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Liu Q, Gao J, Li G, Zheng Y, Li R, Yue T. Bibliometric analysis on mercury emissions from coal-fired power plants: a systematic review and future prospect. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:19148-19165. [PMID: 38379043 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32369-z] [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: 05/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Coal-fired power plants (CFPPs) are one of the most significant sources of mercury (Hg) emissions certified by the Minamata Convention, which has attracted much attention in recent years. In this study, we used the Web of Science and CiteSpace to analyze the knowledge structure of this field from 2000 to 2022 and then reviewed it systematically. The field of Hg emissions from coal-fired power plants has developed steadily. The research hotspots can be divided into three categories: (1) emission characterization research focused on speciation changes and emission calculations; (2) emission control research focused on control technologies; (3) environmental impact research focused on environmental pollution and health risk. In conclusion, using an oxygen-rich atmosphere for combustion and installing high-efficiency air pollution control devices (APCDs) helped to reduce the formation of Hg0. The average Hg removal rates of APCDs and modified adsorbents after ultra-low emission retrofit were distributed in the range of 82-93% and 41-100%, respectively. The risk level of Hg in combustion by-products was highest in desulfurization sludge (RAC > 10%) followed by fly ash (10% < RAC < 30%) and desulfurization gypsum (1% < RAC < 10%). Additionally, we found that the implementation of pollution and carbon reduction policies in China had reduced Hg emissions from CFPPs by 45% from 2007 to 2015, increased the efficiency of Hg removal from APCDs to a maximum of 96%, and reduced global transport and health risk of atmospheric Hg. The results conjunctively achieved by CiteSpace, and the literature review will enhance understanding of CFPP Hg emission research and provide new perspectives for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Liu
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Jiajia Gao
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Guoliang Li
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Yang Zheng
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Rui Li
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China
| | - Tao Yue
- School of Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China.
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2
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Carrillo-Hidalgo J, Martín-Cruz B, Henríquez-Hernández LA, Rial-Berriel C, Acosta-Dacal A, Zumbado-Peña M, Luzardo OP. Intraspecific and geographical variation in rodenticide exposure among common kestrels in Tenerife (Canary Islands). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 910:168551. [PMID: 37979878 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168551] [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: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
This study assesses the impact of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) on the common kestrel (Falco tinnunculus canariensis) in Tenerife, Canary Islands. The analysis of 390 liver samples over 19 years using HPLC-MS/MS showed that 93.1 % of kestrels were exposed to SGARs in this island. A notable shift in SGAR profiles was observed, with bromadiolone and flocoumafen decreasing, while brodifacoum levels increased sharply from 2018 onwards. Comparatively, Tenerife kestrels had a higher detection frequency of SGARs (93.1 %) than those in the rest of the islands of the archipelago (68.2 %), with median concentrations nearly double (∑AR = 180.9 vs 102.4 ng/g liver, P < 0.0001). Furthermore, on average, kestrels from Tenerife were found to have a higher number of different rodenticide compounds per individual. A Generalized Linear Model (GLM) analysis revealed that several factors contribute to the likelihood of SGAR exposure: being an adult kestrel, the enactment of legal restrictions on SGAR bait concentrations in 2018, higher livestock density, and greater human population density. These findings suggest that both bioaccumulation over the birds' lifespans and environmental factors related to human and agricultural activity are influencing the levels of SGARs detected. Alarmingly, 44.7 % of kestrels had SGAR levels above the toxicity threshold established for other raptor species (200 ng/g liver), signaling a high poisoning risk. This is despite EU regulations to protect wildlife, with our findings indicating an increase in both exposure rates and SGAR concentrations since these laws were enacted. The data highlight a critical environmental threat to endemic species on islands like Tenerife. The common kestrel, not considered globally endangered, is nonetheless facing regional threats from SGAR contamination. These results emphasize the urgent need for effective regulations to address the persistent and growing impact of SGARs on island biodiversity.
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Affiliation(s)
- José Carrillo-Hidalgo
- Island Ecology and Biogeography Research Group, University Institute of Tropical Diseases and Public Health of the Canary Islands (IUETSPC), University of La Laguna, 38206 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Beatriz Martín-Cruz
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Paseo Blas Cabrera s/n, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 35016, Spain
| | - Luis Alberto Henríquez-Hernández
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Paseo Blas Cabrera s/n, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 35016, Spain; Spanish Biomedical Research Centre in Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBERObn), Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Cristian Rial-Berriel
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Paseo Blas Cabrera s/n, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 35016, Spain
| | - Andrea Acosta-Dacal
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Paseo Blas Cabrera s/n, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 35016, Spain
| | - Manuel Zumbado-Peña
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Paseo Blas Cabrera s/n, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 35016, Spain; Spanish Biomedical Research Centre in Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBERObn), Madrid 28029, Spain
| | - Octavio P Luzardo
- Toxicology Unit, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Paseo Blas Cabrera s/n, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria 35016, Spain; Spanish Biomedical Research Centre in Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition (CIBERObn), Madrid 28029, Spain.
