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Hierlmeier VR, Struck N, Krapf P, Kopf T, Hofinger AM, Leitner V, Stromberger PJE, Freier KP, Steiner FM, Schlick‐Steiner BC. Persistent, Bioaccumulative, and Toxic Chemicals in Wild Alpine Insects: A Methodological Case Study. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2022; 41:1215-1227. [PMID: 35088916 PMCID: PMC9311829 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
With their high persistence in the environment and their potential for long-range atmospheric transport, persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic chemicals (PBTs) may be among the numerous anthropogenic threats to insect populations worldwide. The effects of PBTs on insects have been investigated in the laboratory, but topical field studies are scarce. A reason might be the multiple challenges faced by PBT-related field studies on wild insects. We studied two species of bumblebees (Bombus spp.) and of ants (Formica spp.) in two high-elevation locations in the Austrian and German Alps to tackle two of these challenges. First, PBTs occur in minuscule concentrations compared with other substances in the environment. Therefore, the practicability of body burden data from pooled individuals was tested. Second, fitness proxies like fecundity, which typically are endpoints for chemical toxicity, are difficult to quantify in the field. Hence, fluctuating asymmetry of bumblebee wings and ant heads was tested as an alternative endpoint. To exclude the possibility that fluctuating asymmetry was caused by genetic stressors, inbreeding levels were estimated using population-genetic markers, and their relationships to fluctuating asymmetry in the same individuals were assessed. We successfully quantified polychlorinated biphenyls and Hg as PBTs using the pooled samples and found PBT data from pooled individuals useful, in that significant correlations to fluctuating asymmetry were identified in bumblebees and ants. This finding confirmed the potential of fluctuating asymmetry to indicate PBT effects in wild insects. Inbreeding did not interfere with PBT links to fluctuating asymmetry in any instance. Our findings contribute to the development of a quantitative methodological framework for investigating the effects of persistent environmental chemicals on wild insects. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:1215-1227. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronika Rosa Hierlmeier
- Department of EcologyUniversity of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
- Bavarian Environment AgencyGarmisch‐PartenkirchenGermany
| | - Nils Struck
- Department of EcologyUniversity of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
| | - Patrick Krapf
- Department of EcologyUniversity of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
| | - Timotheus Kopf
- Department of EcologyUniversity of InnsbruckInnsbruckAustria
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Fuller N, Smith JT, Takase T, Ford AT, Wada T. Radiocaesium accumulation and fluctuating asymmetry in the Japanese mitten crab, Eriocheir japonica, along a gradient of radionuclide contamination at Fukushima. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 292:118479. [PMID: 34752791 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.118479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/05/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The 2011 Tohoku earthquake-tsunami and the subsequent nuclear accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station (FDNPS) led to large-scale radionuclide contamination of the marine and freshwater environment. Monitoring studies of marine food products in the Fukushima region have generally demonstrated a declining trend in radiocaesium concentrations. However, the accumulation and elimination of radiocaesium and potential biological effects remain poorly understood for freshwater biota inhabiting highly contaminated areas at Fukushima. Consequently, the present study aimed to assess radiocaesium accumulation and developmental effects on the commercially important catadromous Japanese mitten crab, Eriocheir japonica. E. japonica were collected from four sites along a gradient of radionuclide contamination 4-44 km in distance from the FDNPS in 2017. To determine potential developmental effects, fluctuating asymmetry (FA) was used as a measure of developmental stability. Combined 134Cs and 137Cs values for whole E. japonica from highly contaminated sites 4 and 16 km in distance from the FDNPS were 3040 ± 521 and 2250 ± 908 Bq kg-1 wet weight respectively, 30 and 22 times greater than the Japanese standard limit of 100 Bq kg-1. Estimated total dose rates based on radiocaesium concentrations in whole crabs and sediment ranged from 0.016 to 37.7 μGy h-1. No significant relationship between radiocaesium accumulation and FA was recorded, suggesting that chronic radiation exposure at Fukushima is not inducing developmental effects in E. japonica as measured using fluctuating asymmetry. Furthermore, estimated dose rates were below proposed regulatory limits where significant deleterious effects are expected. The present study will aid in the understanding of the long-term consequences of radiation exposure for non-human biota and the management of radioactively contaminated environments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Fuller
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO4 9LY, UK.
| | - Jim T Smith
- School of Environmental, Geographical and Geological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Burnaby Building, Burnaby Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO1 3QL, UK
| | - Tsugiko Takase
- Institute of Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima University, 1 Kanayagawa, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture, 960-1296, Japan
| | - Alex T Ford
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire, PO4 9LY, UK
| | - Toshihiro Wada
- Institute of Environmental Radioactivity, Fukushima University, 1 Kanayagawa, Fukushima City, Fukushima Prefecture, 960-1296, Japan
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Lewis PJ, McGrath TJ, Chiaradia A, McMahon CR, Emmerson L, Allinson G, Shimeta J. A baseline for POPs contamination in Australian seabirds: little penguins vs. short-tailed shearwaters. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 159:111488. [PMID: 32738640 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2020.111488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Revised: 07/15/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
While globally distributed throughout the world's ecosystems, there is little baseline information on persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in marine environments in Australia and, more broadly, the Southern Hemisphere. To fill this knowledge gap, we collected baseline information on POPs in migratory short-tailed shearwaters (Ardenna tenuirostris) from Fisher Island, Tasmania, and resident little penguins (Eudyptula minor) from Phillip Island, Victoria. Levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) were determined from blood samples, with total contamination ranging 7.6-47.7 ng/g ww for short-tailed shearwaters and 0.12-46.9 ng/g ww for little penguins. In both species contamination followed the same pattern where PCBs>OCPs>BFRs. BFR levels included the presence of the novel flame retardant hexabromobenzene (HBB). These novel results of POPs in seabirds in southeast Australia provide important information on the local (penguins) and global (shearwaters) distribution of POPs in the marine environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phoebe J Lewis
- Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation (EnSuRe), School of Science, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia; Australian Antarctic Division, 203 Channel Highway, Kingston, Tasmania 7050, Australia.
