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Xuereb N, Ólafsdóttir K, Samarra F, Svavarsson J, Magnúsdóttir EE. POPs in long-finned pilot whales mass stranded in Iceland as a proxy for their physiological condition. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 197:115758. [PMID: 37979533 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115758] [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: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023]
Abstract
Long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas) are the most frequently stranded cetaceans in the world; however, the predominant drivers of these events are poorly understood. In this study the levels of persistent organic pollutants from pilot whales stranded in North-east Iceland were quantified and compared to historical data and physical parameters to investigate whether contaminant load may have influenced the physiological state of stranded individuals, how these loads fluctuate with sex and age group, and if this is consistent with the literature. Historical comparison was also carried out to discern how pollutant contamination has changed throughout the past few decades. DDE, transnonachlor and PCB-153 were the top three pollutants respectively. The accumulation of POPs was greater on average in immature individuals than adults, whilst among adults, males had higher concentration than females. Moreover, despite an indication of decreasing POP loads throughout the years, knowledge of harmful thresholds remains exceedingly limited.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholai Xuereb
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Askja, Sturlugata 7, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland.
| | - Kristín Ólafsdóttir
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Iceland, Hofsvallagata 53, 107 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Filipa Samarra
- University of Iceland's Institute of Research Centers, Ægisgata 2, 900 Vestmannaeyjar, Iceland
| | - Jörundur Svavarsson
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Askja, Sturlugata 7, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Edda Elísabet Magnúsdóttir
- Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Iceland, Askja, Sturlugata 7, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland; Faculty of Subject Teacher Education, University of Iceland, Askja, Sturlugata 7, 102 Reykjavík, Iceland
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2
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Remili A, Dietz R, Sonne C, Samarra FIP, Letcher RJ, Rikardsen AH, Ferguson SH, Watt CA, Matthews CJD, Kiszka JJ, Rosing-Asvid A, McKinney MA. Varying Diet Composition Causes Striking Differences in Legacy and Emerging Contaminant Concentrations in Killer Whales across the North Atlantic. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2023; 57:16109-16120. [PMID: 37818957 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.3c05516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Lipophilic persistent organic pollutants (POPs) tend to biomagnify in food chains, resulting in higher concentrations in species such as killer whales (Orcinus orca) feeding on marine mammals compared to those consuming fish. Advancements in dietary studies include the use of quantitative fatty acid signature analysis (QFASA) and differentiation of feeding habits within and between populations of North Atlantic (NA) killer whales. This comprehensive study assessed the concentrations of legacy and emerging POPs in 162 killer whales from across the NA. We report significantly higher mean levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides, and flame retardants in Western NA killer whales compared to those of Eastern NA conspecifics. Mean ∑PCBs ranged from ∼100 mg/kg lipid weight (lw) in the Western NA (Canadian Arctic, Eastern Canada) to ∼50 mg/kg lw in the mid-NA (Greenland, Iceland) to ∼10 mg/kg lw in the Eastern NA (Norway, Faroe Islands). The observed variations in contaminant levels were strongly correlated with diet composition across locations (inferred from QFASA), emphasizing that diet and not environmental variation in contaminant concentrations among locations is crucial in assessing contaminant-associated health risks in killer whales. These findings highlight the urgency for implementing enhanced measures to safely dispose of POP-contaminated waste, prevent further environmental contamination, and mitigate the release of newer and potentially harmful contaminants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anaïs Remili
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec H9X 3V9, Canada
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, 900 Vestmannaeyjar, Denmark
| | - Christian Sonne
- Department of Ecoscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, 900 Vestmannaeyjar, Denmark
| | - Filipa I P Samarra
- University of Iceland, 900 Vestmannaeyjar, Reykjavík 600169-2039, Iceland
| | - Robert J Letcher
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Wildlife and Landscape Science Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H3, Canada
| | - Audun H Rikardsen
- Faculty of Biosciences, Fisheries and Economics, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA), N-9296 Tromso, Norway
| | - Steven H Ferguson
- Arctic Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N6, Canada
| | - Cortney A Watt
- Arctic Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N6, Canada
| | - Cory J D Matthews
- Arctic Aquatic Research Division, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N6, Canada
| | - Jeremy J Kiszka
- Institute of Environment, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, North Miami, Florida 33181, United States
| | | | - Melissa A McKinney
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec H9X 3V9, Canada
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Cardoso PG, Morais H, Crespo D, Tavares D, Pereira E, Pardal MÂ. Seasonal characterization of mercury contamination along the Portuguese coast: human health and environmental risk assessment. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:101121-101132. [PMID: 37646930 PMCID: PMC10541821 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-29495-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Abstract
A seasonal characterization of mercury (Hg) accumulation in three different estuaries along the Portuguese coast (i.e. Ria de Aveiro, Tagus estuary and Ria Formosa) was done. For that, it was evaluated: (1) Hg concentrations in abiotic (water) and biotic matrices (flora and fauna); (2) the risk of consumption of local seafood species (e.g. bivalves) to human health; and (3) the environmental risk to Hg exposure. During 1 year, water and biological samples were collected during low tide, in each system for Hg quantification. Our findings revealed that total Hg concentrations in surface waters were higher in Ria de Aveiro and Tagus estuary than in Ria Formosa. In Ria de Aveiro, a particular attention should be given in autumn periods, where Hg levels (≈ 100 µg L-1) were considered quite high according to European quality parameters. The same was observed for the Tagus estuary during spring time. Regarding macrofauna Hg levels, no clear seasonal trend was observed. Also, total Hg concentrations in edible species (< 0.5 µg. g-1 ww) represent no risk for consumption. However, considering the environmental risk, in Ria de Aveiro, there is a moderate risk (RQ > 0.1) in autumn periods, which can be a matter of concern.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Gonçalves Cardoso
- CIIMAR/CIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre for Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Matosinhos, Portugal.
