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Picone M, Giurin A, Distefano GG, Corami F, Turetta C, Volpi Ghirardini A, Basso M, Panzarin L, Farioli A, Bacci M, Sebastanelli C, Morici F, Artese C, De Sanctis A, Galuppi M, Imperio S, Serra L. Mercury and rare earth elements (REEs) show different spatial trends in feathers of Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) breeding along the Adriatic Sea coast, Italy. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2024; 252:119140. [PMID: 38751003 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2024.119140] [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: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/19/2024]
Abstract
Feather analysis is an ethical and effective method for assessing the exposure of wild birds to environmental contamination due to trace elements and organic pollutants. We used feather to monitor the exposure to three toxic and non-essential metals (Hg, Cd, and Pb) and rare earth elements (REEs) of Kentish plover (Charadrius alexandrinus) breeding in different coastal areas (Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, Marche, Abruzzo, and Apulia) along the Italian coast of the Adriatic Sea. Feathers (n = 113) were collected from April to June. Feather concentrations evidenced a significant exposure to Hg (13.05 ± 1.71 mg kg-1 dw) and REEs (447.3 ± 52.8 ng g-1 dw) in the Kentish plover breeding in Veneto (n = 21) compared to the other coastal areas, with several individuals showing Hg concentrations above the adverse effect (5 mg kg-1 dw) and high-risk (9.14 mg kg-1 dw) thresholds reported for birds. Higher REE concentrations compared to Marche (n = 29), Abruzzo (n = 11) and Apulia (n = 13) were also reported for birds breeding in Emilia-Romagna (474.9 ± 41.9 ng g-1 dw; n = 29). The exposure to Cd and Pb was low in all the coastal areas, and only a few samples (n = 6 and n = 4 for Cd and Pb, respectively) exceeded the adverse effect thresholds (0.1 and 4 mg kg-1 for Cd and Pb, respectively). A significant sex-related difference was observed for REE-concentrations, with females showing higher concentration than males. These data highlight the need to monitor the exposure of the Kentish plover to Hg and REEs, especially in the northern basin of the Adriatic Sea, since these elements might negatively affect species' reproductive success and threaten its conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Picone
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics, and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venezia-Mestre, Italy.
| | - Alessia Giurin
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics, and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venezia-Mestre, Italy
| | - Gabriele Giuseppe Distefano
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics, and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venezia-Mestre, Italy
| | - Fabiana Corami
- National Council for the Research - Institute of Polar Sciences, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venezia-Mestre, Italy
| | - Clara Turetta
- National Council for the Research - Institute of Polar Sciences, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venezia-Mestre, Italy
| | - Annamaria Volpi Ghirardini
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Informatics, and Statistics, Ca' Foscari University Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172, Venezia-Mestre, Italy
| | - Marco Basso
- Via Gianbattista Verci, 25/4, 35128, Padua, Italy
| | - Lucio Panzarin
- Via Giacomo Leopardi 5, 30020, Torre di Mosto, VE, Italy
| | - Alessio Farioli
- Associazione Ornitologi Dell'Emilia Romagna, Via Giovanni Boccaccio 23, 40026, Imola, BO, Italy
| | - Mattia Bacci
- Associazione Ornitologi Dell'Emilia Romagna, Via Giovanni Boccaccio 23, 40026, Imola, BO, Italy
| | | | - Francesca Morici
- Ornitologi Marchigiani ETS, Via Giuseppe Verdi 10/A, 62100, Macerata, Italy
| | - Carlo Artese
- Servizio Scientifico Parco Nazionale Del Gran Sasso e Monti Della Laga, Via Del Convento 1, 67010, Assergi, AQ, Italy
| | - Augusto De Sanctis
- Stazione Ornitologica Abruzzese, Via Antonio De Nino 3, 65126, Pescara, Italy
| | - Mirko Galuppi
- Via Antonio De Marinis 110, 70021, Acquaviva Delle Fonti, BA, Italy
| | - Simona Imperio
- Area Avifauna Migratrice, Istituto Superiore per La Protezione e La Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Via Ca' Fornacetta 9, 40064, Ozzano Emilia, BO, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Serra
- Area Avifauna Migratrice, Istituto Superiore per La Protezione e La Ricerca Ambientale (ISPRA), Via Ca' Fornacetta 9, 40064, Ozzano Emilia, BO, Italy
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2
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Evers DC, Ackerman JT, Åkerblom S, Bally D, Basu N, Bishop K, Bodin N, Braaten HFV, Burton MEH, Bustamante P, Chen C, Chételat J, Christian L, Dietz R, Drevnick P, Eagles-Smith C, Fernandez LE, Hammerschlag N, Harmelin-Vivien M, Harte A, Krümmel EM, Brito JL, Medina G, Barrios Rodriguez CA, Stenhouse I, Sunderland E, Takeuchi A, Tear T, Vega C, Wilson S, Wu P. Global mercury concentrations in biota: their use as a basis for a global biomonitoring framework. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2024; 33:325-396. [PMID: 38683471 PMCID: PMC11213816 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-024-02747-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
An important provision of the Minamata Convention on Mercury is to monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the adopted measures and its implementation. Here, we describe for the first time currently available biotic mercury (Hg) data on a global scale to improve the understanding of global efforts to reduce the impact of Hg pollution on people and the environment. Data from the peer-reviewed literature were compiled in the Global Biotic Mercury Synthesis (GBMS) database (>550,000 data points). These data provide a foundation for establishing a biomonitoring framework needed to track Hg concentrations in biota globally. We describe Hg exposure in the taxa identified by the Minamata Convention: fish, sea turtles, birds, and marine mammals. Based on the GBMS database, Hg concentrations are presented at relevant geographic scales for continents and oceanic basins. We identify some effective regional templates for monitoring methylmercury (MeHg) availability in the environment, but overall illustrate that there is a general lack of regional biomonitoring initiatives around the world, especially in Africa, Australia, Indo-Pacific, Middle East, and South Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Temporal trend data for Hg in biota are generally limited. Ecologically sensitive sites (where biota have above average MeHg tissue concentrations) have been identified throughout the world. Efforts to model and quantify ecosystem sensitivity locally, regionally, and globally could help establish effective and efficient biomonitoring programs. We present a framework for a global Hg biomonitoring network that includes a three-step continental and oceanic approach to integrate existing biomonitoring efforts and prioritize filling regional data gaps linked with key Hg sources. We describe a standardized approach that builds on an evidence-based evaluation to assess the Minamata Convention's progress to reduce the impact of global Hg pollution on people and the environment.
