Question

In which human communities would one most likely find the highest concentrations of PCBs?

A. Communities in the Arctic that eat mainly whale meat
B. Communities in the Arctic that eat mainly herbivorous caribou
C. Communities in the Arctic that eat mainly a vegetarian diet
D. Communities in southern Canada that eat mainly a vegetarian diet

Answer 1

The highest concentrations of PCBs are most likely to be found in communities in the Arctic that eat mainly whale meat.

Step-by-step explanation:

The highest concentrations of PCBs are most likely to be found in communities in the Arctic that eat mainly whale meat.

PCBs, which are organic chemicals, bioaccumulate in aquatic ecosystems, where fish species at different trophic levels accumulate toxic substances. This means that as you move up the food chain, the concentration of PCBs increases. Predatory fish species have higher concentrations of PCBs compared to primary producers like phytoplankton.

Since whales are at the top of the food chain in the Arctic, their meat may have the highest concentrations of PCBs. Therefore, communities in the Arctic that consume mainly whale meat would be more likely to have higher concentrations of PCBs.