| | - Hugo Morais
- CIIMAR/CIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre for Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Daniel Crespo
- CIIMAR/CIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre for Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Daniela Tavares
- LAQV-REQUIMTE - Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Eduarda Pereira
- LAQV-REQUIMTE - Associated Laboratory for Green Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Campus de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Miguel Ângelo Pardal
- CFE - Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, 3000-456, Coimbra, Portugal
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Arnot JA, Toose L, Armitage JM, Embry M, Sangion A, Hughes L. A weight of evidence approach for bioaccumulation assessment. INTEGRATED ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT 2023; 19:1235-1253. [PMID: 35049141 DOI: 10.1002/ieam.4583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Bioaccumulation assessments conducted by regulatory agencies worldwide use a variety of methods, types of data, metrics, and categorization criteria. Lines of evidence (LoE) for bioaccumulation assessment can include bioaccumulation metrics such as in vivo bioconcentration factor (BCF) and biomagnification factor (BMF) data measured from standardized laboratory experiments, and field (monitoring) data such as BMFs, bioaccumulation factors (BAFs), and trophic magnification factors (TMFs). In silico predictions from mass-balance models and quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs) and a combination of in vitro biotransformation rates and in vitro-in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) models can also be used. The myriad bioaccumulation metrics and categorization criteria and underlying uncertainty in measured or modeled data can make decision-making challenging. A weight of evidence (WoE) approach is recommended to address uncertainty. The Bioaccumulation Assessment Tool (BAT) guides a user through the process of collecting and generating various LoE required for assessing the bioaccumulation of neutral and ionizable organic chemicals in aquatic (water-respiring) and air-breathing organisms. The BAT includes data evaluation templates (DETs) to critically evaluate the reliability of the LoE used in the assessment. The DETs were developed from standardized testing guidance. The approach used in the BAT is consistent with OECD and SETAC WoE principles and facilitates the implementation of chemical policy objectives in chemical assessment and management. The recommended methods are also iterative and tiered, providing pragmatic methods to reduce unnecessary animal testing. General concepts of the BAT are presented and case study applications of the tool for hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH) are demonstrated. The BAT provides a consistent and transparent WoE framework to address uncertainty in bioaccumulation assessment and is envisaged to evolve with scientific and regulatory developments. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2023;19:1235-1253. © 2022 The Authors. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of Society of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry (SETAC).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon A Arnot
- ARC Arnot Research & Consulting, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Liisa Toose
- ARC Arnot Research & Consulting, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - James M Armitage
- AES Armitage Environmental Sciences, Inc., Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
| | - Michelle Embry
- Health and Environmental Sciences Institute, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Alessandro Sangion
- ARC Arnot Research & Consulting, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
- Department of Physical & Environmental Sciences, University of Toronto Scarborough, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Lauren Hughes
- ARC Arnot Research & Consulting, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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Yang PF, Macdonald RW, Hung H, Muir DC, Kallenborn R, Nikolaev AN, Ma WL, Liu LY, Li YF. Modeling historical budget for β-Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) in the Arctic Ocean: A contrast to α-HCH. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND ECOTECHNOLOGY 2023; 14:100229. [PMID: 36531934 PMCID: PMC9755237 DOI: 10.1016/j.ese.2022.100229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
The historical annual loading to, removal from, and cumulative burden in the Arctic Ocean for β-hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), an isomer comprising 5-12% of technical HCH, is investigated using a mass balance box model from 1945 to 2020. Over the 76 years, loading occurred predominantly through ocean currents and river inflow (83%) and only a small portion via atmospheric transport (16%). β-HCH started to accumulate in the Arctic Ocean in the late 1940s, reached a peak of 810 t in 1986, and decreased to 87 t in 2020, when its concentrations in the Arctic water and air were ∼30 ng m-3 and ∼0.02 pg m-3, respectively. Even though β-HCH and α-HCH (60-70% of technical HCH) are both the isomers of HCHs with almost identical temporal and spatial emission patterns, these two chemicals have shown different major pathways entering the Arctic. Different from α-HCH with the long-range atmospheric transport (LRAT) as its major transport pathway, β-HCH reached the Arctic mainly through long-range oceanic transport (LROT). The much higher tendency of β-HCH to partition into the water, mainly due to its much lower Henry's Law Constant than α-HCH, produced an exceptionally strong pathway divergence with β-HCH favoring slow transport in water and α-HCH favoring rapid transport in air. The concentration and burden of β-HCH in the Arctic Ocean are also predicted for the year 2050 when only 4.4-5.3 t will remain in the Arctic Ocean under the influence of climate change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pu-Fei Yang
- International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
- International Joint Research Center for Arctic Environment and Ecosystem (IJRC-AEE), Polar Academy, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Robie W. Macdonald
- Institute of Ocean Sciences, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Sidney, BC, V8L 4B2, Canada
- Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Hayley Hung
- Air Quality Processes Research Section, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Derek C.G. Muir
- Canada Centre for Inland Waters, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario, Canada
| | - Roland Kallenborn
- Faculty of Chemistry, Biotechnology and Food Sciences (KBM), Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), NO–1433 As, Norway
| | | | - Wan-Li Ma
- International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
- International Joint Research Center for Arctic Environment and Ecosystem (IJRC-AEE), Polar Academy, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Li-Yan Liu
- International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
- International Joint Research Center for Arctic Environment and Ecosystem (IJRC-AEE), Polar Academy, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
| | - Yi-Fan Li
- International Joint Research Center for Persistent Toxic Substances (IJRC-PTS), State Key Laboratory of Urban Water Resource and Environment, School of Environment, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
- International Joint Research Center for Arctic Environment and Ecosystem (IJRC-AEE), Polar Academy, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin, 150090, China
- IJRC-PTS-NA, Toronto, Ontario, M2N 6X9, Canada
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6
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Yang Y, Sun F, Liu K, Chen J, Zheng T, Tang M. Influence of heavy metals on Saunders's Gull (Saundersilarus saundersi) reproduction in the Yellow River Estuary: risk assessment and bioaccumulation. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:82379-82389. [PMID: 35752667 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-21139-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The heavy metal migration in the food chain exerted significant influence on the survival and reproduction of wetland birds and then disturbed and threatened the balance and health of the estuary ecosystem. In this study, the concentration of heavy metals (Cu, Cr, Fe, Mn, Cd, Ni, and Pb) in surface sediment of the Yellow River Estuary (YRE), the food sources of Saunders's Gull (Saundersilarus saundersi) nestlings, and the egg structure of birds were analyzed to determine the bioaccumulation and reproductive influence on wetland bird. The results indicated higher mean concentrations of sediment heavy metals than their corresponding background values in 2019, with the exception of Fe. Notably, the metal Cd exceeded geochemical background value by 1561.5% in 2018 and 1353.9% in 2019, resulting in severe contamination associated with Cd in the YRE (with geo-accumulation indexes of 3.44 and 3.23). Biomagnification factor (BMF) of heavy metals demonstrated that the concentrations of Cr, Ni, and Cu decreased with the trophic level rising while Cd, Mn, Pb, and Fe denoted bio-amplification in the food chain. The residual indexes showed that the food resources of Saunders's Gull were polluted by Cr, Pb, and Cu. Additionally, a higher enrichment of heavy metals was observed in the eggshell membrane. Metal concentrations had significant influences on the reproduction of Saunders's Gull, except for Cd, among which Ni, Pb, Cu, and Fe may have contributed to the reproductive success of birds, whereas the hatching failure of birds may be caused by Cr and Mn. It is of great importance to monitor the contamination of the wetland ecosystem and provide effective management and protection of the wildlife in the YRE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuewei Yang
- School of Life Science, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, People's Republic of China.