| | - Thomas J McGrath
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Andre Chiaradia
- Conservation Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Victoria 3925, Australia
| | - Clive R McMahon
- IMOS Animal Tagging, Sydney Institute of Marine Science, 19 Chowder Bay, Mosman 2088, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Louise Emmerson
- Australian Antarctic Division, 203 Channel Highway, Kingston, Tasmania 7050, Australia
| | - Graeme Allinson
- Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation (EnSuRe), School of Science, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
| | - Jeff Shimeta
- Centre for Environmental Sustainability and Remediation (EnSuRe), School of Science, RMIT University, GPO Box 2476, Melbourne, Victoria 3001, Australia
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Bertin A, Damiens G, Castillo D, Figueroa R, Minier C, Gouin N. Developmental instability is associated with estrogenic endocrine disruption in the Chilean native fish species, Trichomycterus areolatus. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 714:136638. [PMID: 31982740 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.136638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs) are widespread contaminants that alter the normal functioning of the endocrine system. While they cause dysfunctions in essential biological processes, it is unclear whether EDCs also impact developmental stability. In the present study, we investigated the occurrence of estrogenic endocrine disrupting compounds in a small watershed of south-central Chile impacted by anthropogenic activities. Then, we assessed their relationship with internal levels of estrogenic active compounds and fluctuating asymmetry (FA), a proxy of developmental stability in organisms with bilateral symmetry, in a native fish species (Trichomycterus areolatus). Yeast estrogenic screen assays were performed to measure estrogenic activity in river sediments and in male fish tissues collected from 17 sites along the Chillán watershed, and geometric morphometrics used to estimate fluctuating asymmetry based on the shapes of 248 fish skulls. Estrogenic activity was detected both in sediments and male fish tissues at concentrations of up to 1005 ng and 83 ng 17β-estradiol equivalent/kg dw, respectively. No significant correlation was found between the two. However, fish tissue estrogenicity, water temperature and dissolved oxygen explained >80% of the FA population variation. By showing a significant relationship between estrogenic activity and FA of T. areolatus, our results indicate that developmental stability can be altered by estrogenic endocrine disruption, and that FA can be a useful indicator of sub-lethal stress in T. areolatus populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angéline Bertin
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad de La Serena, Raúl Bitrán 1305, La Serena, Chile.
| | - Gautier Damiens
- Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Raúl Bitrán 1305, La Serena, Chile
| | - Daniela Castillo
- Programa de doctorado en Energía, Agua y Medio Ambiente, Universidad de La Serena, Benavente 980, La Serena, Chile.
| | - Ricardo Figueroa
- Facultad de Ciencias Ambientales y Centro EULA-Chile, Universidad de Concepción, Casilla 160-C, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Christophe Minier
- UMR-I 02 SEBIO - Stress Environnementaux et BIOsurveillance des milieu aquatiques, Université du Havre, 25 rue Philippe Lebon, BP1123, 76063 Le Havre cedex, France.
| | - Nicolas Gouin
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad de La Serena, Raúl Bitrán 1305, La Serena, Chile; Centro de Estudios Avanzados en Zonas Áridas (CEAZA), Raúl Bitrán 1305, La Serena, Chile; Instituto de Investigación Multidisciplinar en Ciencia y Tecnología, Universidad de La Serena, La Serena, Chile.
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Oudi A, Chokri MA, Hammouda A, Chaabane R, Badraoui R, Besnard A, Santos R. Physiological impacts of pollution exposure in seabird's progeny nesting in a Mediterranean contaminated area. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2019; 142:196-205. [PMID: 31232295 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.02.056] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Revised: 02/18/2019] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Aquatic wildlife is exposed through trophic transfer of hazardous substances to several threats inducing physiological impairments. We aimed at assessing the impact of contamination in one of the hot spots of pollution along Mediterranean coasts, the gulf of Gabes in Tunisia, on Common tern Sterna hirundo, a piscivorous top predator bird. Firstly, we compared the reproductive effort of breeding adults through clutch size distribution in three sites with different levels of pollution. Then, a battery of genotoxicity and oxidative stress biomarkers was carried out to assess physiological impairments in chicks. While defense mechanisms showed a depletion, lipid peroxidation and genotoxicity increased significantly according to pollution level. The multi-biomarker approach used here, discriminated chicks according to contamination degree of their nesting sites. Increases in genotoxicity and oxidative stress were correlated to a decrease in chick body mass known to lead to long-term impacts on juvenile survival and recruitment in birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abir Oudi
- UR17ES44-"Ecologie de la Faune Terrestre", University of Gabès, Faculty of Sciences, Zrig 6072, Gabès, Tunisia
| | - Mohamed Ali Chokri
- UR17ES44-"Ecologie de la Faune Terrestre", University of Gabès, Faculty of Sciences, Zrig 6072, Gabès, Tunisia
| | - Abdessalem Hammouda
- UR17ES44-"Ecologie de la Faune Terrestre", University of Gabès, Faculty of Sciences, Zrig 6072, Gabès, Tunisia
| | - Rim Chaabane
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, CHU Hédi Chaker of Sfax, 3029 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Riadh Badraoui
- Laboratory of Histology-Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Sfax, 3029 Sfax, Tunisia
| | - Aurélien Besnard
- EPHE, PSL Research University, CNRS, UM, SupAgro, IRD, INRA, UMR 5175 CEFE, F-34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Raphaël Santos
- EPHE, PSL Research University, CNRS, UM, SupAgro, IRD, INRA, UMR 5175 CEFE, F-34293 Montpellier, France; HEPIA, University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland, Ecology and Engineering of Aquatic Systems research group, 150 Route de Presinge, CH-1254 Jussy, Switzerland.