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3
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Kolar V, Chmelová E, Bílková M, Borovec J, Carreira BM, Černý M, Ditrich T, Horká P, Hrivniak Ľ, Hrubý F, Jan J, Landeira-Dabarca A, Lepšová-Skácelová O, Musilová Z, Otáhalová Š, Poláková M, Polášková V, Sacherová V, Špaček J, Sroka P, Vebrová L, Boukal DS, Tropek R. Muddying the unexplored post-industrial waters: Biodiversity and conservation potential of freshwater habitats in fly ash sedimentation lagoons. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 900:165803. [PMID: 37499824 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165803] [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: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
Deposits of fly ash and other coal combustion wastes are common remnants of the energy industry. Despite their environmental risks from heavy metals and trace elements, they have been revealed as refuges for threatened terrestrial biodiversity. Surprisingly, freshwater biodiversity of fly ash sedimentation lagoons remains unknown despite such lack of knowledge strongly limits the efficient restoration of fly ash deposits. We bring the first comprehensive survey of freshwater biodiversity, including nekton, benthos, zooplankton, phytoplankton, and macrophytes, in fly ash lagoons across industrial regions of the Czech Republic. To assess their conservation potential, we compared their biodiversity with abandoned post-mining ponds, the known strongholds of endangered aquatic species in the region with a shortage of natural ponds. Of 28 recorded threatened species, 15 occurred in the studied fly ash lagoons, some of which were less abundant or even absent in the post-mining ponds. These are often species of nutrient-poor, fishless waters with rich vegetation, although some are specialised extremophiles. Species richness and conservation value of most groups in the fly ash lagoons did not significantly differ from the post-mining ponds, except for species richness of benthos, zooplankton, and macrophytes, which were slightly lower in the fly ash lagoons. Although the concentrations of some heavy metals (mainly Se, V, and As) were significantly higher in the fly ash lagoons, they did not significantly affect species richness or conservation value of the local communities. The differences in species composition therefore does not seem to be caused by water chemistry. Altogether, we have shown that fly ash lagoons are refuges for threatened aquatic species, and we thus suggest maintaining water bodies during site restoration after the cessation of fly ash deposition. Based on our analyses of environmental variables, we discuss suitable restoration practices that efficiently combine biodiversity protection and environmental risk reduction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vojtech Kolar
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia; University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Departments of Ecosystem Biology and Botany, Branišovská 1760, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Eliška Chmelová
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia; Charles University, Faculty of Science, Department of Ecology, Viničná 7, 12844 Prague, Czechia
| | - Martina Bílková
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, Department of Botany and Zoology, Kotlářská 2, 61137 Brno, Czechia
| | - Jakub Borovec
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia; University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Departments of Ecosystem Biology and Botany, Branišovská 1760, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Bruno M Carreira
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia; University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Departments of Ecosystem Biology and Botany, Branišovská 1760, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia; cE3c - Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes & CHANGE - Global Change and Sustainability Institute, Faculty of Sciences of the University of Lisbon, Edifício C2, Campo Grande, 1749-016 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Martin Černý
- Charles University, Faculty of Science, Department of Ecology, Viničná 7, 12844 Prague, Czechia
| | - Tomáš Ditrich
- University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Education, Department of Biology, Jeronýmova 10, 37112 České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Petra Horká
- Charles University, Faculty of Science, Institute for Environmental Studies, Benátská 2, 12801 Prague, Czechia
| | - Ľuboš Hrivniak
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - František Hrubý
- University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Departments of Ecosystem Biology and Botany, Branišovská 1760, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Jiří Jan
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia; University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Departments of Ecosystem Biology and Botany, Branišovská 1760, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Andrea Landeira-Dabarca
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia; University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Departments of Ecosystem Biology and Botany, Branišovská 1760, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Olga Lepšová-Skácelová
- University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Departments of Ecosystem Biology and Botany, Branišovská 1760, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Zuzana Musilová
- Charles University, Faculty of Science, Department of Zoology, Viničná 7, 12844 Prague, Czechia
| | - Šárka Otáhalová
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Martina Poláková
- University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Departments of Ecosystem Biology and Botany, Branišovská 1760, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia; Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, Department of Botany and Zoology, Kotlářská 2, 61137 Brno, Czechia
| | - Vendula Polášková
- Masaryk University, Faculty of Science, Department of Botany and Zoology, Kotlářská 2, 61137 Brno, Czechia
| | - Veronika Sacherová
- Charles University, Faculty of Science, Department of Ecology, Viničná 7, 12844 Prague, Czechia
| | - Jan Špaček
- Povodí Labe State Enterprise, Víta Nejedlého 951/8, Slezské Předměstí, 50003 Hradec Králové, Czechia
| | - Pavel Sroka
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Lucie Vebrová
- University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Departments of Ecosystem Biology and Botany, Branišovská 1760, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - David S Boukal
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia; University of South Bohemia, Faculty of Science, Departments of Ecosystem Biology and Botany, Branišovská 1760, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia
| | - Robert Tropek
- Biology Centre of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Branišovská 1160/31, 37005 České Budějovice, Czechia; Charles University, Faculty of Science, Department of Ecology, Viničná 7, 12844 Prague, Czechia.