| | - Fengfei Sun
- School of Life Science, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, People's Republic of China
| | - Kai Liu
- School of Life Science, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, People's Republic of China
| | - Junfeng Chen
- School of Life Science, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, People's Republic of China
| | - Tong Zheng
- School of Life Science, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, People's Republic of China
| | - Meizhen Tang
- School of Life Science, Qufu Normal University, Qufu, 273165, People's Republic of China
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Blanchard AL, Ainsworth L, Gailey G, Demchenko NL, Shcherbakov IA. Benthic studies adjacent to Sakhalin Island, Russia 2015 III: benthic energy density spatial models in the nearshore gray whale feeding area. ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT 2022; 194:741. [PMID: 36255557 PMCID: PMC9579071 DOI: 10.1007/s10661-022-10018-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/25/2021] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Energy densities of six dominant benthic groups (Actinopterygii, Amphipoda, Bivalvia, Cumacea, Isopoda, and Polychaeta) and total prey energy were modeled for the nearshore western gray whale feeding area, Sakhalin Island, Russia, as part of a multi-disciplinary research program in the summer of 2015. Energy was modeled using generalized additive mixed models (GAMM) with accommodations for zero-inflation (logistic regression and hurdle models) and regression predictions combined with kriging to interpolate energy densities across the nearshore feeding area. Amphipoda energy density was the highest nearshore and in the south whereas Bivalvia energy density was the highest offshore and in the northern portion of the study area. Total energy was the highest in mid-range distances from shore and in the north. Amphipoda energy density was higher than minimum energy estimates defining gray whale feeding habitats (312-442 kJ/m2) in 13% of the nearshore feeding area whereas total prey energy density was higher than the minimum energy requirement in 49% of the habitat. Inverse distance-weighted interpolations of Amphipoda energy provided a broader scale representation of the data whereas kriging estimates were spatially limited but more representative of higher density in the southern portion of the study area. Both methods represented the general trend of higher Amphipoda energy density nearshore but with significant differences that highlight the value of using multiple methods to model patterns in highly complex environments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Glenn Gailey
- Cetacean EcoSystem Research, Lacey, WA, 98512, USA
| | - Natalia L Demchenko
- A.V. Zhirmunsky National Science Center of Marine Biology, Far East Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Ilya A Shcherbakov
- A.V. Zhirmunsky National Science Center of Marine Biology, Far East Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Vladivostok, Russia
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Reyes-Márquez A, Aguíñiga-García S, Morales-García SS, Sedeño-Díaz JE, López-López E. Temporal distribution patterns of metals in water, sediment, and components of the trophic structure in a tropical coastal lagoon of the Gulf of Mexico. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2022; 29:61643-61661. [PMID: 35020148 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-021-17815-6] [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: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Trophic transfer and bioaccumulation of trace metals have a profound impact on the structure and function of coastal areas; however, the metal accumulation patterns in detritus-based food webs and the influence of climatic variability have not been thoroughly investigated. The Tampamachoco Lagoon (Gulf of Mexico) is a coastal system impacted by emissions from a thermoelectric plant. We evaluated the spatial-temporal distribution patterns of Al, Cd, Hg, Cr, Cu, and Pb in water, sediments, and in organisms categorized by trophic levels (TLs), trophic guilds, and habitat preferences. The sediments had the highest concentrations of metals with no significant differences between seasons. The indices of geo-accumulation and potential ecological risk classified sediments as "moderately contaminated", evidencing a threat to human health through consumption of detritivores and filter-feeders. The lowest TLs (filter-feeders and detritivorous) reached the maximum Metal Pollution Index in the rainy season. According to discriminant analyses of metals and species, omnivorous and zoobentivorous organisms were associated with Hg during the rainy and dry seasons; while Al, Cd, and Cu were related to low TLs, and seston was associated with Pb. Food web magnification factor analysis showed that: (a) Pb, Cu, and Cr were biodiluted as trophic levels increased; (b) Cd and Hg showed temporal biomagnification trends; (c) Al, Pb, Cu, and Cd showed significant biodilution from the lowest TL to intermediate TLs; and (d) Hg was transferred from the lowest to intermediate TLs with clear biomagnification effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandra Reyes-Márquez
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Prol. de Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N Col. Santo Tomás, C.P. 11340, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Sergio Aguíñiga-García
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Av. Politécnico Nacional S/N, Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita, BCS, 23096, La Paz, México
| | - Sandra Soledad Morales-García
- Centro Mexicano para la Producción más Limpia, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. Acueducto S/N, Gustavo A. Madero, Ticomán, C.P., 07340, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Jacinto Elías Sedeño-Díaz
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Coordinación Politécnica Para La Sustentabilidad, C.P. 07738, Ciudad de México, México
| | - Eugenia López-López
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Prol. de Carpio y Plan de Ayala S/N Col. Santo Tomás, C.P. 11340, Ciudad de México, México.