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Løseth ME, Briels N, Eulaers I, Nygård T, Malarvannan G, Poma G, Covaci A, Herzke D, Bustnes JO, Lepoint G, Jenssen BM, Jaspers VLB. Plasma concentrations of organohalogenated contaminants in white-tailed eagle nestlings - The role of age and diet. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 246:527-534. [PMID: 30583161 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.12.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Concentrations of organohalogenated contaminants (OHCs) can show significant temporal and spatial variation in the environment and wildlife. Most of the variation is due to changes in use and production, but environmental and biological factors may also contribute to the variation. Nestlings of top predators are exposed to maternally transferred OHCs in the egg and through their dietary intake after hatching. The present study investigated spatial and temporal variation of OHCs and the role of age and diet on these variations in plasma of Norwegian white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) nestlings. The nestlings were sampled at two locations, Smøla and Steigen, in 2015 and 2016. The age of the nestlings was recorded (range: 44 - 87 days old) and stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) were applied as dietary proxies for carbon source and trophic position, respectively. In total, 14 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs, range: 0.82 - 59.05 ng/mL), 7 organochlorinated pesticides (OCPs, range: 0.89 - 52.19 ng/mL), 5 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs, range: 0.03 - 2.64 ng/mL) and 8 perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs, range: 4.58 - 52.94 ng/mL) were quantified in plasma samples from each location and year. The OHC concentrations, age and dietary proxies displayed temporal and spatial variations. The age of the nestlings was indicated as the most important predictor for OHC variation as the models displayed significantly decreasing plasma concentrations of PCBs, OCPs, and PBDEs with increasing age, while concentrations of PFASs were significantly increasing with age. Together with age, the variations in PCB, OCP and PBDE concentrations were also explained by δ13C and indicated decreasing concentrations with a more marine diet. Our findings emphasise age and diet as important factors to consider when investigating variations in plasma OHC concentrations in nestlings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mari Engvig Løseth
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Høgskoleringen 5, 7491, Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Nathalie Briels
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Høgskoleringen 5, 7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Fredriksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Torgeir Nygård
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Høgskoleringen 9, 7034, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Govindan Malarvannan
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Giulia Poma
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Dorte Herzke
- Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU), FRAM - High North Research Centre on Climate and the Environment, 9007, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Jan Ove Bustnes
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), FRAM - High North Research Centre on Climate and the Environment, 9007, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Gilles Lepoint
- Laboratoire d´Océanologie, University of Liège, 4000, Sart-Tilman, Liège, Belgium
| | - Bjørn Munro Jenssen
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Høgskoleringen 5, 7491, Trondheim, Norway; Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Fredriksborgvej 399, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Veerle L B Jaspers
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Høgskoleringen 5, 7491, Trondheim, Norway
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Bradley MM, Perra M, Ahlstrøm Ø, Jenssen BM, Jørgensen EH, Fuglei E, Muir DCG, Sonne C. Mandibular shape in farmed Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus) exposed to persistent organic pollutants. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 646:1063-1068. [PMID: 30235592 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.07.367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2018] [Revised: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We investigated if dietary exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) affect mandibular asymmetry and periodontal disease in paired male-siblings of Arctic foxes (Vulpes lagopus). During ontogeny, one group of siblings was exposed to the complexed POP mixture in naturally contaminated minke whale (Balaenoptere acutorostarta) blubber (n = 10), while another group was given wet feed based on pig (Sus scrofa) fat as a control (n = 11). The ∑POP concentrations were 802 ng/g ww in the whale-based feed compared to 24 ng/g ww in the control diet. We conducted a two-dimensional geometric morphometric (GM) analysis of mandibular shape and asymmetry in the foxes and compared the two groups. The analyses showed that directional asymmetry was higher than fluctuating asymmetry in both groups and that mandibular shape differed significantly between the exposed and control group based on discriminant function analysis (T2 = 58.52, p = 0.04, 1000 permutations). We also found a non-significantly higher incidence of periodontal disease (two-way ANOVA: p = 0.43) and greater severity of sub-canine alveolar bone deterioration similar to periodontitis (two-way ANOVA: p = 0.3) in the POP-exposed group. Based on these results, it is possible that dietary exposure to a complexed POP mixture lead to changes in jaw morphology in Arctic foxes. This study suggests that extrinsic factors, such as dietary exposure to POPs, may affect mandibular shape and health in a way that could be harmful to wild Arctic populations. Therefore, further studies using GM analysis as an alternative to traditional morphometric methods should be conducted for wild Arctic fox populations exposed to environmental contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Madison M Bradley
- Department of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Calgary, 2500 University Drive N.W., Calgary, Alberta T2N 1N4, Canada.
| | - Megan Perra
- Independent Researcher, 97231 Portland, OR, USA
| | - Øystein Ahlstrøm
- Department of Animal and Aquacultural Sciences, Faculty of Biosciences, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, P.O. Box 5003, NO-1433 Ås, Norway.
| | - Bjørn M Jenssen
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Arctic Technology, The University Centre in Svalbard, PO Box 156, NO-9171 Longyearbyen, Norway; Aarhus University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Even H Jørgensen
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, UiT the Arctic University of Norway, N, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Eva Fuglei
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Derek C G Muir
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington L7S 1A1, ON, Canada.
| | - Christian Sonne
- Aarhus University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
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Steyn L, Hoffman J, Bouwman H, Maina AW, Maina JN. Bone density and asymmetry are not related to DDT in House Sparrows: Insights from micro-focus X-ray computed tomography. CHEMOSPHERE 2018; 212:734-743. [PMID: 30179838 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.08.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2018] [Revised: 08/09/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
In organisms, DDT (Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane) and its metabolites, DDE (Dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene) and DDD (Dichlorobischlorophenylethane) are endocrine mimics. They can influence bone density and other bone structural features. This study was conducted on House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) caught from the Free State - and the Limpopo Provinces of South Africa (SA). The sites were chosen based on spraying patterns of DDT for malaria control or non-spraying. The bone mineral densities of the femurs as well as the lengths of the left- and right leg bones were determined using micro-focus X-ray computed tomography (μ-XCT). The concentrations of DDT and its metabolites in the liver were determined with gas-chromatography mass-spectrometry to provide baseline concentrations of DDT in the body, allowing comparison of the various groups of birds. There was no asymmetry between the lengths of the bones of the left- and the right legs. DDT concentrations in the liver did not correlate with bone lengths. In addition, there were no significant differences between the relative densities of the left- and right leg bones with increase of concentrations of DDT. The concentrations of DDT and its metabolites did not have a significant effect on the measured bone parameters of House Sparrows. It is possible that the concentrations of DDT and its metabolites in the environments were too low to be injurious to the birds and/or tolerance to the insecticide has developed in the birds over more than six decades of almost continuous application of DDT.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Steyn
- Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, 2006, South Africa.