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Affiliation(s)
- David C Evers
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA.
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | | | - Dominique Bally
- African Center for Environmental Health, BP 826 Cidex 03, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Nil Basu
- Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Kevin Bishop
- Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Upsalla, Sweden
| | - Nathalie Bodin
- Research Institute for Sustainable Development Seychelles Fishing Authority, Victoria, Seychelles
| | | | - Mark E H Burton
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral, Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000, La Rochelle, France
| | - Celia Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - John Chételat
- Environment and Cliamte Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada
| | - Linroy Christian
- Department of Analytical Services, Dunbars, Friars Hill, St John, Antigua and Barbuda
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Department of Ecoscience, P.O. Box 358, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Paul Drevnick
- Teck American Incorporated, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Collin Eagles-Smith
- U.S. Geological Survey, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, 3200 SW Jefferson Way, Corvallis, OR, 97331, USA
| | - Luis E Fernandez
- Sabin Center for Environment and Sustainability and Department of Biology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 29106, USA
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazonica (CINCIA), Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, Peru
| | - Neil Hammerschlag
- Shark Research Foundation Inc, 29 Wideview Lane, Boutiliers Point, NS, B3Z 0M9, Canada
| | - Mireille Harmelin-Vivien
- Aix-Marseille Université, Université de Toulon, CNRS/INSU/IRD, Institut Méditerranéen d'Océanologie (MIO), UM 110, Campus de Luminy, case 901, 13288, Marseille, cedex 09, France
| | - Agustin Harte
- Basel, Rotterdam and Stockholm Conventions Secretariat, United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Chem. des Anémones 15, 1219, Vernier, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Eva M Krümmel
- Inuit Circumpolar Council-Canada, Ottawa, Canada and ScienTissiME Inc, Barry's Bay, ON, Canada
| | - José Lailson Brito
- Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua Sao Francisco Xavier, 524, Sala 4002, CEP 20550-013, Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gabriela Medina
- Director of Basel Convention Coordinating Centre, Stockholm Convention Regional Centre for Latin America and the Caribbean, Hosted by the Ministry of Environment, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Iain Stenhouse
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Elsie Sunderland
- Harvard University, Pierce Hall 127, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Akinori Takeuchi
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, Health and Environmental Risk Division, 16-2 Onogawa Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-8506, Japan
| | - Tim Tear
- Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Claudia Vega
- Centro de Innovaccion Cientifica Amazonica (CINCIA), Jiron Ucayali 750, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17001, Peru
| | - Simon Wilson
- Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Secretariat, N-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Pianpian Wu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
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3
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Bjedov D, Mikuska A, Begović L, Bollinger E, Bustnes JO, Deme T, Mikuška T, Morocz A, Schulz R, Søndergaard J, Eulaers I. Effects of white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) nestling diet on mercury exposure dynamics in Kopački rit Nature Park, Croatia. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2023; 336:122377. [PMID: 37586682 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2023.122377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
The present study assessed for the first time the magnitude and dietary ecological source of total mercury (THg) exposure in a southern population of white-tailed eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla), an apex predator species shown valuable for environmental biomonitoring. This population depends on the Kopački rit Nature Park - the most important breeding site. We assessed THg exposure, using nestling body feathers collected between 2014-2019 (n = 72), and potential dietary ecological sources, proxied by prey remains and stable isotope analysis. Results show THg concentrations vary significantly over the years, though not showing any time trend. Prey remains analysis shows nests with aquatic prey remains to exhibit higher THg concentrations (median: 7.57 μg g-1 dw; min - max: 6.00-13.16 μg g-1 dw) compared to those with terrestrial remains (median: 3.94 μg g-1 dw; min - max: 0.28-12.04 μg g-1 dw) or evidencing a mixed diet (median: 7.43 μg g-1 dw; min - max: 3.38-12.04 μg g-1 dw). Nests with a predominant aquatic diet show elevated lower δ13C and higher δ15N values, indicating agreement between both dietary approaches. The model selection reveals a combination of year and δ15N best explain the variability in feather THg concentrations. Complementing these predictors with a dietary descriptor based on prey remains results in a poorer model fit and lowered explanatory power, similar to sexing the nestlings. The observed body feather THg concentrations (median: 6.99 μg g-1 dw; min - max: 0.27 - 17.16 μg g-1 dw) exceeded putative biogeochemical background levels (5.00 μg g-1 dw) in 71% of the nestlings, though, did not seem to exceed a threshold at which detrimental physiological effects are expected (40 μg g-1 dw). Continued monitoring is warranted as the studied population is likely exposed to a larger cocktail of contaminants while resident-protected bird areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dora Bjedov
- Croatian Institute for Biodiversity, BIOTA Ltd, Maksimirska cesta 129/5, 10000, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Alma Mikuska
- Department of Biology, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Cara Hadrijana 8A, 31000, Osijek, Croatia.