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Valters K, Olsson A, Viksne J, Rubene L, Bergman Å. Concentration dynamics of polychlorinated biphenyls and organochlorine pesticides in blood of growing Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) chicks in the wild. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 306:119330. [PMID: 35483485 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119330] [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: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 04/17/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Organochlorine contaminants (OCs) - organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and industrial products and byproducts - are included in different monitoring programmes and surveys, involving various animal species. Fish-eating birds are suitable indicator species for OCs. Adult birds may be difficult to capture, but chicks can be sampled more easily. Blood of birds is a potentially suitable non-destructive matrix for analysis, as OC levels in blood reflect their concentrations in the body. The study was aimed at investigating how age of fast-growing Grey heron (Ardea cinerea) chicks affects contaminant levels in their blood and thus how important is sampling at exact age for biomonitoring purposes. In 1999 on Lake Engure in Latvia whole blood samples of heron chicks were collected at three different time points, with seven and nine days in between the first and second and second and third sampling points, respectively. Twenty-two chicks were sampled at all three times. In total, 102 samples were analysed for 19 polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners, DDT metabolites - DDE and DDD, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), α-, β-, γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), and trans-nonachlor. Total PCB concentrations averaged around 2000 ng/g dry extracted matter (EM). DDE was the dominant individual contaminant (ca. 800 ng/g EM), followed by CB-153, -138, and -118. Most of the other analysed OCs were below 100 ng/g EM. No significant (p > 0.05) differences in OC concentrations were found between the three sampling occasions, except for trans-nonachlor. This means that blood can safely be sampled for biomonitoring purposes during the 17 days' time window. The analysed legacy contaminants may serve as model substances for other persistent organic pollutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karlis Valters
- Institute of Energy Systems and Environment, Riga Technical University, Azenes Iela 12/1, LV-1048, Riga, Latvia.
| | - Anders Olsson
- Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Blå Stråket 5, SE-413 45, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Janis Viksne
- Laboratory of Ornithology, Institute of Biology, Miera Iela 3, LV-2169, Salaspils, Latvia
| | - Liga Rubene
- State Ltd. "Latvian Environment, Geology and Meteorology Centre", Maskavas Street 165, Riga, LV-1019, Latvia
| | - Åke Bergman
- Department of Environmental Science, Stockholm University, SE-106 91, Stockholm, Sweden
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10
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McGovern M, Borgå K, Heimstad E, Ruus A, Christensen G, Evenset A. Small Arctic rivers transport legacy contaminants from thawing catchments to coastal areas in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2022; 304:119191. [PMID: 35364186 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2022.119191] [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: 09/25/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Decades of atmospheric and oceanic long-range transport from lower latitudes have resulted in deposition and storage of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Arctic regions. With increased temperatures, melting glaciers and thawing permafrost may serve as a secondary source of these stored POPs to freshwater and marine ecosystems. Here, we present concentrations and composition of legacy POPs in glacier- and permafrost-influenced rivers and coastal waters in the high Arctic Svalbard fjord Kongsfjorden. Targeted contaminants include polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) and chlordane pesticides. Dissolved (defined as fraction filtered through 0.7 μm GF/F filter) and particulate samples were collected from rivers and near-shore fjord stations along a gradient from the heavily glaciated inner fjord to the tundra-dominated catchments at the outer fjord. There were no differences in contaminant concentration or pattern between glacier and tundra-dominated catchments, and the general contaminant pattern reflected snow melt with some evidence of pesticides released with glacial meltwater. Rivers were a small source of chlordane pesticides, DDTs and particulate HCB to the marine system and the particle-rich glacial meltwater contained higher concentrations of particle associated contaminants compared to the fjord. This study provides rare insight into the role of small Arctic rivers in transporting legacy contaminants from thawing catchments to coastal areas. Results indicate that the spring thaw is a source of contaminants to Kongsfjorden, and that expected increases in runoff on Svalbard and elsewhere in the Arctic could have implications for the contamination of Arctic coastal food-webs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maeve McGovern
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Økernveien 94, 0579, Oslo, Norway; Department of Arctic Marine Biology, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, 9027, Tromsø, Norway.
| | - Katrine Borgå
- Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0316, Oslo, Norway
| | - Eldbjørg Heimstad
- NILU-Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Fram-High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, 9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Anders Ruus
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Økernveien 94, 0579, Oslo, Norway; Department of Biosciences, University of Oslo, 0316, Oslo, Norway
| | - Guttorm Christensen
- Akvaplan-niva, Fram-High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, 9296, Tromsø, Norway
| | - Anita Evenset
- Department of Arctic Marine Biology, UiT, The Arctic University of Norway, 9027, Tromsø, Norway; Akvaplan-niva, Fram-High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, 9296, Tromsø, Norway.