| | - J Hoffman
- Department of Radiation Science, South African Nuclear Energy Corporation, (Necsa), Pelindaba, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - H Bouwman
- Research Unit, Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa
| | - A W Maina
- Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of the Witwatersrand, Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa; Consultant Orthopaedic Surgeon, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Department of Surgery, Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital Parktown, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - J N Maina
- Department of Zoology, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park, 2006, South Africa
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Carravieri A, Cherel Y, Brault-Favrou M, Churlaud C, Peluhet L, Labadie P, Budzinski H, Chastel O, Bustamante P. From Antarctica to the subtropics: Contrasted geographical concentrations of selenium, mercury, and persistent organic pollutants in skua chicks (Catharacta spp.). ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2017; 228:464-473. [PMID: 28570991 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.05.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Revised: 05/07/2017] [Accepted: 05/19/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Seabirds integrate bioaccumulative contaminants via food intake and have revealed geographical trends of contamination in a variety of ecosystems. Pre-fledging seabird chicks are particularly interesting as bioindicators of chemical contamination, because concentrations in their tissues reflect primarily dietary sources from the local environment. Here we measured 14 trace elements and 18 persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in blood of chicks of skuas that breed in four sites encompassing a large latitudinal range within the southern Indian Ocean, from Antarctica (Adélie Land, south polar skua Catharacta maccormicki), through subantarctic areas (Crozet and Kerguelen Islands, brown skua C. lonnbergi), to the subtropics (Amsterdam Island, C. lonnbergi). Stables isotopes of carbon (δ13C, feeding habitat) and nitrogen (δ15N, trophic position) were also measured to control for the influence of feeding habits on contaminant burdens. Concentrations of mercury (Hg) and selenium (Se) were very high at all the four sites, with Amsterdam birds having the highest concentrations ever reported in chicks worldwide (4.0 ± 0.8 and 646 ± 123 μg g-1 dry weight, respectively). Blood Hg concentrations showed a clear latitudinal pattern, increasing from chicks in Antarctica to chicks in the subantarctic and subtropical islands. Interestingly, blood Se concentrations showed similar between-population differences to Hg, suggesting its involvement in protective mechanisms against Hg toxicity. Chicks' POPs pattern was largely dominated by organochlorine pesticides, in particular DDT metabolites and hexachlorobenzene (HCB). Skua chicks from subantarctic islands presented high concentrations and diversity of POPs. By contrast, chicks from the Antarctic site overall had the lowest concentrations and diversity of both metallic and organic contaminants, with the exception of HCB and arsenic. Skua populations from these sites, being naturally exposed to different quantities of contaminants, are potentially good models for testing toxic effects in developing chicks in the wild.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alice Carravieri
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France.
| | - Yves Cherel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Maud Brault-Favrou
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-Université de la Rochelle, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Carine Churlaud
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-Université de la Rochelle, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Laurent Peluhet
- CNRS, UMR 5805 EPOC (LPTC Research group), Université de Bordeaux, 351 Cours de la Libération, F 33405 Talence Cedex, France
| | - Pierre Labadie
- CNRS, UMR 5805 EPOC (LPTC Research group), Université de Bordeaux, 351 Cours de la Libération, F 33405 Talence Cedex, France
| | - Hélène Budzinski
- CNRS, UMR 5805 EPOC (LPTC Research group), Université de Bordeaux, 351 Cours de la Libération, F 33405 Talence Cedex, France
| | - Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-Université de la Rochelle, 2 rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
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Fuller N, Smith JT, Nagorskaya LL, Gudkov DI, Ford AT. Does Chernobyl-derived radiation impact the developmental stability of Asellus aquaticus 30years on? THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 576:242-250. [PMID: 27788439 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.10.097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2016] [Revised: 10/11/2016] [Accepted: 10/13/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Effects of long-term, environmentally relevant doses of radiation on biota remain unclear due to a lack of studies following chronic exposure in contaminated environments. The 1986 Chernobyl accident dispersed vast amounts of radioactivity into the environment which persists to date. Despite three decades of research, impacts of the incident on non-human organisms continues to be contested within the scientific literature. The present study assessed the impact of chronic radiation exposure from Chernobyl on the developmental stability of the model aquatic isopod, Asellus aquaticus using fluctuating asymmetry (FA) as an indicator. Fluctuating asymmetry, defined as random deviations from the expected perfect bilateral symmetry of an organism, has gained prominence as an indicator of developmental stability in ecotoxicology. Organisms were collected from six lakes along a gradient of radionuclide contamination in Belarus and the Ukraine. Calculated total dose rates ranged from 0.06-27.1μGy/h. Fluctuating asymmetry was assessed in four meristic and one metrical trait. Significant differences in levels of pooled asymmetry were recorded between sample sites independent of sex and specific trait measured. However, there was no correlation of asymmetry with radiation doses, suggesting that differences in asymmetry were not attributed to radionuclide contamination and were driven by elevated asymmetry at a single site. No correlation between FA and measured environmental parameters suggested a biotic factor driving observed FA differences. This study appears to be the first to record no evident increase in developmental stability of biota from the Chernobyl region. These findings will aid in understanding the response of organisms to chronic pollutant exposure and the long term effects of large scale nuclear incidents such as Chernobyl and Fukushima.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil Fuller
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO4 9LY, UK
| | - Jim T Smith
- School of Earth & Environmental Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Burnaby Building, Burnaby Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO1 3QL, UK
| | - Liubov L Nagorskaya
- Applied Science Center for Bioresources of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, 27 Academicheskaya Str., 220072 Minsk, Belarus
| | - Dmitri I Gudkov
- Department of Freshwater Radioecology, Institute of Hydrobiology, Geroyev Stalingrada Ave. 12, UA-04210 Kiev, Ukraine
| | - Alex T Ford
- Institute of Marine Sciences, School of Biological Sciences, University of Portsmouth, Ferry Road, Portsmouth, Hampshire PO4 9LY, UK.