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4
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Parker KH, Bishop JM, Serieys LEK, Mateo R, Camarero PR, Leighton GRM. A heavy burden: Metal exposure across the land-ocean continuum in an adaptable carnivore. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 327:121585. [PMID: 37040831 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.121585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
Urbanisation and associated anthropogenic activities release large quantities of toxic metals and metalloids into the environment, where they may bioaccumulate and threaten both wildlife and human health. In highly transformed landscapes, terrestrial carnivores may be at increased risk of exposure through biomagnification. We quantified metallic element and metalloid exposure in blood of caracals (Caracal caracal), an adaptable felid inhabiting the rapidly urbanising, coastal metropole of Cape Town, South Africa. Using redundancy analysis and mixed-effect models, we explored the influence of demography, landscape use, and diet on the concentration of 11 metals and metalloids. Although species-specific toxic thresholds are lacking, arsenic (As) and chromium (Cr) were present at potentially sublethal levels in several individuals. Increased use of human-transformed landscapes, particularly urban areas, roads, and vineyards, was significantly associated with increased exposure to aluminium (Al), cobalt (Co) and lead (Pb). Foraging closer to the coast and within aquatic food webs was associated with increased levels of mercury (Hg), selenium (Se) and arsenic, where regular predation on seabirds and waterbirds likely facilitates transfer of metals from aquatic to terrestrial food webs. Further, several elements were linked to lower haemoglobin levels (chromium, mercury, manganese, and zinc) and elevated levels of infection-fighting cells (mercury and selenium). Our results highlight the importance of anthropogenic activities as major environmental sources of metal contamination in terrestrial wildlife, including exposure across the land-ocean continuum. These findings contribute towards the growing evidence suggesting cities are particularly toxic areas for wildlife. Co-exposure to a suite of metal pollutants may threaten the long-term health and persistence of Cape Town's caracal population in unexpected ways, particularly when interacting with additional known pollutant and pathogen exposure. The caracal is a valuable sentinel for assessing metal exposure and can be used in pollution monitoring programmes to mitigate exposure and promote biodiversity conservation in human-dominated landscapes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kim H Parker
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild), Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Jacqueline M Bishop
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild), Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Laurel E K Serieys
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild), Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Panthera, New York, NY, USA; Cape Leopard Trust, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Rafael Mateo
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC-CSIC, UCLM, JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Pablo R Camarero
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC-CSIC, UCLM, JCCM), Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Gabriella R M Leighton
- Institute for Communities and Wildlife in Africa (iCWild), Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa; Department of Zoology and Entomology, Rhodes University, Grahamstown, South Africa.
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5
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Devalloir Q, Fritsch C, Bangjord G, Bårdsen BJ, Bourgeon S, Eulaers I, Bustnes JO. Long-term monitoring of exposure to toxic and essential metals and metalloids in the tawny owl (Strix aluco): Temporal trends and influence of spatial patterns. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 876:162710. [PMID: 36906016 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.162710] [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: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 02/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
As a result of regulatory decisions, atmospheric deposition of most toxic metals and metalloids (MEs) has decreased in Europe over the past few decades. However, little is known about how this reduction translates into exposure at higher trophic levels in the terrestrial environment where temporal trends may be spatially heterogeneous due to local current or legacy sources of emissions (e.g., industry) or long-range transport of elements (e.g., marine transport). The aim of this study was to characterize temporal and spatial trends of exposure to MEs in terrestrial food webs using a predatory bird, the tawny owl Strix aluco, as a biomonitor. Toxic (Al, As, Cd, Hg, Pb) and essential/beneficial (B, Co, Cu, Mn, Se) elemental concentrations were measured in feathers of nest-captured females from 1986 to 2016, extending a previous study published over the time-series 1986-2005 (n = 1051), in a breeding population in Norway. A drastic decline over time was shown for the toxic MEs (-97 % for Pb, -89 % for Cd, -48 % for Al, and -43 % for As) except Hg. The beneficial elements B, Mn, and Se showed oscillations but an overall decline (-86 %, -34 %, and -12 %, respectively) whereas the essentials Co and Cu did not exhibit significant trends. The distance to potential sources of contamination influenced both the spatial patterns of concentrations in owl feathers and their temporal trends. The accumulation of As, Cd, Co, Mn and Pb was overall higher in the vicinity of sites recorded as polluted, and a greater temporal decrease of As, B, and Cd concentrations was found in the areas of further distance to polluted sites. The decrease of Pb concentrations was sharper further from the coast during the 1980s than in coastal areas, while the opposite was observed for Mn. The levels of Hg and Se were higher in coastal areas, and Hg temporal trends differed according to the distance to the coast. This study highlights the valuable insights provided by long-term survey of wildlife exposure to pollutants and landscape indicators to reveal regional or local patterns and detect unexpected events, data that are crucial for regulation and conservation of ecosystem health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Quentin Devalloir
- Chrono-environnement UMR 6249 CNRS/UFC, University of Franche-Comté, 16 Route de Gray, FR-25000 Besançon, France
| | - Clémentine Fritsch
- Chrono-environnement UMR 6249 CNRS/UFC, University of Franche-Comté, 16 Route de Gray, FR-25000 Besançon, France.
| | - Georg Bangjord
- Norwegian directorate for Nature, NO-7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Bård-J Bårdsen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Fram Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Sophie Bourgeon
- The Arctic University of Norway, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Jan O Bustnes
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Fram Centre, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway
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Gómez-Ramírez P, Bustnes JO, Eulaers I, Johnsen TV, Lepoint G, Pérez-García JM, García-Fernández AJ, Espín S, Jaspers VLB. Mercury Exposure in Birds of Prey from Norway: Relation to Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotope Signatures in Body Feathers. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2023; 110:100. [PMID: 37266735 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-023-03740-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios were analysed in body feathers from nestlings of white-tailed eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) (WTE; n = 13) and Northern goshawks (Accipiter gentilis) (NG; n = 8) and in red blood cells (RBC) from NG (n = 11) from Norway. According to linear mixed model, species factor was significant in explaining the Hg concentration in feathers (LMM; p < 0.001, estimate (WTE) = 2.51, 95% CI = 1.26, 3.76), with concentrations higher in WTE (3.01 ± 1.34 µg g-1 dry weight) than in NG (0.51 ± 0.34 µg g-1 dry weight). This difference and the isotopic patterns for each species, likely reflect their diet, as WTE predominantly feed on a marine and higher trophic-chain diet compared to the terrestrial NG. In addition, Hg concentrations in RBCs of NG nestlings were positively correlated with feather Hg concentrations (Rho = 0.77, p = 0.03), supporting the potential usefulness of nestling body feathers to biomonitor and estimate Hg exposure. Hg levels in both species were generally below the commonly applied toxicity threshold of 5 µg g-1 in feathers, although exceeded in two WTE (6.08 and 5.19 µg g-1 dry weight).
