M, Provatas A, McKinney MA, 2017. Blubber-depth distribution and bioaccumulation of PCBs and OC pesticides in Arctic-invading killer whales. Sci. Total Environ. 601-602: 237-246.

30. Pedro S, Fisk AT, Tomy GT, Ferguson SH, Hussey NE, Kessel ST, McKinney MA, 2017. Mercury and persistent organic pollutants in native and invading forage species of the Canadian Arctic: Consequence for food web dynamics. Environ. Pollut. 229: 229-240.

29. McKinney MA, Atwood TC, Pedro S, Peacock E, 2017. Ecological change drives a decline in mercury concentrations in southern Beaufort Sea polar bears. Environ. Sci. Technol. Publication date (web): 14 Jun 2017). [ACS Editors’ Choice Article (6/14/17), featured in EurekAlert! (AAAS), Science Daily, Seeker, Scientific American, Popular Science, National Post (Canada), The Wildlife Society, among others]

28. McKinney MA, Atwood T, Iverson SJ, Peacock E, 2017. Temporal complexity of southern Beaufort Sea polar bear diets during a period of increasing land use. Ecosphere 8:e01633.

27. Morris AD, Muir DCG, Solomon KRS, Letcher RJ, McKinney MA, Fisk AT, McMeans BC, Teixeira C, Wang X, Duric M, 2016. Current-use pesticides in seawater and their bioaccumulation behavior in polar bear-ringed seal food chains of the Canadian Arctic. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 35: 1695-1707.

26. Atwood, TC, Peacock E, McKinney MA, Lillie K, Wilson R, Miller S, 2016. Rapid environmental change drives increased land use by an Arctic marine predator. PLoS ONE 11: e0155932

25. McKinney MA, Dean K, Hussey NE, Cliff G, Wintner SP, Dudley SFJ, Zungu MP, Fisk AT, 2016. On the causes and implications of high mercury levels in sharks from South African waters. Sci. Total Environ. 541: 176-183.

24. McKinney MA, Pedro S, Dietz R, Sonne C, Fisk AT, Roy D, Jenssen BM, Letcher RJ, 2015. A review of ecological impacts of global climate change on persistent organic pollutant and mercury pathways and exposures in arctic marine ecosystems. Curr. Zool. 61: 617-628. [Invited]

23. Dietz R, Gustavson K, Sonne C, Desforges, JP, Rigét FF, McKinney M, Letcher RJ, 2015. Physiologically-based pharmacokinetic modelling of immune, reproductive and carcinogenic effects from contaminant exposure in polar bears (Ursus maritimus) across the Arctic. Environ. Res. 140: 45-55.

22. Letcher RJ, Chu S, McKinney MA, Tomy GT, Sonne C, Dietz R, 2014. Comparative hepatic in vitro depletion and metabolite formation of major perfluorooctane sulfonate precursors in polar bear, beluga whale and ringed seal. Chemosphere 112: 225-231.

21. McKinney MA, Atwood T, Dietz R, Sonne C, Iverson SJ, Peacock E, 2014. Validation of adipose lipid content as a body condition index for polar bears. Ecol. Evol. 4: 516-527.

20. Lu Z, Fisk AT, Kovacs K, Lydersen C, McKinney MA, Tomy GT, Rosenberg B, McMeans BC, Muir DCG, Wong CS, 2014. Temporal and spatial trends of PCB chiral signatures in the Greenland shark and its Arctic food web. Environ. Pollut. 186: 216-225.

19. Pagano AM, Peacock E, McKinney MA, 2014. Remote biopsy darting and marking of polar bears. Mar. Mammal Sci. 30: 169-183.

18. McKinney MA, Iverson SJ, Fisk AT, Sonne C, Rigét FF, Letcher RJ, Arts MT, Born EW, Rosing-Asvid A, Dietz R, 2013. Global change effects on the long-term feeding ecology and contaminant exposures of East Greenland polar bears. Global Change Biol. 19: 2360-2372. [cover image (August issue), featured in Science Daily, Science World Report, EurekAlert! (AAAS)], among others]

17. Dietz R, Rigét FF, Sonne C, Born EW, Bechshøft T, McKinney MA, Muir DCG, Letcher RJ, 2013. Three decades (1984-2010) of legacy contaminant and flame retardant trends in East Greenland polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Part II: Brominated flame retardants. Environ. Int. 59: 494-500.

16. Dietz R, Rigét FF, Sonne C, Born EW, Bechshøft T, McKinney MA, Letcher RJ, 2013. Three decades (1984-2010) of legacy contaminant and flame retardant trends in East Greenland polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Part I: Legacy organochlorine contaminants. Environ. Int. 59: 485-493.