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11
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Viljoen IM, Bornman R, Bouwman H. DDT exposure of frogs: A case study from Limpopo Province, South Africa. CHEMOSPHERE 2016; 159:335-341. [PMID: 27317939 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2016.06.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2015] [Revised: 06/03/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Amphibians are globally under pressure with environmental contaminants contributing to this. Despite caution aired more than 80 years ago of threats posed to amphibians by DDT spraying for disease vector control, no data have been published on concentrations or effects of DDT contamination in frogs from areas where DDT is actively sprayed to control the insect vectors of malaria. In this study, we sampled fat bodies of Xenopus laevis and Xenopus muelleri naturally occurring in an area where indoor residual spraying of DDT is employed and from adjacent, non-sprayed, areas. ΣDDT concentrations ranged between <LOQ and 280 ng/g ww (wet weight) from the non-sprayed area, and 5.5-910 ng/g ww from the sprayed area, but statistical significance could not be shown. We observed significant asymmetric testicular morphology in frogs from the sprayed area, possibly due to endocrine disruption by compounds such as the DDTs. A previous study from the same area found very high concentrations of DDT in the eggs of the Grey Heron Ardea cinerea. This suggests that the DDT we found in frogs may have contributed to DDT loadings higher in the food web. These findings, combined with other studies from this area, support the need to reduce and eventually move away from DDT in malaria control safely and sustainably.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ignatius M Viljoen
- Research Unit: Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa; SA Medical Research Council Centre for TB Research, DST/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis Research, Division of Molecular Biology and Human Genetics, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Stellenbosch University, Francie van Zijl Drive, Tygerberg, 7505, South Africa.
| | - Riana Bornman
- SA Medical Research Council Centre & University of Pretoria Centre for Sustainable Malaria Control (MRC & UP CSMC), School of Health, Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0028, South Africa
| | - Hindrik Bouwman
- Research Unit: Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa
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12
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Costa RA, Torres J, Vingada JV, Eira C. Persistent organic pollutants and inorganic elements in the Balearic shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus wintering off Portugal. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2016; 108:311-316. [PMID: 27113022 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.04.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2016] [Revised: 04/08/2016] [Accepted: 04/15/2016] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
This study presents the first data on trace element and organic pollutant concentrations in the Critically Endangered Balearic shearwater Puffinus mauretanicus collected in 2010 and 2011 in Portugal. Trace element levels were below the threshold levels for adverse effects on birds, despite the Hg concentrations in feathers (4.35μg·g-1ww). No significant differences were detected between individuals from 2010 and 2011 except for Se concentrations in liver, feathers and muscle (higher in 2010) and Ag in liver and muscle (higher in 2011). No significant differences were detected in total concentrations of organochlorine compounds in Balearic shearwaters between years, although PCB congeners -101 and -180 presented higher concentrations in individuals from 2010. The PCB congeners -138, -153 and -180, and 4.4-DDE were detected in all individuals. This study on toxic elements and organic pollutants in wintering Balearic shearwaters provides baseline data from which deviations can be detected in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- R A Costa
- Departamento de Biologia & CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
| | - J Torres
- Laboratori de Parasitologia, Departament de Biología, Sanitat i Medi Ambient. Universitat de Barcelona
| | - J V Vingada
- Departamento de Biologia & CESAM, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal; Sociedade Portuguesa de Vida Selvagem, Estação de Campo de Quiaios, Apartado 16 EC Quiaios, 3081-101 Figueira da Foz, Portugal
| | - C Eira
- Departamento de Biologia & CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal; Sociedade Portuguesa de Vida Selvagem, Estação de Campo de Quiaios, Apartado 16 EC Quiaios, 3081-101 Figueira da Foz, Portugal
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13
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Bouwman H, Govender D, Underhill L, Polder A. Chlorinated, brominated and fluorinated organic pollutants in African Penguin eggs: 30 years since the previous assessment. CHEMOSPHERE 2015; 126:1-10. [PMID: 25613517 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.12.071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2014] [Revised: 12/21/2014] [Accepted: 12/23/2014] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
The African Penguin population has drastically declined over the last 100 years. Changes in food availability due to over-fishing and other oceanographic changes seem to be major causes. However, it has also been 30 years since organic pollutants as a potential factor have been assessed. We analysed penguin eggs collected in 2011 and 2012 from two breeding colonies 640 km apart: Robben Island near Cape Town on the Atlantic Ocean coast, and Bird Island near Port Elizabeth on the Indian Ocean coast of South Africa. We quantified organochlorine pesticides, brominated flame retardants, and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs). Compared to 30 years ago, concentrations of ΣDDT have remained about the same or slightly lower, while ΣPCBs declined almost four-fold. The use of DDT in malaria control is unlikely to have contributed. PFCs were detected in all eggs. Indications (non-significant) of eggshell thinning associated with ΣDDT and ΣPCB was found. It seems therefore that the concentrations of measured organic pollutants the African Penguin eggs are not contributing directly to its current demise, but concerns remain about thinner shells and desiccation. Effects of combinations of compounds and newer compounds cannot be excluded, as well as more subtle effects on reproduction, development, and behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hindrik Bouwman
- Research Unit: Environmental Sciences and Development, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa.