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Affiliation(s)
- Pilar Gómez-Ramírez
- Toxicology Group, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain.
| | - Jan Ove Bustnes
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Fram Centre, 9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Department of Bioscience, Faculty of Technical Sciences, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | | | - Giles Lepoint
- Laboratory of Oceanology, UR FOCUS, University of Liège, 4000, Liège, Belgium
| | | | - Antonio Juan García-Fernández
- Toxicology Group, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Silvia Espín
- Toxicology Group, Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain
| | - Veerle Leontina Bernard Jaspers
- Environmental Toxicology Group, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), 7024, Trondheim, Norway.
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7
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Durkalec MM, Nawrocka A, Kitowski I, Filipek A, Sell B, Kmiecik M, Jedziniak P. Lead, cadmium, and other trace elements in the liver of golden eagles and white-tailed eagles: recent data from Poland and a systematic review of previous studies. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:38566-38581. [PMID: 36585589 PMCID: PMC10039830 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-25024-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) and the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), being apex predators and facultative scavengers, can bioaccumulate different environmental contaminants, including toxic elements that may adversely affect their health. We analyzed the levels of cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and other metals and metalloids, including arsenic (As), barium (Ba), beryllium (Be), cobalt (Co), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), molybdenum (Mo), selenium (Se), thorium (Th), thallium (Tl), uranium (U), vanadium (V), and zinc (Zn) in liver samples taken from three golden eagles and 36 white-tailed eagles that were found dead across Poland to verify their exposure. We also used a systematic review to summarize the available literature data on Cd, Pb, and other studied elements in the liver of both eagle species. Analyses of trace elements in the liver samples of the Polish eagles revealed interspecific differences in Cd, Cu, and Mn and differences in Co, Mn, Tl, and Zn among study regions. All elements tested except Pb were below the suggested thresholds linked with adverse health effects in birds. The hepatic Pb found in almost half of all the tested individuals suggests environmental exposure to this toxic element. One of the tested white-tailed eagles had hepatic Pb above the threshold of sublethal poisoning. Although our results seem optimistic, as previous Polish studies showed a higher prevalence of birds with hepatic Pb exceeding the toxicity threshold, they indicate that exposure to this toxic metal could still pose an additional threat to the health of Polish eagles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maciej Marcin Durkalec
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Aleja Partyzantów 57, 24-100, Puławy, Poland.
| | - Agnieszka Nawrocka
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Aleja Partyzantów 57, 24-100, Puławy, Poland
| | - Ignacy Kitowski
- Department of Zoology and Animal Ecology, University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Akademicka 13, 20-950, Lublin, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Filipek
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Aleja Partyzantów 57, 24-100, Puławy, Poland
| | - Bartosz Sell
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Aleja Partyzantów 57, 24-100, Puławy, Poland
| | - Mirosława Kmiecik
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Aleja Partyzantów 57, 24-100, Puławy, Poland
| | - Piotr Jedziniak
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, National Veterinary Research Institute, Aleja Partyzantów 57, 24-100, Puławy, Poland
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Ratajc U, Lourenço R, Espín S, Virosta PS, Birrer S, Studler D, Wernham C, Vrezec A. The importance of population contextual data for large-scale biomonitoring using an apex predator: The Tawny Owl (Strix aluco). THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 860:160530. [PMID: 36574555 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.160530] [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: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Top predators are often used as sentinel species in contaminant monitoring due to their exposure and vulnerability to persistent, bioaccumulative and, in some cases, biomagnificable contaminants. Some of their ecological traits can vary in space and time, and are known to influence the contamination levels and therefore information on ecological traits should be used as contextual data for correct interpretation of large-scale contaminant spatial patterns. These traits can explain spatiotemporal variation in contaminant exposure (traits such as diet and dispersal distances) or contaminant impacts (traits such as population trend and clutch size). The aim of our research was to review the spatial variation in selected contextual parameters in the Tawny Owl (Strix aluco), a species identified by the COST Action European Raptor Biomonitoring Facility as one of the most suitable candidates for pan-European biomonitoring. A considerable variation in availability of published and unpublished contextual data across Europe was found, with diet being the most extensively studied trait. We demonstrate that the Tawny Owl is a suitable biomonitor at local scale but also that taking spatial variation of other contextual data (e.g. diet) into account is necessary. We found spatial gaps in knowledge about the species ecology and biology in Southern Europe, along with gaps in certain population parameters (e.g. population trends) in several countries. Based on our findings, we proposed a minimal recommended scheme for monitoring of population contextual data as one of the first steps towards a pan-European monitoring scheme using the Tawny Owl.