| | - Lidija Begović
- Department of Biology, Josip Juraj Strossmayer University of Osijek, Cara Hadrijana 8A, 31000, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Eric Bollinger
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, DE-76829, Landau, Germany
| | - Jan Ove Bustnes
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, NINA, Fram Centre, 9007, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Tamas Deme
- Danube-Drava National Park Directorate, 7625, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Tibor Mikuška
- Croatian Society for Birds and Nature Protection, Ivana Gundulića 19A, 31000, Osijek, Croatia
| | - Attila Morocz
- Danube-Drava National Park Directorate, 7625, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Ralf Schulz
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, RPTU Kaiserslautern-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, DE-76829, Landau, Germany
| | - Jens Søndergaard
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej, 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej, 399, PO Box 358, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark
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4
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Sayers CJ, Evers DC, Ruiz-Gutierrez V, Adams E, Vega CM, Pisconte JN, Tejeda V, Regan K, Lane OP, Ash AA, Cal R, Reneau S, Martínez W, Welch G, Hartwell K, Teul M, Tzul D, Arendt WJ, Tórrez MA, Watsa M, Erkenswick G, Moore CE, Gerson J, Sánchez V, Purizaca RP, Yurek H, Burton MEH, Shrum PL, Tabares-Segovia S, Vargas K, Fogarty FF, Charette MR, Martínez AE, Bernhardt ES, Taylor RJ, Tear TH, Fernandez LE. Mercury in Neotropical birds: a synthesis and prospectus on 13 years of exposure data. ECOTOXICOLOGY (LONDON, ENGLAND) 2023; 32:1096-1123. [PMID: 37907784 PMCID: PMC10622370 DOI: 10.1007/s10646-023-02706-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/02/2023]
Abstract
Environmental mercury (Hg) contamination of the global tropics outpaces our understanding of its consequences for biodiversity. Knowledge gaps of pollution exposure could obscure conservation threats in the Neotropics: a region that supports over half of the world's species, but faces ongoing land-use change and Hg emission via artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM). Due to their global distribution and sensitivity to pollution, birds provide a valuable opportunity as bioindicators to assess how accelerating Hg emissions impact an ecosystem's ability to support biodiversity, and ultimately, global health. We present the largest database on Neotropical bird Hg concentrations (n = 2316) and establish exposure baselines for 322 bird species spanning nine countries across Central America, South America, and the West Indies. Patterns of avian Hg exposure in the Neotropics broadly align with those in temperate regions: consistent bioaccumulation across functional groups and high spatiotemporal variation. Bird species occupying higher trophic positions and aquatic habitats exhibited elevated Hg concentrations that have been previously associated with reductions in reproductive success. Notably, bird Hg concentrations were over four times higher at sites impacted by ASGM activities and differed by season for certain trophic niches. We developed this synthesis via a collaborative research network, the Tropical Research for Avian Conservation and Ecotoxicology (TRACE) Initiative, which exemplifies inclusive, equitable, and international data-sharing. While our findings signal an urgent need to assess sampling biases, mechanisms, and consequences of Hg exposure to tropical avian communities, the TRACE Initiative provides a meaningful framework to achieve such goals. Ultimately, our collective efforts support and inform local, scientific, and government entities, including Parties of the United Nations Minamata Convention on Mercury, as we continue working together to understand how Hg pollution impacts biodiversity conservation, ecosystem function, and public health in the tropics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Sayers
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA.
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17000, Peru.
| | - David C Evers
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | | | - Evan Adams
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Claudia M Vega
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17000, Peru
- Department of Biology, Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106, USA
| | - Jessica N Pisconte
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17000, Peru
| | - Vania Tejeda
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17000, Peru
| | - Kevin Regan
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Oksana P Lane
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Abidas A Ash
- Environmental Research Institute, University of Belize, Price Center Road, P.O. Box 340, Belmopan, Cayo District, Belize
| | - Reynold Cal
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - Stevan Reneau
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - Wilber Martínez
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - Gilroy Welch
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - Kayla Hartwell
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - Mario Teul
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - David Tzul
- Foundation for Wildlife Conservation, Tropical Education Center, 28 George Price Highway, P.O. Box 368, La Democracia, Belize District, Belize
| | - Wayne J Arendt
- International Institute of Tropical Forestry, USDA Forest Service, 1201 Calle Ceiba, Jardín Botánico Sur, San Juan, 00926-1119, Puerto Rico
| | - Marvin A Tórrez
- Instituto Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Naturales, Universidad Centroamericana, Managua, Nicaragua
| | - Mrinalini Watsa
- Beckman Center for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, P.O. Box 120551, San Diego, CA, 92112, USA
- Field Projects International, Escondido, CA, 92029, USA
| | | | - Caroline E Moore
- Beckman Center for Conservation Research, San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance, P.O. Box 120551, San Diego, CA, 92112, USA
| | - Jacqueline Gerson
- Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48824, USA
| | - Victor Sánchez
- Instituto de Investigación en Ecología y Conservación, Trujillo, Peru
| | - Raúl Pérez Purizaca
- Universidad Nacional de Piura, Urb. Miraflores S/N, Castilla, 20002, Piura, Peru
| | - Helen Yurek
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Mark E H Burton
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Peggy L Shrum
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Biology, Clemson University, Clemson, SC, 29634, USA
| | | | - Korik Vargas
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Finola F Fogarty
- Department of Zoology, Faculty of Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
- Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society, 27.5 Miles Hummingbird Hwy, Stann Creek, Belize
| | - Mathieu R Charette
- Toucan Ridge Ecology and Education Society, 27.5 Miles Hummingbird Hwy, Stann Creek, Belize
| | - Ari E Martínez
- Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, 95064, USA
| | | | - Robert J Taylor
- Department of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
| | - Timothy H Tear
- Center for Mercury Studies, Biodiversity Research Institute, 276 Canco Road, Portland, ME, 04103, USA
| | - Luis E Fernandez
- Centro de Innovación Científica Amazónica, Puerto Maldonado, Madre de Dios, 17000, Peru
- Department of Biology, Center for Energy, Environment and Sustainability, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, 27106, USA
- Department of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution for Science, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