15. Routti H, Letcher RJ, Born EW, Branigan M, Dietz R, Evans TJ, McKinney MA, Peacock E, Sonne C, 2012. Influence of carbon and lipid sources on Arctic variation of mercury and other trace elements in polar bears (Ursus maritimus). Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 31: 2739-2747.

14. McKinney MA, McMeans BC, Tomy GT, Rosenberg B, Ferguson SH, Morris A, Muir DCG, Fisk AT, 2012. Trophic transfer of contaminants in a changing Arctic marine food web: Cumberland Sound, Nunavut, Canada. Environ. Sci. Technol. 46: 9914-9922.

13. Letcher RJ, McKinney MA, 2012. Reply to Comments by Hardy et al. on “Comparative Hepatic Microsomal Biotransformation of Selected PBDEs, Including Decabromodiphenyl Ether, and Decabromodiphenyl Ethane Flame Retardants in Arctic-Marine Feeding Mammals”. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 31: 1185-1186.

12. Ross MS, Letcher RJ, McKinney MA, Sonne C, Dietz R, Wong CS, 2011. Comparison of the enantiomer distribution of chiral organochlorine contaminants in captive West Greenland sledge dogs and East Greenland polar bears. In: Enantioselectivity and Its Consequences. Garrison, W., Ed. ACS Symposium Series 1085; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2011; pp 45–63.

11. McKinney MA, Dietz R, Sonne C, De Guise S, Skirnisson K, Karlsson K, Steingrímsson E, Letcher RJ, 2011. Comparative hepatic microsomal biotransformation of selected polybrominated diphenyl ether, including decabromodiphenyl ether, and decabromodiphenyl ethane flame retardants in Arctic marine-feeding mammals. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 30: 1506-1514.

10. McKinney MA, Letcher RJ, Aars J, Born EW, Branigan M, Dietz R, Evans TJ, Gabrielsen GW, Muir DCG, Peacock E, Sonne C, 2011. Regional contamination versus regional diet differences: understanding geographic variation in brominated and chlorinated contaminant levels in polar bears. Environ. Sci. Technol. 45: 896-902.

9. McKinney MA, Letcher RJ, Aars J, Born EW, Branigan M, Dietz R, Evans TJ, Gabrielsen GW, Peacock E, Sonne C, 2011. Flame retardants and legacy contaminants in polar bears from Alaska, Canada, East Greenland and Svalbard, 2005-2008. Environ. Int. 37: 365-374.

8. McKinney MA, Stirling I, Lunn NJ, Peacock E, Letcher RJ, 2010. The role of diet on long-term (1991-2007) concentration and pattern trends of brominated and chlorinated contaminants in western Hudson Bay polar bears. Sci. Total Environ. 408: 6210-6222.

7. Cesh LS, Elliott KH, Quade S, McKinney MA, Maisoneuve F, Garcelon DK, Sandau CD, Letcher RJ, Williams TD, Elliott JE, 2010. Polyhalogenated aromatic hydrocarbons and metabolites: Relation to circulating thyroid hormone and retinol in nestling bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus). Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 29: 1301-1310.

6. Letcher RJ, Gebbink WA, Sonne C, Born EW, McKinney MA, Dietz R, 2009. Bioaccumulation and biotransformation of brominated and chlorinated contaminants and their metabolites in ringed seals (Pusa hispida) and polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from East Greenland. Environ. Int. 35: 1118-1124.

5. McKinney MA, Peacock E, Letcher RJ, 2009. Sea ice-associated diet change increases the levels of chlorinated and brominated contaminants in polar bears. Environ. Sci. Technol. 43: 4334-4339. [featured in Environmental Health Perspectives News and Environmental Health News]

4. McKinney MA, Cesh LS, Elliott JE, Williams TD, Garcelon DK, Letcher RJ, 2006. Polychlorinated and brominated aromatic hydrocarbons and hydroxylated and methoxylated analogues in bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) from the west coast of North America. Environ. Sci. Technol. 40: 6275-6281.

3. McKinney MA, De Guise S, Martineau D, Béland P, Lebeuf M, Letcher RJ, 2006. Organohalogen contaminants and metabolites in the liver tissues of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from the St. Lawrence River Estuary and western Hudson Bay, Canada. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 25: 1246-1257.

2. McKinney MA, De Guise S, Arukwe A, Béland P, Martineau D, Letcher RJ, 2006. Hepatic microsomal biotransformation of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polychlorinated biphenyls in beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas). Aquat. Toxicol. 77: 87-97.

1. McKinney MA, Arukwe A, Béland P, Martineau D, Dallaire A, Lair S, De Guise S, Lebeuf M, Letcher RJ, 2004. Characterization and profiling of hepatic cytochromes P450 and phase II xenobiotic-metabolizing enzymes in beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from the St. Lawrence River Estuary and the Canadian Arctic. Aquat. Toxicol. 69: 35-49.