| | - Danny Govender
- Scientific Services, SANParks, Skukuza, South Africa; Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Les Underhill
- Animal Demography Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Anuschka Polder
- Department of Food Safety and Infection Biology, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Norway
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Guzzo MM, Eckbo NH, Gabrielsen GW, Fisk AT, Hylland K, Borgå K. Persistent organic pollutant concentrations in fledglings of two arctic seabird species. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2014; 184:414-418. [PMID: 24121265 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2013.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2013] [Revised: 08/31/2013] [Accepted: 09/03/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and stable isotopes were measured in muscle from fledglings of two arctic seabird species, Northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) and Black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla). The purpose was to compare POP concentrations between species, in an age class that is highly vulnerable to POPs but little studied, relate to diet using stable isotopes, and quantify differences across life stages (egg to adult). Northern fulmar fledglings had significantly higher POP concentrations than kittiwake, consistent with results reported for adults of these species. Surprisingly, carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes did not differ between species, which does not match data for, or the known feeding ecology, of the adults. Fulmar/kittiwake POP concentration ratios varied across life stages indicating variable POP exposure and accumulation with age in seabirds, indicating that of the use of avian species-specific thresholds should only be done with caution in ecosystem-based POP risk management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew M Guzzo
- Department of Biological Sciences, 50 Sifton Road, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada.
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15
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Bustnes JO, Bårdsen BJ, Herzke D, Johnsen TV, Eulaers I, Ballesteros M, Hanssen SA, Covaci A, Jaspers VLB, Eens M, Sonne C, Halley D, Moum T, Nøst TH, Erikstad KE, Ims RA. Plasma concentrations of organohalogenated pollutants in predatory bird nestlings: associations to growth rate and dietary tracers. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2013; 32:2520-2527. [PMID: 23861300 DOI: 10.1002/etc.2329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2013] [Revised: 06/11/2013] [Accepted: 07/09/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
The extent to which persistent organic pollutants (POPs) with different physicochemical properties originated from the food (dietary input) was assessed in raptor nestlings. Lipophilic polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) 153, 1-dichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethylene (p,p'-DDE), and hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and protein-bound perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), were measured repeatedly in blood plasma of individual goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) and white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) nestlings, 1 to 3 wk after hatching and near fledging. Maternally derived POPs dilute as nestlings grow (growth dilution), and increasing plasma concentrations would indicate dietary input. First, plasma concentrations given no dietary input were estimated, and concentrations of p,p'-DDE, HCB, and notably PFOS were significantly higher than predicted from a growth-dilution scenario (approximately 1.5-fold to 2.5-fold higher; p < 0.001). In contrast, PCB 153 declined in both species, although concentrations were still higher than predicted in white-tailed eagle nestlings (p < 0.05). Second, the relationships between plasma POP concentrations and trophic position (δ(15) N) and dietary carbon source (δ(13) C) were analyzed, controlling for growth rate. Both δ(15) N and δ(13) C (measured in body feathers) were significantly associated to the accumulation of most POPs, except PFOS. In conclusion, pollutant data acquired in plasma of nestling raptors should be interpreted and further investigated in the light of individual feeding ecology, and the use of raptor nestlings as sentinels for POP monitoring could be optimized by correcting for different factors such as body condition, brood size, and age.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan O Bustnes
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, FRAM - High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, Tromsø, Norway
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16
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Bouwman H, Viljoen IM, Quinn LP, Polder A. Halogenated pollutants in terrestrial and aquatic bird eggs: converging patterns of pollutant profiles, and impacts and risks from high levels. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2013; 126:240-53. [PMID: 23850145 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2013.06.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2013] [Revised: 06/02/2013] [Accepted: 06/13/2013] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
We investigated the presence, levels, relationships, and risks of HCHs, DDTs, chlordanes, mirex, PCBs, and brominated flame retardants (BFRs) in terrestrial and aquatic bird eggs from an area in South Africa where DDT is used for malaria control. We found one of the highest ΣDDT levels reported this century; 13,000 ng/g wm (wet mass) in Grey Heron eggs which exceeds critical levels for reproductive success (3000 ng/g wm) calculated for Brown Pelicans, with a no-effect level estimated at 500 ng/g wm. Even higher ΣDDT levels at 16,000 ng/g wm were found in House Sparrow eggs (possibly the highest ever recorded for sparrows), with a maximum of 24,400 ng/g wm. Significant eggshell thinning in Cattle Egrets (33% between thickest and thinnest) was associated with increased levels of p,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDE. There were indications of unknown use of DDT and lindane. Relative to DDT, PCBs and BFRs levels were quite low. Ordinated data showed that different terrestrial pollutant profiles converged to a homogenised aquatic profile. Converging profiles, high levels of DDT in heron and sparrow eggs, and thinning eggs shells, indicate risk and impacts at release, in the aquatic environment, and in between. If characteristic life-strategies of birds in warm areas (e.g. longer-lived and fewer eggs per clutch) increases the risk compared with similar birds living in colder regions when both experience the same environmental pollutant levels, then malaria control using DDT probably has more significant impacts on biota than previously realised. Therefore, risk assessment and modelling without hard data may miss crucial impacts and risks, as the chemical use patterns and ecologies in Africa and elsewhere may differ from the conditions and assumptions of existing risk assessment and modelling parameters. Consideration of other findings associated with DDT from the same area (intersex in fish and urogental birth defects in baby boys), together with the findings of this study (high levels of DDT in bird eggs, eggshell thinning in the Cattle Egrets, and the apparent absence of breeding piscivore birds in the sprayed area) are strongly suggestive of negative impacts from DDT spraying for Malaria control. Our data presents strong arguments for an expedited process of replacing DDT with sustainable methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hindrik Bouwman
- Research Unit: Environmental Sciences and Development, North-West University, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa.