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Affiliation(s)
- Urška Ratajc
- Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research, National Institute of Biology, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Rui Lourenço
- MED Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development & CHANGE Global Change and Sustainability Institute LabOr Laboratory of Ornithology, IIFA, University of Évora, Pólo da Mitra, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal
| | - Silvia Espín
- Area of Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Pablo Sánchez Virosta
- Area of Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Simon Birrer
- Swiss Ornithological Institute, CH-6204 Sempach, Switzerland
| | | | - Chris Wernham
- British Trust for Ornithology (Scotland), Unit 15 Beta Centre, Stirling University Innovation Park, Stirling FK9 4NF, Scotland, UK
| | - Al Vrezec
- Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research, National Institute of Biology, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Slovenian Museum of Natural History, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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9
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Validity of Geolocation and Distance to Exposure Sources from Geographical Information Systems for Environmental Monitoring of Toxic Metal Exposures Based on Correlation with Biological Samples: a Systematic Review. Curr Environ Health Rep 2022; 9:735-757. [PMID: 36447111 DOI: 10.1007/s40572-022-00383-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW In epidemiologic studies, biomarkers are the best possible choice to assess individual exposure to toxic metals since they integrate all exposure sources. However, measuring biomarkers is not always feasible, given potential budgetary and time constraints or limited availability of samples. Alternatively, approximations to individual metal exposure obtained from geographic information systems (GIS) have become popular to evaluate diverse metal-related health outcomes. Our objective was to conduct a systematic review of epidemiological studies that evaluated the validity of GIS-based geolocation and distance to pollutant sources as an approximation of individual metal exposure based on correlation with biological samples. RECENT FINDINGS We considered 11 toxic metals: lead (Pb), cadmium (Cd), antimony (Sb), aluminum (Al), arsenic (As), chromium (Cr), nickel (Ni), mercury (Hg), tungsten (W), uranium (U), and vanadium (V). The final review included 12 manuscripts which included seven metals (Pb, Cd, Al, As, Cr, Hg, and Ni). Many studies used geolocation of the individuals to compare exposed (industrial, urban, agricultural, or landfill sources) and unexposed areas and not so many studies used distance to a source. For all metals, except lead, there was more animal than human biosampling to conduct biological validation. We observed a trend towards higher levels of Cd, Cr, Hg, and Pb in biosamples collected closer to exposure sources, supporting that GIS-based proxies for these metals might approximate individual exposure. However, given the low number and heterogeneity of the retrieved studies, the accumulated evidence is, overall, not sufficient. Given the practical benefits and potential of modern GIS technologies, which allow environmental monitoring at a reasonable cost, additional validation studies that include human biosampling are needed to support the use of GIS-based individual exposure measures in epidemiologic studies.
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10
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Li J, Xie Z, Qiu X, Yu Q, Bu J, Sun Z, Long R, Brandis KJ, He J, Feng Q, Ramp D. Heavy metal habitat: A novel framework for mapping heavy metal contamination over large-scale catchment with a species distribution model. WATER RESEARCH 2022; 226:119310. [PMID: 36369683 DOI: 10.1016/j.watres.2022.119310] [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: 08/04/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Heavy metal(loid)s (HMs) have been consistently entering the food chain, imposing great harm on environment and public health. However, previous studies on the spatial dynamics and transport mechanism of HMs have been profoundly limited by the field sampling issues, such as the uneven observations of individual carriers and their spatial mismatch, especially over large-scale catchments with complex environment. In this study, a novel methodological framework for mapping HMs at catchment scale was proposed and applied, combining a species distribution model (SDM) with physical environment and human variables. Based on the field observations, we ecologicalized HMs in different carriers as different species. This enabled the proposed framework to model the 'enrichment area' of individual HMs in the geographic space (termed as the HM 'habitat') and identify their 'hotspots' (peak value points) within the catchment. Results showed the output maps of HM habitats from secondary carriers (soil, sediment, and wet deposition) well agreed with the influence of industry contaminants, hydraulic sorting, and precipitation washout process respectively, indicating the potential of SDM in modeling the spatial distributions of the HM. The derived maps of HMs from secondary carriers, along with the human and environmental variables were then input as explanatory variables in SDM to predict the spatial patterns of the final HM accumulation in river water, which was observed to have largely improved the prediction quality. These results confirmed the value of our framework to leverage SDMs from ecology perspective to study HM contamination transport at catchment scale, offering new insights not only to map the spatial HM habitats but also help locate the HM transport chains among different carriers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianguo Li
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, International Centre for Tibetan Plateau Ecosystem Management, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China; Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, 2007, NSW, Australia
| | - Zunyi Xie
- Key Laboratory of Geospatial Technology for the Middle and Lower Yellow River Regions, Ministry of Education, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China; College of Geography and Environmental Science, Henan University, Kaifeng, 475004, China.