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11
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McGovern M, Warner NA, Borgå K, Evenset A, Carlsson P, Skogsberg E, Søreide JE, Ruus A, Christensen G, Poste AE. Is Glacial Meltwater a Secondary Source of Legacy Contaminants to Arctic Coastal Food Webs? ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2022; 56:6337-6348. [PMID: 35472293 PMCID: PMC9118541 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c07062] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2021] [Revised: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Climate change-driven increases in air and sea temperatures are rapidly thawing the Arctic cryosphere with potential for remobilization and accumulation of legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in adjacent coastal food webs. Here, we present concentrations of selected POPs in zooplankton (spatially and seasonally), as well as zoobenthos and sculpin (spatially) from Isfjorden, Svalbard. Herbivorous zooplankton contaminant concentrations were highest in May [e.g., ∑polychlorinated biphenyls (8PCB); 4.43, 95% CI: 2.72-6.3 ng/g lipid weight], coinciding with the final stages of the spring phytoplankton bloom, and lowest in August (∑8PCB; 1.6, 95% CI: 1.29-1.92 ng/g lipid weight) when zooplankton lipid content was highest, and the fjord was heavily impacted by sediment-laden terrestrial inputs. Slightly increasing concentrations of α-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH) in zooplankton from June (1.18, 95% CI: 1.06-1.29 ng/g lipid weight) to August (1.57, 95% CI: 1.44-1.71 ng/g lipid weight), alongside a higher percentage of α-HCH enantiomeric fractions closer to racemic ranges, indicate that glacial meltwater is a secondary source of α-HCH to fjord zooplankton in late summer. Except for α-HCH, terrestrial inputs were generally associated with reduced POP concentrations in zooplankton, suggesting that increased glacial melt is not likely to significantly increase exposure of legacy POPs in coastal fauna.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maeve McGovern
- Norwegian
Institute for Water Research, Tromsø 9007, Norway
- Department
of Arctic Marine Biology, UiT, The Arctic
University of Norway, Tromsø 9019, Norway
- University
Centre on Svalbard, Longyearbyen 9170, Norway
| | - Nicholas A. Warner
- The
Fram Centre, NILU-Norwegian Institute for
Air Research, Tromsø 9007, Norway
- Department
of Chemistry, UiT, The Arctic University
of Norway, Tromsø 9019, Norway
- Thermo Fischer
Scientific, Bremen 28199, Germany
| | - Katrine Borgå
- Department
of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo 0316, Norway
- Centre
for Biogeochemistry in the Anthropocene (CBA), University of Oslo, Oslo 0316, Norway
| | - Anita Evenset
- Department
of Arctic Marine Biology, UiT, The Arctic
University of Norway, Tromsø 9019, Norway
- Akvaplan-niva,
Fram Centre, Tromsø 9007, Norway
| | | | - Emelie Skogsberg
- Faculty
of Environmental Sciences and Natural Resource Management, Norwegian University of Life Sciences, Ås 1430, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo 0579, Norway
| | | | - Anders Ruus
- Department
of Biosciences, University of Oslo, Oslo 0316, Norway
- Norwegian Institute for Water Research, Oslo 0579, Norway
| | | | - Amanda E. Poste
- Norwegian
Institute for Water Research, Tromsø 9007, Norway
- Department
of Arctic Marine Biology, UiT, The Arctic
University of Norway, Tromsø 9019, Norway
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12
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Sun J, Xu C, Peng H, Wan Y, Luo K, Barrett H, Hu J. Behaviors and trophodynamics of o,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (o,p'-DDT) in the aquatic food web: Comparison with p,p'-DDT. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2022; 821:153447. [PMID: 35092765 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153447] [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: 11/21/2021] [Revised: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 01/22/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The broad-spectrum insecticide p,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p'-DDT) has been banned in most countries since the 1970s on account of its environmental persistence as well as the high biomagnification of its major metabolite 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chorophenyl)ethylene (p,p'-DDE). However, the information on the bioaccumulation and behavior of p,p'-DDTs in aquatic organisms is lacking. In this study, all 6 DDT isomers were detected in biota from the food web of the Liaodong Bay, China, and the total concentrations of DDT isomers in Chinese anchovy (Thrissa kammalensis) and Japanese Spanish mackerel (Scomberomrus niphonius) were 223 ± 42 ng/g ww and 242 ± 70 ng/g ww, respectively. In biota, o,p'-DDD dominated among the o,p'-isomers (80.5 ± 17.3%), while p,p'-DDE dominated among the p,p'-isomers (61.8 ± 15.2%). Contrastingly, sediment from the Liaodong Bay contained similar proportions of o,p'-DDT and p,p'-DDTs, suggesting an isomer-specific metabolism of the compounds in biota. A well-controlled laboratory exposure experiment with Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) demonstrated that o,p'-DDT was more difficult to metabolize to o,p'-DDE compared with that of p,p'-DDT. Significantly positive regressions were found between trophic levels and lipid equivalent concentrations for both o,p'-DDT and o,p'-DDD, and the trophic magnification factors (TMFs) were estimated as 12.3 and 9.12 (p < 0.05), respectively. The TMFs of o,p'-DDT and o,p'-DDD in the aquatic food web were higher than p,p'-DDT (7.76), p,p'-DDD (4.17), and p,p'-DDE (3.39), which may be explained by the isomer-specific metabolism differences in biota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianxian Sun
- MOE Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
| | - Chenke Xu
- MOE Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
| | - Hui Peng
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Canada; School of the Environment, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Yi Wan
- MOE Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
| | - Kai Luo
- MOE Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China
| | - Holly Barrett
- Department of Chemistry, University of Toronto, Canada
| | - Jianying Hu
- MOE Laboratory for Earth Surface Processes, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, People's Republic of China.
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13
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Mergia MT, Weldemariam ED, Eklo OM, Yimer GT. Levels and Trophic Transfer of Selected Pesticides in the Lake Ziway Ecosystem. BULLETIN OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND TOXICOLOGY 2022; 108:830-838. [PMID: 35316353 DOI: 10.1007/s00128-022-03497-4] [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: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The levels of 30 selected pesticides and trophic biomagnification of DDT were investigated in biota samples of the Lake Ziway in the Rift valley region, Ethiopia. Carbon source and trophic position were calculated by using 13C and 15N stable isotopes, individually, and trophic magnification factors (TMFs) were inferred. Only DDT and its metabolites were quantified in all samples analyzed. The most prominent metabolite was p,p'-DDE with mean concentration ranging from the 0.82-33.69 ng g-1 lipid weight. Moreover, the ratio of DDT/DDD + DDE in all the biota samples was less than 1 signifying historical DDT application. Regression of log [ΣDDT] vs TL (trophic level) among all biota species showed a significant correlation, indicating that DDTs are biomagnifying along with the food web of Lake Ziway with an estimated TMF of 2.75. The concentrations of DDTs and other organochlorine pesticides found in biota from Lake Ziway were, in general, lower than studies found in previous studies carried out in the same lake.