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17
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Villanger GD, Gabrielsen KM, Kovacs KM, Lydersen C, Lie E, Karimi M, Sørmo EG, Jenssen BM. Effects of complex organohalogen contaminant mixtures on thyroid homeostasis in hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) mother-pup pairs. CHEMOSPHERE 2013; 92:828-842. [PMID: 23726007 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.04.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2012] [Revised: 04/07/2013] [Accepted: 04/08/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Many lipid-soluble and phenolic compounds present in the complex mixture of orgaohalogen contaminants (OHCs) that arctic wildlife is exposed to have the ability to interfere with the thyroid hormone (TH) system. The aim of this study was to identify compounds that might interfere with thyroid homeostasis in 14 nursing hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) mothers and their pups (1-4d old) sampled in the West Ice in March 2008. Multivariate modelling was used to assess the potential effects of measured plasma levels of OHCs on circulating TH levels of the measured free (F) and total (T) levels of triidothyrine (T3) and thyroxine (T4). Biological factors were important in all models (e.g. age and sex). In both mothers and pups, TT3:FT3 ratios were associated with α- and β-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), ortho-PCBs, chlordanes and DDTs. The similarities between the modelled TT3:FT3 responses to OHC levels in hooded seal mothers and pups most probably reflects similar exposure patterns, but could also indicate interconnected TH responses. There were some differences in the modelled TH responses of mothers and pups. Most importantly, the negative relationships between many OH-PCBs (particularly 3'-OH-CB138) and TT3:FT3 ratio and the positive relationships between TT4:FT4 ratios and polybrominated diphenyl ether [PBDE]-99, -100 and 4-OH-CB107 in pups, which was not found in mothers. Although statistical associations are not evidence per se of biological cause-effect relationships, the results suggest that thyroid homeostasis is affected in hooded seals, and that the inclusion of the fullest possible OHC mixture is important when assessing TH related effects in wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gro D Villanger
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, N-7491 Trondheim, Norway.
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18
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Bourgeon S, Leat EKH, Furness RW, Borgå K, Hanssen SA, Bustnes JO. Dietary versus maternal sources of organochlorines in top predator seabird chicks: an experimental approach. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2013; 47:5963-5970. [PMID: 23672486 DOI: 10.1021/es400442q] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
We examined the relative importance of dietary sources and maternal transfer on organochlorine concentrations (∑OCs) in Great skua chicks (Stercorarius skua) in Shetland by food supplementing parents with known wintering area. We predicted that experimental chicks (whose parents were supplemented) should have (i) higher growth rates and, (ii) lower ∑OCs due to growth dilution effect and/or due to being fed with less contaminated food compared to control chicks. We also predicted a significant influence of maternal wintering area on chicks' ∑OCs. Plasma ∑OCs of adults, assessed prior to the manipulation, significantly differed between wintering areas of birds. Chicks were weighed every 5 days and plasma ∑OCs were assessed at 20 days old. Based on nitrogen and carbon stable isotope analysis, the supplementary food contributed on average 20% of the dietary protein of the chicks. Although experimental chicks experienced better developmental conditions, supplementary food did not alleviate their organochlorine burden. Nevertheless, chicks whose mothers wintered in Europe showed ∑OCs 50% higher than chicks whose mothers wintered in Africa. Moreover, based on the positive relationship between ∑OCs of chicks and females, the contaminant load of Great skua chicks in Shetland appears to be more influenced by maternal transfer than by trophic transfer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Bourgeon
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Fram Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway.
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19
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A luciferase reporter gene assay and aryl hydrocarbon receptor 1 genotype predict the LD50 of polychlorinated biphenyls in avian species. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2012; 263:390-401. [DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2012.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2012] [Revised: 06/27/2012] [Accepted: 07/10/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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20
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Miljeteig C, Gabrielsen GW, Strøm H, Gavrilo MV, Lie E, Jenssen BM. Eggshell thinning and decreased concentrations of vitamin E are associated with contaminants in eggs of ivory gulls. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2012; 431:92-99. [PMID: 22673175 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.05.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2011] [Revised: 05/03/2012] [Accepted: 05/07/2012] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
The ivory gull is a high Arctic seabird species threatened by climate change and contaminant exposure. High levels of contaminants have been reported in ivory gull Pagophila eburnea eggs from Svalbard and the Russian Arctic. The present study investigated associations between high levels of contaminants (organochlorinated pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), brominated flame retardants (BFRs), perfluorinated alkyl substances (PFASs) and mercury (Hg)) and three response variables: eggshell thickness, retinol (vitamin A) and α-tocopherol (vitamin E). Negative associations were found between levels of OCPs, PCBs and BFRs and eggshell thickness (p<0.021) and α-tocopherol (p<0.023), but not with retinol (p>0.1). There were no associations between PFASs and mercury and the three response variables. Furthermore, the eggshell thickness was 7-17% thinner in the present study than in archived ivory gull eggs (≤1930). In general, a thinning above 16 to 20% has been associated with a decline in bird populations, suggesting that contaminant-induced eggshell thinning may constitute a serious threat to ivory gull populations globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cecilie Miljeteig
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, 7491 Trondheim, Norway.
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21
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Bechshøft TØ, Sonne C, Dietz R, Born EW, Muir DCG, Letcher RJ, Novak MA, Henchey E, Meyer JS, Jenssen BM, Villanger GD. Associations between complex OHC mixtures and thyroid and cortisol hormone levels in East Greenland polar bears. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2012; 116:26-35. [PMID: 22575327 PMCID: PMC3366032 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2012.04.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2011] [Revised: 04/16/2012] [Accepted: 04/19/2012] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
The multivariate relationship between hair cortisol, whole blood thyroid hormones, and the complex mixtures of organohalogen contaminant (OHC) levels measured in subcutaneous adipose of 23 East Greenland polar bears (eight males and 15 females, all sampled between the years 1999 and 2001) was analyzed using projection to latent structure (PLS) regression modeling. In the resulting PLS model, most important variables with a negative influence on cortisol levels were particularly BDE-99, but also CB-180, -201, BDE-153, and CB-170/190. The most important variables with a positive influence on cortisol were CB-66/95, α-HCH, TT3, as well as heptachlor epoxide, dieldrin, BDE-47, p,p'-DDD. Although statistical modeling does not necessarily fully explain biological cause-effect relationships, relationships indicate that (1) the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in East Greenland polar bears is likely to be affected by OHC-contaminants and (2) the association between OHCs and cortisol may be linked with the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- T Ø Bechshøft
- University of Aarhus, Faculty of Science & Technology, Department of Bioscience, Roskilde, Denmark.