| | - Xiaocong Qiu
- College of Life Sciences, Ningxia University, Yinchuan, 750021, China
| | - Qiang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Jianwei Bu
- Laboratory of Basin Hydrology and Wetland Eco-restoration, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Ziyong Sun
- Laboratory of Basin Hydrology and Wetland Eco-restoration, China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, 430074, China
| | - Ruijun Long
- State Key Laboratory of Grassland and Agro-Ecosystems, International Centre for Tibetan Plateau Ecosystem Management, College of Ecology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Kate J Brandis
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Kensington, 2052, NSW, Australia
| | - Jie He
- State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, China
| | - Qi Feng
- Key Laboratory of Ecohydrology of Inland River Basin Gansu/Hydrology and Water Resources Engineering Research Center, Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, 730000, China
| | - Daniel Ramp
- Centre for Compassionate Conservation, Faculty of Science, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, 2007, NSW, Australia
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11
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Rodríguez-Álvarez M, Paz S, Hardisson A, González-Weller D, Rubio C, Gutiérrez ÁJ. Assessment of Toxic Metals (Al, Cd, Pb) and Trace Elements (B, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Li, Zn, Ni, Sr, V) in the Common Kestrel (Falco tinnunculus) from the Canary Islands (Spain). Biol Trace Elem Res 2022; 200:3808-3818. [PMID: 34674110 PMCID: PMC9200686 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-021-02974-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The monitoring of trace elements and toxic metals in apical predators of the trophic chain provides data on the degree of contamination in ecosystems. The common kestrel is one of the most interesting raptors in this respect in the Canary Islands; therefore, the study of the levels of trace elements and toxic metals in this species is of much scientific value. The content of trace elements and toxic metals (B, Ba, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Li, Zn, Ni, Sr, V, Al, Cd, Pb) was determined in the liver, muscle, and feathers of 200 specimens of common kestrel carcasses (Falco tinnunculus canariensis) from Tenerife. Cr (0.82 ± 2.62 mg/kg), Cu (11.82 ± 7.77 mg/kg), and Zn (198.47 ± 520.80 mg/kg) are the trace elements that stand out in the feather samples; this may be due to their affinity for the pigments that give them their coloring. Li was noteworthy in the liver samples (8.470 ± 5.702 mg/kg). Pb stood out in the feathers (4.353 ± 20.645 mg/kg) > muscle (0.148 ± 0.095 mg/kg) > liver (0.187 ± 0.133 mg/kg). The presence of metals in feathers correlates with recent exposure and reflects environmental contamination. When using raptor feathers as indicators of metal contamination, it is important to know what the levels of each metal signify. The analysis of the different tissues and organs of raptors, such as the common kestrel, provides valuable information on the degree of environmental contamination of the ecosystem in which it lives. Gender was not an influencing factor in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Soraya Paz
- Toxicology Area, University of La Laguna, La Laguna, 38071, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Arturo Hardisson
- Toxicology Area, University of La Laguna, La Laguna, 38071, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Dailos González-Weller
- Health Inspection and Laboratory Service, Canary Health Service, 38006, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Carmen Rubio
- Toxicology Area, University of La Laguna, La Laguna, 38071, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain
| | - Ángel J Gutiérrez
- Toxicology Area, University of La Laguna, La Laguna, 38071, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain.
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12
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Ekblad C, Eulaers I, Schulz R, Stjernberg T, Søndergaard J, Zubrod J, Laaksonen T. Spatial and dietary sources of elevated mercury exposure in white-tailed eagle nestlings in an Arctic freshwater environment. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2021; 290:117952. [PMID: 34425374 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117952] [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: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/10/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Human-induced mercury (Hg) contamination is of global concern and its effects on wildlife remain of high concern, especially in environmental hotspots such as inland aquatic ecosystems. Mercury biomagnifies through the food web resulting in high exposure in apex predators, such as the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), making them excellent sentinel species for environmental Hg contamination. An expanding population of white-tailed eagles is inhabiting a sparsely populated inland area in Lapland, northern Finland, mainly around two large reservoirs flooded 50 years ago. As previous preliminary work revealed elevated Hg levels in this population, we measured Hg exposure along with dietary proxies (δ13C and δ15N) in body feathers collected from white-tailed eagle nestlings in this area between 2007 and 2018. Mercury concentrations were investigated in relation to territory characteristics, proximity to the reservoirs and dietary ecology as potential driving factors of Hg contamination. Mercury concentrations in the nestlings (4.97-31.02 μg g-1 dw) were elevated, compared to earlier reported values in nestlings from the Finnish Baltic coast, and exceeded normal background levels (≤5.00 μg g-1) while remaining below the tentative threshold of elevated risk for Hg exposure mediated health effect (>40.00 μg g-1). The main drivers of Hg contamination were trophic position (proxied by δ15N), the dietary proportion of the predatory fish pike (Esox lucius), and the vicinity to the Porttipahta reservoir. We also identified a potential evolutionary trap, as increased intake of the preferred prey, pike, increases exposure. All in all, we present results for poorly understood freshwater lake environments and show that more efforts should be dedicated to further unravel potentially complex pathways of Hg exposure to wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Ekblad
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland.
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Ralf Schulz
- IES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, DE-76829, Landau, Germany
| | - Torsten Stjernberg
- Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, PO Box 17, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jens Søndergaard
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jochen Zubrod
- IES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, DE-76829, Landau, Germany
| | - Toni Laaksonen
- Section of Ecology, Department of Biology, University of Turku, 20014, Turku, Finland
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13
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Dulsat-Masvidal M, Lourenço R, Lacorte S, D'Amico M, Albayrak T, Andevski J, Aradis A, Baltag E, Berger-Tal O, Berny P, Choresh Y, Duke G, Espín S, García-Fernández AJ, Gómez-Ramírez P, Hallgrimsson GT, Jaspers V, Johansson U, Kovacs A, Krone O, Leivits M, Martínez-López E, Mateo R, Movalli P, Sánchez-Virosta P, Shore RF, Valkama J, Vrezec A, Xirouchakis S, Walker LA, Wernham C. A review of constraints and solutions for collecting raptor samples and contextual data for a European Raptor Biomonitoring Facility. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2021; 793:148599. [PMID: 34328978 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.148599] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The COST Action 'European Raptor Biomonitoring Facility' (ERBFacility) aims to develop pan-European raptor biomonitoring in support of better chemicals management in Europe, using raptors as sentinel species. This presents a significant challenge involving a range of constraints that must be identified and addressed. The aims of this study were to: (1) carry out a comprehensive review of the constraints that may limit the gathering in the field of raptor samples and contextual data, and assess their relative importance across Europe; and (2) identify and discuss possible solutions to the key constraints that were identified. We applied a participatory approach to identify constraints and to discuss feasible solutions. Thirty-one constraints were identified, which were divided into four categories: legal, methodological, spatial coverage, and skills constraints. To assess the importance of the constraints and their possible solutions, we collected information through scientific workshops and by distributing a questionnaire to stakeholders in all the countries involved in ERBFacility. We obtained 74 answers to the questionnaire, from 24 of the 39 COST participating countries. The most important constraints identified were related to the collection of complex contextual data about sources of contamination, and the low number of existing raptor population national/regional monitoring schemes and ecological studies that could provide raptor samples. Legal constraints, such as permits to allow the collection of invasive samples, and skills constraints, such as the lack of expertise to practice necropsies, were also highlighted. Here, we present solutions for all the constraints identified, thus suggesting the feasibility of establishing a long-term European Raptor Sampling Programme as a key element of the planned European Raptor Biomonitoring Facility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Dulsat-Masvidal
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona, 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Rui Lourenço
- MED - Mediterranean Institute for Agriculture, Environment and Development, LabOr - Laboratory of Ornithology, Instituto de Investigação e Formação Avançada, Universidade de Évora, Pólo da Mitra, Ap. 94, 7006-554 Évora, Portugal.