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14
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Baudry T, Gismondi E, Goût JP, Arqué A, Smith-Ravin J, Grandjean F. The invasive crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus facing chlordecone in Martinique: Bioaccumulation and depuration study. CHEMOSPHERE 2022; 286:131926. [PMID: 34435577 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.131926] [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: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The redclaw crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus, was introduced to Martinique Island for aquaculture purposes at the beginning of the 21st century, in an attempt to revitalize the freshwater crustacean aquaculture sector. Mainly due to its high economical value, it was intentionally released in the wild and was caught and sold by fishermen. Martinican rivers are polluted by chlordecone, considered as one of the worst Persistant Organic Pollutants (POP). Despite its dangerousness, it was used until 1993 in the French West Indies against a banana pest and was always found in the ecosystems. This study aimed to investigate the level of contamination in the muscle of crayfish caught in the wild, as well as the potential of bioconcentration and depuration in the C. quadricarinatus muscle. This study could allow us to quantify the risk for consumers but also, to evaluate a depuration process to reduce the risk related to its consumption. Using both in-vitro and in-situ experiments, results highlighted the importance of the chlordecone concentration in the water and the time of exposure to the pollutant. The bioconcentration seems to be very quick and continuous in crayfish muscle, as chlordecone can be detectable as early as 6 h of exposure, whatever the concentration tested. Finally, it appears that, even after 20 days of depuration in chlordecone-free water, chlordecone concentrations remained higher to the residual maximum limit (i.e. 20 ng/g wet weight), concluding that the decontamination of the muscle seems not very efficient, and the risk for the Martinican people could be serious.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Baudry
- DEAL Direction de l'Environnement, de l'Aménagement et du Logement, Route de la Pointe de Jaham, BP7212, Schoelcher, 97274, Martinique; ODE Office De l'Eau, 7 Avenue Condorcet, Fort-de-France, Martinique; Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267 Equipe Ecologie Evolution Symbiose, 5 Rue Albert Turpin, Poitiers Cedex, France; Groupe de Recherche BIOSPHERES, Université des Antilles, Campus de Schoelcher, F.W.I, Martinique.
| | - Eric Gismondi
- University of Liège, Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Ecotoxicology (LEAE) - Freshwater and OceaniC Sciences Unit of ReSearch (FOCUS), Chemistry Institute, Bât. B6C, 11 Allée du 6 Août, B-4000, Sart-Tilman, Belgium
| | - Jean-Pierre Goût
- DEAL Direction de l'Environnement, de l'Aménagement et du Logement, Route de la Pointe de Jaham, BP7212, Schoelcher, 97274, Martinique
| | - Alexandre Arqué
- ODE Office De l'Eau, 7 Avenue Condorcet, Fort-de-France, Martinique
| | - Juliette Smith-Ravin
- Groupe de Recherche BIOSPHERES, Université des Antilles, Campus de Schoelcher, F.W.I, Martinique
| | - Frédéric Grandjean
- Laboratoire Ecologie et Biologie des Interactions, UMR CNRS 7267 Equipe Ecologie Evolution Symbiose, 5 Rue Albert Turpin, Poitiers Cedex, France
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15
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Diet-driven mercury contamination is associated with polar bear gut microbiota. Sci Rep 2021; 11:23372. [PMID: 34862385 PMCID: PMC8642428 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-02657-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
The gut microbiota may modulate the disposition and toxicity of environmental contaminants within a host but, conversely, contaminants may also impact gut bacteria. Such contaminant-gut microbial connections, which could lead to alteration of host health, remain poorly known and are rarely studied in free-ranging wildlife. The polar bear (Ursus maritimus) is a long-lived, wide-ranging apex predator that feeds on a variety of high trophic position seal and cetacean species and, as such, is exposed to among the highest levels of biomagnifying contaminants of all Arctic species. Here, we investigate associations between mercury (THg; a key Arctic contaminant), diet, and the diversity and composition of the gut microbiota of polar bears inhabiting the southern Beaufort Sea, while accounting for host sex, age class and body condition. Bacterial diversity was negatively associated with seal consumption and mercury, a pattern seen for both Shannon and Inverse Simpson alpha diversity indices (adjusted R2 = 0.35, F1,18 = 8.00, P = 0.013 and adjusted R2 = 0.26, F1,18 = 6.04, P = 0.027, respectively). No association was found with sex, age class or body condition of polar bears. Bacteria known to either be involved in THg methylation or considered to be highly contaminant resistant, including Lactobacillales, Bacillales and Aeromonadales, were significantly more abundant in individuals that had higher THg concentrations. Conversely, individuals with higher THg concentrations showed a significantly lower abundance of Bacteroidales, a bacterial order that typically plays an important role in supporting host immune function by stimulating intraepithelial lymphocytes within the epithelial barrier. These associations between diet-acquired mercury and microbiota illustrate a potentially overlooked outcome of mercury accumulation in polar bears.
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16
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Facciola N, Pedro S, Houde M, Fisk AT, Ferguson SH, Steer H, Muir DCG, McKinney MA. Measurable Levels of Short-Chain Chlorinated Paraffins in Western Hudson Bay Fishes but Limited Biomagnification from Fish to Ringed Seals. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2021; 40:2990-2999. [PMID: 34352119 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5188] [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: 06/08/2021] [Revised: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
We investigated short-chain (C10-13 ) chlorinated paraffins (SCCP) in an Arctic marine food web. In zooplankton, fishes, and ringed seals from western Hudson Bay, Canada, SCCP concentrations ranged from 38.3 to 687 ng g-1 lipid weight. Monte Carlo-simulated trophic-adjusted biomagnification factors of individual SCCP congeners ranged from 0.07 to 0.55 for small pelagic fishes to seals. Despite relatively high concentrations in fishes, biomagnification of SCCPs within this food web appears limited. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:2990-2999. © 2021 SETAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nadia Facciola
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
| | - Sara Pedro
- Department of Social and Preventive Medicine, Université Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, Canada
| | - Magali Houde
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Montreal, Ontario, Canada
| | - Aaron T Fisk
- School of the Environment, University of Windsor, Windsor, Ontario, Canada
| | - Steven H Ferguson
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Central and Arctic Region, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
| | - Helena Steer
- National Laboratory for Environmental Testing, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlington, Ontario, Canada
| | - Derek C G Muir
- Aquatic Contaminants Research Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Burlingto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Melissa A McKinney
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec, Canada
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17
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Brown KL, Atkinson S, Furin CG, Mueter FJ, Gerlach R. Metals in the stomach contents and brain, gonad, kidney, and liver tissues of subsistence-harvested northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) from Icy Strait, Alaska. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2021; 166:112183. [PMID: 33647846 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112183] [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: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Southeast Alaska sea otters (Enhydra lutris) have had a rapid rise in their population. As they feed primarily on sessile prey, they are excellent sentinels for examining metals contamination. Objectives of this study on sea otters were to determine: (1) concentrations of metals in different tissues; (2) whether metals biomagnify from stomach contents (i.e., the prey) to other tissues; (3) whether selenium and mercury concentrations indicate an overall health benefit or risk; and (4) if metals concentrations in tissues vary with body size. Brain, kidney, gonad, liver, and stomach contents were collected from freshly harvested sea otters in Icy Strait, Alaska, and analyzed for arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), total mercury (THg), and selenium (Se). Metals concentrations varied significantly, and some were biomagnified, with livers and kidneys harboring the highest concentrations. Lead and arsenic appeared to be readily excreted. This study represents baseline metals concentrations to assist in monitoring the health of sea otters.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin L Brown
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 17101 Point Lena Loop Rd., Juneau, AK 99801, USA.