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5
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Hansen E, Sun J, Helander B, Bustnes JO, Eulaers I, Jaspers VLB, Covaci A, Eens M, Bourgeon S. A retrospective investigation of feather corticosterone in a highly contaminated white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) population. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2023; 228:115923. [PMID: 37072083 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.115923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2023] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as organochlorines (OCs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), is associated with adverse health effects in wildlife. Many POPs have been banned and consequently their environmental concentrations have declined. To assess both temporal trends of POPs and their detrimental impacts, raptors are extensively used as biomonitors due to their high food web position and high contaminant levels. White-tailed eagles (WTEs; Haliaeetus albicilla) in the Baltic ecosystem represent a sentinel species of environmental pollution, as they have suffered population declines due to reproductive failure caused by severe exposure to dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) during the 1960s through 1980s. However, there is a lack of long-term studies that cover a wide range of environmental contaminants and their effects at the individual level. In this study, we used 135 pooled samples of shed body feathers collected in 1968-2012 from breeding WTE pairs in Sweden. Feathers constitute a temporal archive for substances incorporated into the feather during growth, including corticosterone, which is the primary avian glucocorticoid and a stress-associated hormone. Here, we analysed the WTE feather pools to investigate annual variations in feather corticosterone (fCORT), POPs (OCs and PBDEs), and stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (SIs; dietary proxies). We examined whether the expected fluctuations in POPs affected fCORT (8-94 pg. mm-1) in the WTE pairs. Despite clear temporal declining trends in POP concentrations (p < 0.01), we found no significant associations between fCORT and POPs or SIs (p > 0.05 in all cases). Our results do not support fCORT as a relevant biomarker of contaminant-mediated effects in WTEs despite studying a highly contaminated population. However, although not detecting a relationship between fCORT, POP contamination and diet, fCORT represents a non-destructive and retrospective assessment of long-term stress physiology in wild raptors otherwise not readily available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth Hansen
- UiT - the Arctic University of Norway, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Hansine Hansens Veg 18, NO-9019, Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Jiachen Sun
- College of Marine Life Science, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, CN-266003, Shandong, China
| | - Björn Helander
- Swedish Museum of Natural History, Department of Environmental Research and Monitoring, Box 50007, SE-10405, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jan Ove Bustnes
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), Framsenteret, Hjalmar Johansens Gate 14, NO-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Fram Centre, Norwegian Polar Institute, NO-9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Veerle L B Jaspers
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 5, 7491, Trondheim, Norway
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, BE-2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Marcel Eens
- Behavioural and Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, BE-2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Sophie Bourgeon
- UiT - the Arctic University of Norway, Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, Hansine Hansens Veg 18, NO-9019, Tromsø, Norway
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6
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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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7
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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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8
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Chastel O, Fort J, Ackerman JT, Albert C, Angelier F, Basu N, Blévin P, Brault-Favrou M, Bustnes JO, Bustamante P, Danielsen J, Descamps S, Dietz R, Erikstad KE, Eulaers I, Ezhov A, Fleishman AB, Gabrielsen GW, Gavrilo M, Gilchrist G, Gilg O, Gíslason S, Golubova E, Goutte A, Grémillet D, Hallgrimsson GT, Hansen ES, Hanssen SA, Hatch S, Huffeldt NP, Jakubas D, Jónsson JE, Kitaysky AS, Kolbeinsson Y, Krasnov Y, Letcher RJ, Linnebjerg JF, Mallory M, Merkel FR, Moe B, Montevecchi WJ, Mosbech A, Olsen B, Orben RA, Provencher JF, Ragnarsdottir SB, Reiertsen TK, Rojek N, Romano M, Søndergaard J, Strøm H, Takahashi A, Tartu S, Thórarinsson TL, Thiebot JB, Will AP, Wilson S, Wojczulanis-Jakubas K, Yannic G. Mercury contamination and potential health risks to Arctic seabirds and shorebirds. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 844:156944. [PMID: 35752241 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156944] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Since the last Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) effort to review biological effects of mercury (Hg) on Arctic biota in 2011 and 2018, there has been a considerable number of new Arctic bird studies. This review article provides contemporary Hg exposure and potential health risk for 36 Arctic seabird and shorebird species, representing a larger portion of the Arctic than during previous AMAP assessments now also including parts of the Russian Arctic. To assess risk to birds, we used Hg toxicity benchmarks established for blood and converted to egg, liver, and feather tissues. Several Arctic seabird populations showed Hg concentrations that exceeded toxicity benchmarks, with 50 % of individual birds exceeding the "no adverse health effect" level. In particular, 5 % of all studied birds were considered to be at moderate or higher risk to Hg toxicity. However, most seabirds (95 %) were generally at lower risk to Hg toxicity. The highest Hg contamination was observed in seabirds breeding in the western Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Most Arctic shorebirds exhibited low Hg concentrations, with approximately 45 % of individuals categorized at no risk, 2.5 % at high risk category, and no individual at severe risk. Although the majority Arctic-breeding seabirds and shorebirds appeared at lower risk to Hg toxicity, recent studies have reported deleterious effects of Hg on some pituitary hormones, genotoxicity, and reproductive performance. Adult survival appeared unaffected by Hg exposure, although long-term banding studies incorporating Hg are still limited. Although Hg contamination across the Arctic is considered low for most bird species, Hg in combination with other stressors, including other contaminants, diseases, parasites, and climate change, may still cause adverse effects. Future investigations on the global impact of Hg on Arctic birds should be conducted within a multi-stressor framework. This information helps to address Article 22 (Effectiveness Evaluation) of the Minamata Convention on Mercury as a global pollutant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivier Chastel
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS- La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France.
| | - Jérôme Fort
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 17000 La Rochelle, France.