| | - Silvia Lacorte
- Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona, 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Marcello D'Amico
- CIBIO-InBIO (University of Porto and University of Lisbon), Tapada da Ajuda Campus, 1349-017 Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Tamer Albayrak
- Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Science and Art Faculty, Department of Biology, Lab of Ornithology, Burdur, Turkey.
| | - Jovan Andevski
- Vulture Conservation Foundation, Wuhrstrasse 12, 8003 Zurich, Switzerland.
| | - Arianna Aradis
- Area Avifauna Migratrice - Avian Migration Team, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA) - Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, Via Vitaliano Brancati 60, 00144 Roma, Italy.
| | - Emanuel Baltag
- Marine Biological Station "Prof. Dr. Ioan Borcea" Agigea, "Alexandru Ioan Cuza" University of Iasi, Romania.
| | - Oded Berger-Tal
- Mitrani Department of Desert Ecology, Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.
| | | | - Yael Choresh
- Shamir Research Institute, University of Haifa, Israel.
| | - Guy Duke
- Environmental Change Institute, Oxford University Centre for the Environment, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QY, UK.
| | - Silvia Espín
- Area of Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
| | - Antonio J García-Fernández
- Area of Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
| | - Pilar Gómez-Ramírez
- Area of Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
| | - Gunnar T Hallgrimsson
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Sturlugata 7, 102 Reykjavik, Iceland.
| | - Veerle Jaspers
- Environmental Toxicology Group, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 5, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway.
| | - Ulf Johansson
- Swedish Museum of Natural History, Department of Zoology, Box 50007, SE-104 05 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Andras Kovacs
- University of Debrecen, Juhász-Nagy Pál Doctoral School of Biology and Environmental Sciences, 4032 Debrecen, Egyetem Sq. 1., Hungary.
| | - Oliver Krone
- Department of Wildlife Diseases, Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Alfred-Kowalke-Str. 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Madis Leivits
- Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 62, 51006 Tartu, Estonia.
| | - Emma Martínez-López
- Area of Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
| | - Rafael Mateo
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos (IREC-CSIC, UCLMJCCM), Ronda de Toledo 12, 13005 Ciudad Real, Spain.
| | - Paola Movalli
- Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden, the Netherlands.
| | - Pablo Sánchez-Virosta
- Area of Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, Campus Espinardo, 30100 Murcia, Spain.
| | - Richard F Shore
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK
| | - Jari Valkama
- Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki, Finland.
| | - Al Vrezec
- Department of Organisms and Ecosystems Research, National Institute of Biology, Večna pot 111, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia. Slovenian Museum of Natural History, Prešernova 20, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Stavros Xirouchakis
- University of Crete, School of Sciences & Engineering. Natural History Museum, University Campus (Knosos), Heraklion, P.C. 71409, Crete, Greece.
| | - Lee A Walker
- UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg, Lancaster LA1 4AP, UK.
| | - Chris Wernham
- British Trust for Ornithology (Scotland), Unit 15 Beta Centre, Stirling University Innovation Park, Stirling, FK9 4NF, Scotland, UK.
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14
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Badry A, Schenke D, Treu G, Krone O. Linking landscape composition and biological factors with exposure levels of rodenticides and agrochemicals in avian apex predators from Germany. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2021; 193:110602. [PMID: 33307088 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2020.110602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2020] [Revised: 12/03/2020] [Accepted: 12/04/2020] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Intensification of agricultural practices has resulted in a substantial decline of Europe's farmland bird populations. Together with increasing urbanisation, chemical pollution arising from these land uses is a recognised threat to wildlife. Raptors are known to be particularly sensitive to pollutants that biomagnify and are thus frequently used sentinels for pollution in food webs. The current study focussed on anticoagulant rodenticides (ARs) but also considered selected medicinal products (MPs) and frequently used plant protection products (PPPs). We analysed livers of raptor species from agricultural and urban habitats in Germany, namely red kites (MIML; Milvus milvus), northern goshawks (ACGE; Accipiter gentilis) and Eurasian sparrowhawks (ACNI; Accipiter nisus) as well as white-tailed sea eagles (HAAL; Haliaeetus albicilla) and ospreys (PAHA; Pandion haliaetus) to account for potential aquatic exposures. Landscape composition was quantified using geographic information systems. The highest detection of ARs occurred in ACGE (81.3%; n = 48), closely followed by MIML (80.5%; n = 41), HAAL (38.3%; n = 60) and ACNI (13%; n = 23), whereas no ARs were found in PAHA (n = 13). Generalized linear models demonstrated (1) an increased probability for adults to be exposed to ARs with increasing urbanisation, and (2) that species-specific traits were responsible for the extent of exposure. For MPs, we found ibuprofen in 14.9% and fluoroquinolones in 2.3% in individuals that were found dead. Among 30 investigated PPPs, dimethoate (and its metabolite omethoate) and thiacloprid were detected in two MIML each. We assumed that the levels of dimethoate were a consequence of deliberate poisoning. AR and insecticide poisoning were considered to represent a threat to red kites and may ultimately contribute to reported decreased survival rates. Overall, our study suggests that urban raptors are at greatest risk for AR exposure and that exposures may not be limited to terrestrial food webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Badry
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Wildlife Diseases, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany.