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22
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Pinto NS, Juen L, Cabette HSR, De Marco P. Fluctuating asymmetry and wing size of Argia tinctipennis Selys (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae) in relation to riparian forest preservation status. NEOTROPICAL ENTOMOLOGY 2012; 41:178-185. [PMID: 23950041 DOI: 10.1007/s13744-012-0029-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2011] [Accepted: 03/10/2012] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Effects of riparian vegetation removal on body size and wing fluctuating asymmetry (FA) of Argia tinctipennis Selys (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) were studied in the River Suiá-Miçú basin, which is part of the Xingu basin in Brazilian Amazonia. A total of 70 specimens (n = 33 from preserved and n = 37 from degraded areas) was measured. Five wing measures of each wing (totalizing ten measured characters) were taken. Preserved and degraded points presented non-overlapped variations of a Habitat Integrity Index, supporting the environmental differentiation between these two categories. FA increases in degraded areas approximately four times for the width between the nodus and proximal portion of the pterostigma of forewings (FW), two times for the width of the wing in the region of nodus of FW, and approximately 1.7 times for the number of postnodal cells of FW. The increase is almost five times for the width between the nodus and the proximal portion of the pterostigma of hind wings (HW), three times for the number of postnodal cells of HW, and approximately 1.6 times the width between quadrangle and nodus of HW. Individuals of preserved sites were nearly 3.3% larger than for degraded sites, based on mean hind wing length. Our results supports that the development of A. tinctipennis in degraded areas is affected by riparian vegetation removal and may reflect in wing FA variations. Consequently, these FA measures may be a useful tool for bioassessment using Odonata insects as a model.
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Affiliation(s)
- N S Pinto
- Lab de Ecologia Teórica e Síntese, Depto de Biologia Geral, Univ Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brasil
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Letcher RJ, Bustnes JO, Dietz R, Jenssen BM, Jørgensen EH, Sonne C, Verreault J, Vijayan MM, Gabrielsen GW. Exposure and effects assessment of persistent organohalogen contaminants in arctic wildlife and fish. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2010; 408:2995-3043. [PMID: 19910021 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2009.10.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 477] [Impact Index Per Article: 34.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2009] [Revised: 10/08/2009] [Accepted: 10/14/2009] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) encompass an array of anthropogenic organic and elemental substances and their degradation and metabolic byproducts that have been found in the tissues of exposed animals, especially POPs categorized as organohalogen contaminants (OHCs). OHCs have been of concern in the circumpolar arctic for decades. For example, as a consequence of bioaccumulation and in some cases biomagnification of legacy (e.g., chlorinated PCBs, DDTs and CHLs) and emerging (e.g., brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and in particular polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) including perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanic acid (PFOA) found in Arctic biota and humans. Of high concern are the potential biological effects of these contaminants in exposed Arctic wildlife and fish. As concluded in the last review in 2004 for the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) on the effects of POPs in Arctic wildlife, prior to 1997, biological effects data were minimal and insufficient at any level of biological organization. The present review summarizes recent studies on biological effects in relation to OHC exposure, and attempts to assess known tissue/body compartment concentration data in the context of possible threshold levels of effects to evaluate the risks. This review concentrates mainly on post-2002, new OHC effects data in Arctic wildlife and fish, and is largely based on recently available effects data for populations of several top trophic level species, including seabirds (e.g., glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus)), polar bears (Ursus maritimus), polar (Arctic) fox (Vulpes lagopus), and Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus), as well as semi-captive studies on sled dogs (Canis familiaris). Regardless, there remains a dearth of data on true contaminant exposure, cause-effect relationships with respect to these contaminant exposures in Arctic wildlife and fish. Indications of exposure effects are largely based on correlations between biomarker endpoints (e.g., biochemical processes related to the immune and endocrine system, pathological changes in tissues and reproduction and development) and tissue residue levels of OHCs (e.g., PCBs, DDTs, CHLs, PBDEs and in a few cases perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and perfluorinated sulfonates (PFSAs)). Some exceptions include semi-field studies on comparative contaminant effects of control and exposed cohorts of captive Greenland sled dogs, and performance studies mimicking environmentally relevant PCB concentrations in Arctic charr. Recent tissue concentrations in several arctic marine mammal species and populations exceed a general threshold level of concern of 1 part-per-million (ppm), but a clear evidence of a POP/OHC-related stress in these populations remains to be confirmed. There remains minimal evidence that OHCs are having widespread effects on the health of Arctic organisms, with the possible exception of East Greenland and Svalbard polar bears and Svalbard glaucous gulls. However, the true (if any real) effects of POPs in Arctic wildlife have to be put into the context of other environmental, ecological and physiological stressors (both anthropogenic and natural) that render an overall complex picture. For instance, seasonal changes in food intake and corresponding cycles of fattening and emaciation seen in Arctic animals can modify contaminant tissue distribution and toxicokinetics (contaminant deposition, metabolism and depuration). Also, other factors, including impact of climate change (seasonal ice and temperature changes, and connection to food web changes, nutrition, etc. in exposed biota), disease, species invasion and the connection to disease resistance will impact toxicant exposure. Overall, further research and better understanding of POP/OHC impact on animal performance in Arctic biota are recommended. Regardless, it could be argued that Arctic wildlife and fish at the highest potential risk of POP/OHC exposure and mediated effects are East Greenland, Svalbard and (West and South) Hudson Bay polar bears, Alaskan and Northern Norway killer whales, several species of gulls and other seabirds from the Svalbard area, Northern Norway, East Greenland, the Kara Sea and/or the Canadian central high Arctic, East Greenland ringed seal and a few populations of Arctic charr and Greenland shark.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Letcher
- Wildlife and Landscape Science Directorate, Science and Technology, Branch, Environment Canada, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
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Domínguez AA, Law RJ, Herzke D, de Boer J. Bioaccumulation of Brominated Flame Retardants. BROMINATED FLAME RETARDANTS 2010. [DOI: 10.1007/698_2010_95] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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