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA 95620, United States.
| | - Céline Albert
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Frédéric Angelier
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS- La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | - Niladri Basu
- McGill University, Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Montreal, QC H9X 3V9, Canada
| | | | - Maud Brault-Favrou
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Jan Ove Bustnes
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, FRAM Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Paco Bustamante
- Littoral Environnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 17000 La Rochelle, France; Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), 75005 Paris, France
| | | | | | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | | | - Igor Eulaers
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram center, 9296 Tromsø, Norway; Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Alexey Ezhov
- Murmansk Marine Biological Institute Russian Academy of Science, 183010 Vladimirskaya str. 17 Murmansk, Russia
| | - Abram B Fleishman
- Conservation Metrics, Inc., Santa Cruz, CA, United States of America
| | | | - Maria Gavrilo
- Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute, 199397 St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Grant Gilchrist
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Raven Road, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ont., Canada K1A 0H3
| | - Olivier Gilg
- Laboratoire Chrono-environnement, UMR 6249, Université de Bourgogne Franche Comté, 25000 Besançon, France; Groupe de Recherche en Ecologie Arctique, 16 rue de Vernot, F-21440 Francheville, France
| | - Sindri Gíslason
- Southwest Iceland Nature Research Centre, Gardvegur 1, 245 Sudurnesjabaer, Iceland
| | - Elena Golubova
- Laboratory of Ornithology, Institute of Biological Problems of the North, RU-685000 Magadan, Portovaya Str., 18, Russia
| | - Aurélie Goutte
- EPHE, PSL Research University, UMR 7619 METIS, F-75005 Paris, France
| | - David Grémillet
- Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive (CEFE), UMR 5175 Univ Montpellier, CNRS, EPHE, IRD, Montpellier, France,; Percy FitzPatrick Institute of African Ornithology, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Gunnar T Hallgrimsson
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, 102 Reykjavik, Iceland
| | - Erpur S Hansen
- South Iceland Nature Research Centre, Ægisgata 2, 900 Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland
| | | | - Scott Hatch
- Institute for Seabird Research and Conservation, Anchorage, 99516-3185, AK, USA
| | - Nicholas P Huffeldt
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Dariusz Jakubas
- Department of Vertebrate Ecology and Zoology, University of Gdansk, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
| | - Jón Einar Jónsson
- University of Iceland's Research Center at Snæfellsnes, 340 Stykkishólmur, Iceland
| | - Alexander S Kitaysky
- University of Alaska Fairbanks, Institute of Arctic Biology, Department of Biology & Wildlife, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7000, United States of America
| | | | - Yuri Krasnov
- Murmansk Marine Biological Institute Russian Academy of Science, 183010 Vladimirskaya str. 17 Murmansk, Russia
| | - Robert J Letcher
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, 1125 Colonel By Drive, Raven Road, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ont., Canada K1A 0H3
| | | | - Mark Mallory
- Biology, Acadia University Wolfville, Nova Scotia B4P 2R6, Canada
| | - Flemming Ravn Merkel
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Børge Moe
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, 7485 Trondheim, Norway
| | - William J Montevecchi
- Memorial Univerisity of Newfoundland and Labrador, St. John's, Newoundland A1C 3X9, Canada
| | - Anders Mosbech
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Bergur Olsen
- Faroe Marine Reseaqrch Institute, Nóatún 1, FO-110 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Rachael A Orben
- Department of Fisheries, Wildlife and Conservation Sciences, Oregon State University, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Newport, OR, USA
| | - Jennifer F Provencher
- Science & Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada K1A 0H3
| | | | - Tone K Reiertsen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, FRAM Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Nora Rojek
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Maritime Wildlife Refuge, Homer, AK, USA
| | - Marc Romano
- U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Alaska Maritime Wildlife Refuge, Homer, AK, USA
| | - Jens Søndergaard
- Department of Ecoscience, Aarhus University, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Hallvard Strøm
- Norwegian Polar Institute, Fram center, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Akinori Takahashi
- National Institute of Polar Research, 10-3 Midori-cho, Tachikawa, Tokyo 190-8518, Japan
| | - Sabrina Tartu
- Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR 7372 CNRS- La Rochelle Université, 79360 Villiers-en-Bois, France
| | | | - Jean-Baptiste Thiebot
- National Institute of Polar Research, 10-3 Midori-cho, Tachikawa, Tokyo 190-8518, Japan
| | - Alexis P Will
- University of Alaska Fairbanks, Institute of Arctic Biology, Department of Biology & Wildlife, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7000, United States of America; National Institute of Polar Research, 10-3 Midori-cho, Tachikawa, Tokyo 190-8518, Japan
| | - Simon Wilson
- Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Secretariat, The Fram Centre, Box 6606, Stakkevollan, 9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | | | - Glenn Yannic
- Univ. Grenoble Alpes, Univ. Savoie Mont Blanc, CNRS, LECA, 38000 Grenoble, France
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9
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Treu G, Sinding MHS, Czirják GÁ, Dietz R, Gräff T, Krone O, Marquard-Petersen U, Mikkelsen JB, Schulz R, Sonne C, Søndergaard J, Sun J, Zubrod J, Eulaers I. An assessment of mercury and its dietary drivers in fur of Arctic wolves from Greenland and High Arctic Canada. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 838:156171. [PMID: 35613645 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.156171] [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: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Mercury has become a ubiquitous hazardous element even ending up in pristine areas such as the Arctic, where it biomagnifies and leaves especially top predators vulnerable to potential health effects. Here we investigate total mercury (THg) concentrations and dietary proxies for trophic position and habitat foraging (δ15N and δ13C, respectively) in fur of 30 Arctic wolves collected during 1869-1998 in the Canadian High Arctic and Greenland. Fur THg concentrations (mean ± SD) of 1.46 ± 1.39 μg g -1 dry weight are within the range of earlier reported values for other Arctic terrestrial species. Based on putative thresholds for Hg-mediated toxic health effects, the studied Arctic wolves have most likely not been at compromised health. Dietary proxies show high dietary plasticity among Arctic wolves deriving nutrition from both marine and terrestrial food sources at various trophic positions. Variability in THg concentrations seem to be related to the wolves' trophic position rather than to different carbon sources or regional differences (East Greenland, the Foxe Basin and Baffin Bay area, respectively). Although the present study remains limited due to the scarce, yet unique historic study material and small sample size, it provides novel information on temporal and spatial variation in Hg pollution of remote Arctic species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriele Treu
- German Environment Agency, Department Chemicals, DE-06844 Dessau-Roßlau, Germany; Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Wildlife Diseases, DE-10315 Berlin, Germany.
