The goal of this study is to determine if immune function can be used as a marker to detect sub-lethal effects of contaminant exposure on wildlife, particularly seabirds. The results of this study will illustrate the efficacy of immunosuppression as a marker to determine if wildlife populations are suffering from contaminant exposure. In addition, this study will be one of the first evaluations of contaminant induced immunosuppression in wild seabirds. This controversy raises crucial issues about the relation between science, politics, and society. This study employs a number of ethnographic techniques, including observation of the conferences, interviews with participants, textual analysis of the publications of the four subject NGOs, and citation analysis of the scientific literature on POPs.
POPs are ubiquitous around the world, and California is no exception.
California is responsible for releases of several of these chemicals, and all of the chemicals are found in the state. Because of their persistence and mobility, POPs can only be effectively controlled at the international level. Therefore, California has a stake in the international POPs regime. In international politics, political struggles often take the form of scientific struggles. The hope is that this will lead to a more just and effective POPs regime.