| | - Shannon Atkinson
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 17101 Point Lena Loop Rd., Juneau, AK 99801, USA.
| | - Christoff G Furin
- Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Environmental Health, Office of the State Veterinarian, 5251 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Anchorage, AK 99507, USA.
| | - Franz J Mueter
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 17101 Point Lena Loop Rd., Juneau, AK 99801, USA.
| | - Robert Gerlach
- Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Environmental Health, Office of the State Veterinarian, 5251 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Anchorage, AK 99507, USA.
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18
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Winfield ZC, Mansouri F, Potter CW, Sabin R, Trumble SJ, Usenko S. Eighty years of chemical exposure profiles of persistent organic pollutants reconstructed through baleen whale earplugs. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 737:139564. [PMID: 32512296 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.139564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 05/20/2023]
Abstract
Despite decades of effort, significant knowledge gaps still exist regarding the global transport and distribution of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in marine ecosystems, especially for periods prior to the 1970s. Furthermore, for long-lived marine mammals such as baleen whales, POPs impacts on early developmental (first years of life), as well as lifetime exposure profiles for periods of use and phase-out, are not well characterized. Recently, analytical techniques capable of reconstructing lifetime (i.e., birth to death; ~6 mos. resolution) chemical exposure profiles in baleen whale earplugs have been developed. Earplugs represent a unique opportunity to examine the spatiotemporal trends of POPs in the marine ecosystem. Baleen whale earplugs were collected from six whales (one blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) and five fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus)), including four from archived collections and two from recent strandings. Lifespans for some of these individuals date back to the 1930s and provide insight into early periods of POP use. POP concentrations (reported in ng g-1 dry wt.) were determined in laminae (n = 35) and were combined with age estimates and calendar year to reconstruct lifetime POP exposure profiles and lifetime bioaccumulation rates. Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were found to be the most dominant POPs (spanning the past 80 y), were detected as early as the 1930s and were ubiquitous in the North Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. Lifetime bioaccumulation rates determined using baleen whale earplugs were 56 times higher in the North Pacific as compared to the North Atlantic. This suggest baleen whales from the North Pacific may be to be exposed to increased levels of POPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zach C Winfield
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | - Farzaneh Mansouri
- Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
| | - Charles W Potter
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, Wash, DC 20013, USA
| | - Richard Sabin
- Division of Vertebrates, Department of Life Sciences, Natural History Museum, London SW7 5BD, UK
| | | | - Sascha Usenko
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA; Department of Environmental Science, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA; Department of Vertebrate Zoology, Smithsonian Institution National Museum of Natural History, Wash, DC 20013, USA.
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19
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Sun T, Wu H, Wang X, Ji C, Shan X, Li F. Evaluation on the biomagnification or biodilution of trace metals in global marine food webs by meta-analysis. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 264:113856. [PMID: 32387670 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2019] [Revised: 11/23/2019] [Accepted: 12/18/2019] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
The transmission and accumulation of trace metals in marine food webs have a profound influence on the structure and function of marine environment. In order to quantitatively assess the trophic transfer behaviors of eight common metals (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Ni, Pb and Zn) in simplified five-trophic level marine food webs, a total of 9929 biological samples from 61 studies published between 2000 and 2019, involving 154 sampling sites of 33 countries/regions, were re-compiled using meta-analysis. Based on concentration-trophic level weighted linear regression and predator/prey comparison, the food web magnification factor (FWMF) and the biomagnification factor (BMF) were calculated, respectively. The results showed dissimilar trophic transfer behaviors of these metals in global marine food webs, in which As and Ni tended to be efficiently biodiluted with increasing trophic levels (FWMFs < 1, p < 0.01), while Hg, Pb and Zn trophically biomagnified (FWMFs > 1, p < 0.05). However, Cd, Cr and Cu presented no biomagnification or biodilution trend (p > 0.05). The values of FWMFs were ranked as: Hg (2.01) > Pb (1.81) > Zn (1.15) > Cu (1.13) > Cr (0.951) > Cd (0.850) > Ni (0.731) > As (0.494). In terms of specific predator-prey relationship, Pb showed significant biodilution from tertiary consumers (TC) to top predators (BMF < 1, p < 0.05), whereas Cd and Cu displayed obvious biomagnification from primary consumers (PC) to secondary consumers (SC) (BMFs >1, p < 0.05). Additionally, when Cu and Zn were transferred from SC to TC, and primary producers to PC, clear biodilution and biomagnification effects were observed, respectively (p < 0.05). Further analysis indicated that the average concentration of Hg in five-trophic level marine food webs of developed countries (0.904 mg kg-1 dw) was more noticeable (p < 0.05) than that of developing countries (0.549 mg kg-1 dw).
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai, 264003, PR China
| | - Huifeng Wu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai, 264003, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, PR China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, PR China.
| | - Xiaoqing Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai, 264003, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Chenglong Ji
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai, 264003, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, PR China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, PR China
| | - Xiujuan Shan
- Laboratory for Marine Fisheries Science and Food Production Processes, Qingdao National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology, Qingdao, 266237, PR China
| | - Fei Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes and Ecological Remediation, Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research (YIC), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shandong Key Laboratory of Coastal Environmental Processes, YICCAS, Yantai, 264003, PR China; Center for Ocean Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, PR China
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Preying on seals pushes killer whales from Norway above pollution effects thresholds. Sci Rep 2020; 10:11888. [PMID: 32681067 PMCID: PMC7368030 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-68659-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are at risk from high levels of biomagnifying pollutants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and mercury (Hg). Previous toxicological risk assessments for the Norwegian killer whale population have assumed fish as the primary prey source, and assessed the population as below established effect thresholds. However, some individuals have recently been identified to also feed on seals. This study is the first to quantify levels of pollutants in seal-eating killer whales from northern Norway, and to measure Hg levels in the skin of killer whales worldwide. We found higher levels of all pollutants in seal-eating than fish-eating killer whales, including the emerging brominated flame retardants pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB), pentabromotoluene (PBT) and hexabromobenzene (HBB). Sum polychlorinated biphenyls (ΣPCBs) in the blubber of seal-eaters (n = 7, geometric mean = 46 µg/g l.w.) were four times higher than fish-eaters (n = 24, geometric mean = 11 µg/g l.w.), which pushed all seal-eating individuals above multiple thresholds for health effects. Total Hg levels in skin of seal-eaters (n = 10, arithmetic mean = 3.7 µg/g d.w.) were twice as high as in fish-eaters (n = 28, arithmetic mean = 1.8 µg/g d.w.). Our results indicate that by feeding on higher trophic prey, the Norwegian killer whale population is at higher risk of health effects from pollution than previously assumed.