| | - Mikkel-Holger S Sinding
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaløes Vej 5, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark; Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Kivioq 2, Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Gábor Á Czirják
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Wildlife Diseases, DE-10315 Berlin, Germany
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Thomas Gräff
- German Environment Agency, Department Systems on Chemical Safety, DE-6844 Dessau-Roßlau, Germany
| | - Oliver Krone
- Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research, Department of Wildlife Diseases, DE-10315 Berlin, Germany
| | | | | | - Ralf Schulz
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, DE-76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Christian Sonne
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jens Søndergaard
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jiachen Sun
- College of Marine Life Sciences, Ocean University of China, CN-266003 Qingdao, China
| | - Jochen Zubrod
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, DE-76829 Landau, Germany; Zubrod Environmental Data Science, Friesenstrasse 20, 76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, DK-4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Fram Centre, Norwegian Polar Institute, NO-9296 Tromsø, Norway.
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10
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Dahmardeh Behrooz R, Poma G, Barghi M. Non-destructive mercury exposure assessment in the Brandt's hedgehog (Paraechinus hypomelas): spines as indicators of endogenous concentrations. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:56502-56510. [PMID: 35347622 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-19926-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Due to its persistence, bioaccumulation characteristics, and toxicity, environmental contamination with mercury (Hg) is of high concern for human health, living organisms, and ecosystems, and its biological monitoring is highly relevant. In this study, the levels of total Hg were measured in organs, tissues, and spines of 50 individuals of Brandt's hedgehog collected in Iran in 2019. The Hg median levels in kidneys, liver, muscle, and spines were 156, 47, 47, and 20 ng/g dry weight, respectively. The results showed a significant positive correlation between the levels of Hg in kidneys and liver (r = 0.519; p < 0.01) and in spines and muscle (r = 0.337, p < 0.01) and kidneys (r = 0.309, p < 0.05). Significant differences (p < 0.05) in Hg levels in organs and tissues were also observed depending on the sex, weight, length, and age of the individuals. In addition, the median levels of total Hg in kidneys of Brandt's hedgehogs from an agricultural ecotype (median 190 ± 65) were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those collected from a forest ecotype (median 126 ± 50), suggesting that the habitat could have a significant impact on animal contamination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Dahmardeh Behrooz
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Zabol, Zabol, Sistan, Iran.
| | - Giulia Poma
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Mandana Barghi
- Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), San 31, Hyoja-dong, Nam-gu, Pohang, 37673, Republic of Korea
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11
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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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12
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Clark CT, Cape MR, Shapley MD, Mueter FJ, Finney BP, Misarti N. SuessR: Regional corrections for the effects of anthropogenic CO
2
on δ
13
C data from marine organisms. Methods Ecol Evol 2021. [DOI: 10.1111/2041-210x.13622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Casey T. Clark
- Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies University of Washington Seattle WA USA
- Water and Environmental Research Center University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks AK USA
| | - Mattias R. Cape
- School of Oceanography University of Washington Seattle WA USA
| | - Mark D. Shapley
- CDSCO/National Lacustrine Core Facility University of Minnesota Minneapolis MN USA
| | - Franz J. Mueter
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences University of Alaska Fairbanks Juneau AK USA
| | - Bruce P. Finney
- Departments of Biological Sciences and Geosciences Idaho State University Pocatello ID USA
| | - Nicole Misarti
- Water and Environmental Research Center University of Alaska Fairbanks Fairbanks AK USA
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13
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Dahmardeh Behrooz R, Poma G. Evaluation of Mercury Contamination in Iranian Wild Cats Through Hair Analysis. Biol Trace Elem Res 2021; 199:166-172. [PMID: 32306286 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-020-02148-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Due to its environmental persistence and bioaccumulative properties, mercury is considered highly toxic to humans, ecosystems, and wildlife. The present study aimed to investigate the total mercury (Hg) concentrations in hair samples of 40 wild cats belonging to eight different species collected from various provinces of Iran and to characterize their risk of Hg exposure. Total Hg levels in Iranian wild cats ranged from 62 to 3670 ng/g dw hair, with a median value of 488 ng/g dw hair. The lowest median Hg concentration was found in west Iran (251 ng/g dw hair), while the highest median level was measured in the north-east of the country (736 ng/g dw hair), likely related to its past use in agriculture and potential contamination of industrial effluents. The overall contamination of Iranian wild cats with mercury can be considered generally low, but 20% of the samples reached levels above 1100 ng/g dw hair, set as indicative of an environmental Hg concern according to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Our data are comparable with other investigations on wildlife worldwide, confirming the suitability of museum collection specimens to assess the environmental levels of Hg. We showed that, while diet and habitat can influence the mercury accumulation in wild cats, complementary factors, such as age, size, and interspecific metabolic differences, should be considered as well in future investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Dahmardeh Behrooz
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Natural Resources, University of Zabol, Zabol, Sistan, Iran.
