AMAP Faroe Islands Heavy Metals and POPs Core Programme 2023-2024

The purpose of the project is monitoring of long-range transported, bioaccumulating and persistent pollutants to which the Faroese environment is particularly exposed via food produce harvested locally. The monitoring program is based on the international AMAP program but adapted to the Faroese exposure scenario and partly also the AMAP monitoring in Greenland, to optimize for utilization in spatial and time-trend assessments. The project encompasses PCB, pesticides incl. DDT, toxaphene, chlordanes and PBDE, HBCD, dechlo-rane, PFAS, and the heavy metals mercury and cadmium. From the marine environment are monitored; pilot whale, Atlantic cod, black guillemot and northern fulmar. The monitoring species in the freshwater environment is Brown trout. In addition to persistent organic pollutants, the project encompasses analyses of selenium and supporting parameters that are im-portant for interpretation of the data. Moreover, the purpose is to monitor plastic in seabirds from the Faroe Islands.