| | - Detlef Schenke
- Julius Kühn-Institut, Institute for Ecological Chemistry, Plant Analysis and Stored Product Protection, Königin-Luise-Straße19, 14195, Berlin, Germany
| | - Gabriele Treu
- Umweltbundesamt, Department Chemicals, Wörlitzer Platz 1, 06844, Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
| | - Oliver Krone
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Wildlife Diseases, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315, Berlin, Germany
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15
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Aloupi M, Ferentinou E, Zaharaki OM, Akriotis T. Does dilute nitric acid improve the removal of exogenous heavy metals from feathers? A comparative study towards the optimization of the cleaning procedure of feather samples prior to metal analysis. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2020; 200:110759. [PMID: 32470677 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2020.110759] [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: 02/07/2020] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/12/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Feather analysis has been widely used as a biomonitoring tool to assess metal contamination in birds, as their sampling is a non-destructive and ethically preferable technique. However, for feathers to be useful as a biomonitor of heavy metals, exogenous contamination has to be efficiently removed. Although much effort has been put into this, no washing procedure has yet proven able to ensure the total removal of the surface-associated metals. The purpose of this study was to propose an efficient washing procedure of feather samples prior to metal analysis, on the basis of comparison of various washing schemes designed according to previous analytical trials, and of the verification of the efficacy of the optimal scheme in cleaning intentionally contaminated feathers. Our investigation showed that dilute nitric acid alone or in combination with a detergent (Extran) or acetone under mild agitation of the samples performed better that any other cleaning scheme applied. Thus, a multi-step procedure including the sequential use of all three reagents was tested against feather samples contaminated by adsorbed or particulate metal species. The procedure was able to completely eliminate the external metal loads in all cases except for the partial removal of severe contamination with adsorbed Cd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Aloupi
- Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, GR-81100, Mytilene, Greece.
| | - Elpida Ferentinou
- Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, GR-81100, Mytilene, Greece
| | - Olga-Maria Zaharaki
- Department of Environment, University of the Aegean, GR-81100, Mytilene, Greece
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16
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Badry A, Krone O, Jaspers VLB, Mateo R, García-Fernández A, Leivits M, Shore RF. Towards harmonisation of chemical monitoring using avian apex predators: Identification of key species for pan-European biomonitoring. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 731:139198. [PMID: 32422436 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 05/01/2020] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
Biomonitoring in raptors can be used to study long-term and large-scale changes in environmental pollution. In Europe, such monitoring is needed to assess environmental risks and outcomes of chemicals regulation, which is harmonised across the European Union. To be effective, the most appropriate sentinels need to be monitored. Our aim was to identify which European raptor species are the likely most appropriate biomonitors when pollutant quantification is based on analysing tissues. Our current study was restricted to terrestrial exposure pathways and considered four priority pollutant groups: toxic metals (lead and mercury), anticoagulant rodenticides, pesticides and medicinal products. We evaluated information on the distribution and key ecological traits (food web, foraging trait, diet, preferred habitat, and migratory behaviour) of European raptors to identify the most appropriate sentinel species. Common buzzard (Buteo buteo) and/or tawny owl (Strix aluco) proved the most suitable candidates for many of the pollutants considered. Moreover, they are abundant in Europe, enhancing the likelihood that samples can be collected. However, other species may be better sentinels for certain pollutants, such as the golden eagle (Aquila chrysaetos) for lead, the northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) for mercury across areas including Northern Europe, and vultures (where they occur in Europe) are likely best suited for monitoring non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Overall, however, we argue the selection of candidate species for widescale monitoring of a range of pollutants can be reduced to very few raptor species. We recommend that the common buzzard and tawny owl should be the initial focus of any pan-European raptor monitoring. The lack of previous widespread monitoring using these species suggests that their utility as sentinels for environmnetal pollution has not been widely recognised. Finally, although the current study focussed on Europe, our trait-based approach for identifying raptor biomonitors can be applied to other continents and contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Badry
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Wildlife Diseases, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Oliver Krone
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Wildlife Diseases, Alfred-Kowalke-Straße 17, 10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Veerle L B Jaspers
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 5, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Rafael Mateo
- Instituto de Investigación en Recursos Cinegéticos, IREC (CSIC, UCLM, JCCM), Ronda de Toledo s/n, 13071 Ciudad Real, Spain
| | - Antonio García-Fernández
- Toxicology and Risk Assessment Group, Department of Health Sciences, University of Murcia, Espinardo Campus, 30100 Murcia, Spain
| | - Madis Leivits
- Chair of Clinical Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Sciences, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Kreutzwaldi 62, 51006 Tartu, Estonia
| | - Richard F Shore
- UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrology, Lancaster Environment Centre, Library Avenue, Bailrigg LA1 4AP, UK
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