| | - Giulia Poma
- Toxicological Centre, University of Antwerp, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium
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14
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Dietz R, Fort J, Sonne C, Albert C, Bustnes JO, Christensen TK, Ciesielski TM, Danielsen J, Dastnai S, Eens M, Erikstad KE, Galatius A, Garbus SE, Gilg O, Hanssen SA, Helander B, Helberg M, Jaspers VLB, Jenssen BM, Jónsson JE, Kauhala K, Kolbeinsson Y, Kyhn LA, Labansen AL, Larsen MM, Lindstøm U, Reiertsen TK, Rigét FF, Roos A, Strand J, Strøm H, Sveegaard S, Søndergaard J, Sun J, Teilmann J, Therkildsen OR, Thórarinsson TL, Tjørnløv RS, Wilson S, Eulaers I. A risk assessment of the effects of mercury on Baltic Sea, Greater North Sea and North Atlantic wildlife, fish and bivalves. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2021; 146:106178. [PMID: 33246245 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
A wide range of species, including marine mammals, seabirds, birds of prey, fish and bivalves, were investigated for potential population health risks resulting from contemporary (post 2000) mercury (Hg) exposure, using novel risk thresholds based on literature and de novo contamination data. The main geographic focus is on the Baltic Sea, while data from the same species in adjacent waters, such as the Greater North Sea and North Atlantic, were included for comparative purposes. For marine mammals, 23% of the groups, each composing individuals of a specific sex and maturity from the same species in a specific study region, showed Hg-concentrations within the High Risk Category (HRC) and Severe Risk Category (SRC). The corresponding percentages for seabirds, fish and bivalves were 2.7%, 25% and 8.0%, respectively, although fish and bivalves were not represented in the SRC. Juveniles from all species showed to be at no or low risk. In comparison to the same species in the adjacent waters, i.e. the Greater North Sea and the North Atlantic, the estimated risk for Baltic populations is not considerably higher. These findings suggest that over the past few decades the Baltic Sea has improved considerably with respect to presenting Hg exposure to its local species, while it does still carry a legacy of elevated Hg levels resulting from high neighbouring industrial and agricultural activity and slow water turnover regime.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rune Dietz
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
| | - Jérôme Fort
- LIENSs, UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Christian Sonne
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Céline Albert
- LIENSs, UMR 7266 CNRS-La Rochelle Université, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Jan Ove Bustnes
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), FRAM Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | | | - Tomasz Maciej Ciesielski
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 5, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jóhannis Danielsen
- The Faroese Marine Research Institute, Nóatún 1, 100 Tórshavn, Faroe Islands
| | - Sam Dastnai
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Marcel Eens
- Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Kjell Einar Erikstad
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), FRAM Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Anders Galatius
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Svend-Erik Garbus
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Olivier Gilg
- UMR 6249 Chrono-environnement, Université de Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 16 route de Gray, 25000 Besançon, France; Groupe de Recherche en Ecologie Arctique, 16 rue de Vernot, 21440 Francheville, France
| | - Sveinn Are Hanssen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), FRAM Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Björn Helander
- Swedish Museum of Natural History, Department of Contaminant Research, Frescativägen 40, PO Box 50007, 104 18 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Morten Helberg
- CEES, Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, PO Box 1066, 0316 Oslo, Norway
| | - Veerle L B Jaspers
- Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 5, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Bjørn Munro Jenssen
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark; Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 5, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Jón Einar Jónsson
- Northeast Iceland Nature Research Centre, Hafnarstétt 3, 640 Húsavík, Iceland
| | - Kaarina Kauhala
- Natural Resources Institute Finland, LUKE, Itäinen Pitkäkatu 4A, 20520 Turku, Finland
| | - Yann Kolbeinsson
- Northeast Iceland Nature Research Centre, Hafnarstétt 3, 640 Húsavík, Iceland
| | - Line Anker Kyhn
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Aili Lage Labansen
- Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Kivioq 2, PO Box 570, 3900 Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Martin Mørk Larsen
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Ulf Lindstøm
- Institute of Marine Research, FRAM Centre, 9007 Tromsø, Norway; UiT Norwegian Arctic University, Institute of Arctic and Marine Biology, Dramsveien 201, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Tone K Reiertsen
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), FRAM Centre, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Frank F Rigét
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Anna Roos
- Swedish Museum of Natural History, Department of Contaminant Research, Frescativägen 40, PO Box 50007, 104 18 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jakob Strand
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Hallvard Strøm
- Norwegian Polar Institute, FRAM Centre, PO Box 6606 Langnes, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Signe Sveegaard
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jens Søndergaard
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Jiachen Sun
- Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium; School of Environment, Jinan University, West Huangpu Avenue 601, 510632 Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Jonas Teilmann
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | | | | | - Rune Skjold Tjørnløv
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Simon Wilson
- Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) Secretariat, FRAM Centre, PO Box 6606 Langnes, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Aarhus University, Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre (ARC), Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
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15
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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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16
