Penguins exposed to DDT from melting glaciers

Decades after most countries stopped using the insecticide DDT, frozen stores of the chemical are now dripping out of melting Antarctic glaciers - and into penguins. A marine biologist in the US, who sampled DDT levels in Adélie penguins, is worried that the chemical could be an indication that other frozen pollutants may be released into the ecosystem from melting glaciers because of climate change. The low levels of DDT found in the study suggests a fresh source of DDT which had worked it’s way up the food chain from plankton to krill to penguins.

Read the full story here at: http://environment.newscientist.com/article/dn13848

Writers must credit NewScientist for any story that is reported from this press release and include a link to the story at NewScientist.com. Those wishing to reproduce full articles should contact me first for permission.

New Scientist is the world’s leading science and technology news service, boasting a magazine with a circulation of over 175,000 (ABC Audit March 2007) and a website with 2 million unique users a month.

US CONTACT – New Scientist Boston office:
Tel: +1 617 386 2190 or email