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Sun J, Covaci A, Bustnes JO, Jaspers VLB, Helander B, Bårdsen BJ, Boertmann D, Dietz R, Labansen AL, Lepoint G, Schulz R, Malarvannan G, Sonne C, Thorup K, Tøttrup AP, Zubrod JP, Eens M, Eulaers I. Temporal trends of legacy organochlorines in different white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) subpopulations: A retrospective investigation using archived feathers. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 138:105618. [PMID: 32169675 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Revised: 02/26/2020] [Accepted: 02/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Understanding the spatiotemporal patterns of legacy organochlorines (OCs) is often difficult because monitoring practices differ among studies, fragmented study periods, and unaccounted confounding by ecological variables. We therefore reconstructed long-term (1939-2015) and large-scale (West Greenland, Norway, and central Sweden) trends of major legacy OCs using white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) body feathers, to understand the exposure dynamics in regions with different contamination sources and concentrations, as well as the effectiveness of legislations. We included dietary proxies (δ13C and δ15N) in temporal trend models to control for potential dietary plasticity. Consistent with the hypothesised high local pollution sources, levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) and hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) in the Swedish subpopulation exceeded those in the other subpopulations. In contrast, chlordanes (CHLs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) showed higher concentrations in Greenland, suggesting the importance of long-range transport. The models showed significantly decreasing trends for all OCs in Sweden in 1968-2011 except for CHLs, which only decreased since the 1980s. Nevertheless, median concentrations of DDTs and PCBs remained elevated in the Swedish subpopulation throughout the 1970s, suggesting that the decreases only commenced after the implementation of regulations during the 1970s. We observed significant trends of increasing concentrations of PCBs, CHLs and HCB in Norway from the 1930s to the 1970s/1980s and decreasing concentrations thereafter. All OC concentrations, except those of PCBs were generally significantly decreasing in the Greenland subpopulation in 1985-2013. All three subpopulations showed generally increasing proportions of the more persistent compounds (CB 153, p.p'-DDE and β-HCH) and decreasing proportions of the less persistent ones (CB 52, p.p'-DDT, α- and γ-HCH). Declining trends of OC concentrations may imply the decreasing influence of legacy OCs in these subpopulations. Finally, our results demonstrate the usefulness of archived museum feathers in retrospective monitoring of spatiotemporal trends of legacy OCs using birds of prey as sentinels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiachen Sun
- Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
| | - Adrian Covaci
- Toxicological Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Jan Ove Bustnes
- Arctic Ecology Department, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, FRAM - High North Research Centre on Climate and the Environment, Hjalmar Johansens Gate 14, PO Box 6606, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Veerle L B Jaspers
- Environmental Toxicology Group, Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Høgskoleringen 5, 7491 Trondheim, Norway
| | - Björn Helander
- Environmental Research & Monitoring, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Frescativägen 40, PO Box 50007, 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Bård-Jørgen Bårdsen
- Arctic Ecology Department, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, FRAM - High North Research Centre on Climate and the Environment, Hjalmar Johansens Gate 14, PO Box 6606, 9296 Tromsø, Norway
| | - David Boertmann
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Aili Lage Labansen
- Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Kivioq 2, PO Box 570, GL-3900 Nuuk, Greenland
| | - Gilles Lepoint
- MARE Centre, Oceanology, University of Liège, Allée de la Chimie 3, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Ralf Schulz
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Govindan Malarvannan
- Toxicological Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Christian Sonne
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark
| | - Kasper Thorup
- Center for Macroecology, Evolution and Climate, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Anders P Tøttrup
- Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, DK-1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark
| | - Jochen P Zubrod
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences, University of Koblenz-Landau, Fortstrasse 7, 76829 Landau, Germany
| | - Marcel Eens
- Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Igor Eulaers
- Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000 Roskilde, Denmark.
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17
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Sun J, Bossi R, Bustnes JO, Helander B, Boertmann D, Dietz R, Herzke D, Jaspers VLB, Labansen AL, Lepoint G, Schulz R, Sonne C, Thorup K, Tøttrup AP, Zubrod JP, Eens M, Eulaers I. White-Tailed Eagle ( Haliaeetus albicilla) Body Feathers Document Spatiotemporal Trends of Perfluoroalkyl Substances in the Northern Environment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:12744-12753. [PMID: 31599575 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.9b03514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
We reconstructed the first long-term (1968-2015) spatiotemporal trends of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) using archived body feathers of white-tailed eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) from the West Greenland (n = 31), Norwegian (n = 66), and Central Swedish Baltic coasts (n = 50). We observed significant temporal trends of perfluorooctane sulfonamide (FOSA), perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS), and perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (∑PFCAs) in all three subpopulations. Concentrations of FOSA and PFOS had started decreasing significantly since the mid-1990s to 2000 in the Greenland and Norwegian subpopulations, consistent with the 3M phase-out, though in sharp contrast to overall increasing trends observed in the Swedish subpopulation. Moreover, ∑PFCA concentrations significantly increased in all three subpopulations throughout the study periods. These temporal trends suggest on-going input of PFOS in the Baltic and of ∑PFCAs in all three regions. Considerable spatial variation in PFAS concentrations and profiles was observed: PFOS concentrations were significantly higher in Sweden, whereas FOSA and ∑PFCA concentrations were similar among the subpopulations. PFOS dominated the PFAS profiles in the Swedish and Norwegian subpopulations, in contrast to the domination of FOSA and ∑PFCAs in the Greenland one. Our spatiotemporal observations underline the usefulness of archived bird of prey feathers in monitoring spatiotemporal PFAS trends and urge for continued monitoring efforts in each of the studied subpopulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiachen Sun
- Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology , University of Antwerp , Universiteitsplein 1 , BE-2610 Wilrijk , Belgium
| | | | - Jan Ove Bustnes
- Unit for Arctic Ecology , Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), FRAM - High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment , Hjalmar Johansens gate 14 , P. O. Box 6606, NO-9296 Tromsø , Norway
| | - Björn Helander
- Environmental Research & Monitoring , Swedish Museum of Natural History , Frescativägen 40 , P. O. Box 50007, SE-104 05 Stockholm , Sweden
| | | | | | - Dorte Herzke
- NILU, Norwegian Institute for Air Research, FRAM - High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment , Hjalmar Johansens gate 14 , NO-9296 Tromsø , Norway
| | - Veerle L B Jaspers
- Environmental Toxicology Group, Department of Biology , Norwegian University of Science and Technology , Høgskoleringen 5 , NO-7491 Trondheim , Norway
| | - Aili Lage Labansen
- Greenland Institute of Natural Resources , Kivioq 2 , P. O. Box 570, GL-3900 Nuuk , Greenland
| | - Gilles Lepoint
- MARE Centre, Oceanology , University of Liège , Allée de la Chimie 3 , BE-4000 Liège , Belgium
| | - Ralf Schulz
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences , University of Koblenz-Landau , Fortstrasse 7 , DE-76829 Landau , Germany
| | | | - Kasper Thorup
- Natural History Museum of Denmark , University of Copenhagen , Øster Voldgade 5-7 , DK-1350 Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - Anders P Tøttrup
- Natural History Museum of Denmark , University of Copenhagen , Øster Voldgade 5-7 , DK-1350 Copenhagen , Denmark
| | - Jochen P Zubrod
- iES Landau, Institute for Environmental Sciences , University of Koblenz-Landau , Fortstrasse 7 , DE-76829 Landau , Germany
| | - Marcel Eens
- Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology , University of Antwerp , Universiteitsplein 1 , BE-2610 Wilrijk , Belgium
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