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Lawson TM, Ylitalo GM, O'Neill SM, Dahlheim ME, Wade PR, Matkin CO, Burkanov V, Boyd DT. Concentrations and profiles of organochlorine contaminants in North Pacific resident and transient killer whale (Orcinus orca) populations. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 722:137776. [PMID: 32199362 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 02/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Organochlorine (OC) profiles have been used as chemical "fingerprints" to infer an animal's foraging area. North Pacific killer whale (Orcinus orca) populations are exposed to different levels and patterns of OCs based on their prey, distribution, and amount of time spent in a particular area. To characterize concentrations and profiles of OCs found in various populations of North Pacific killer whales, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), including dioxin-like congeners, DDTs, and hexachlorobenzene (HCB), were measured in biopsy blubber samples of photo-identified resident (fish-eating) and transient (mammal-eating) killer whales collected from 1994 through 2002 from Russian Far East waters to the waters of the west coast of the United States, representing 10 populations. We compared blubber OC concentrations based on ecotype (resident vs. transient), sex and reproductive maturity, and geographic area. We also examined OC mixtures to determine if we could detect segregated geographical areas (foraging areas) among the six populations with sufficient sample sizes. Transients had significantly higher OC concentrations than residents and adult male whales had consistently higher OC levels compared to adult females, regardless of ecotype. Our OC profile findings indicate segregated foraging areas for the North Pacific killer whales, consistent with observations of their geographic distributions. Several potential health risks have also been associated with exposure to high levels of contaminants in top-level predators including reproductive impairment, immune suppression, skeletal deformities, and carcinoma. The results of this baseline study provide information on the geographic distribution of OCs found in North Pacific killer whales, results which are crucial for assessing the potential health risks associated with OC exposure in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teresa M Lawson
- West Coast Region, National Marine Fisheries Services, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Department of Commerce, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115, United States of America.
| | - Gina M Ylitalo
- Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Services, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Department of Commerce, 2725 Montlake Blvd. East, Seattle, WA 98112, United States of America
| | - Sandra M O'Neill
- Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, P.O. Box 43200, Olympia, WA 98504-3200, United States of America
| | - Marilyn E Dahlheim
- Retired employee of the Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Services, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Department of Commerce, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115, United States of America
| | - Paul R Wade
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Services, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Department of Commerce, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
| | - Craig O Matkin
- North Gulf Oceanic Society, P.O. Box 15244, Homer, AK 99603, United States of America
| | - Vladimir Burkanov
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Services, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Department of Commerce, 7600 Sand Point Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
| | - Daryle T Boyd
- Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Services, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, United States Department of Commerce, 2725 Montlake Blvd. East, Seattle, WA 98112, United States of America
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22
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Ordiano-Flores A, Galván-Magaña F, Sánchez-González A, Páez-Osuna F. Evidence for Interrupted Biomagnification of Cadmium in Billfish Food Chain Based on Stable Carbon and Nitrogen Isotopes from Southwestern of Gulf of California. Biol Trace Elem Res 2020; 195:215-225. [PMID: 31332707 DOI: 10.1007/s12011-019-01832-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
We report cadmium (Cd) concentrations in muscle, liver, and blood of striped marlin (Kajikia audax) and blue marlin (Makaira nigricans), caught in the southwest of the Gulf of California. The average Cd concentration was higher in the liver followed by blood and muscle in descending order. This pattern of Cd concentration may be related to the differences in the physiological function of these tissues. In K. audax, the Cd concentration in muscle and liver increased proportionally with body size, but only in animals that have reached the body size corresponding to first sexual maturity (animals exceeding 155 cm of postorbital length). Interspecific differences in dietary composition and Cd content evidenced that food preferences have a significant effect on the bioaccumulation of Cd. No evidence of Cd biomagnification (progressive bioaccumulation of an element along the food web) was found, as the correlation between logarithmic Cd concentrations and δ15N values was not significant when both billfish and their prey items were included in the calculations. Furthermore, the calculated biotransference factor (transfer of an element from food to consumer) suggested that Cd transference is interrupted from prey to marlins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Ordiano-Flores
- Posgrado en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Av. Ciudad Universitaria 3000, C.P. 04510, Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Felipe Galván-Magaña
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Av. IPN S/N Col. Playa de Santa Rita, C.P. 23096, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
| | - Alberto Sánchez-González
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Av. IPN S/N Col. Playa de Santa Rita, C.P. 23096, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico
| | - Federico Páez-Osuna
- Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, Unidad Académica Mazatlán, P.O. Box 811, C.P. 82000, Mazatlán, Sinaloa, Mexico
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23
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Fremlin KM, Elliott JE, Green DJ, Drouillard KG, Harner T, Eng A, Gobas FAPC. Trophic magnification of legacy persistent organic pollutants in an urban terrestrial food web. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2020; 714:136746. [PMID: 32041017 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.136746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), persist for generations in the environment and often negatively impact endocrine functions in exposed wildlife. Protocols to assess the bioaccumulation potential of these chemicals within terrestrial systems are far less developed than for aquatic systems. Consequently, regulatory agencies in Canada, the United States, and the European Union rely primarily on aquatic information for the bioaccumulation assessment of chemicals. However, studies have shown that some chemicals that are not bioaccumulative in aquatic food webs can biomagnify in terrestrial food webs. Thus, to better understand the bioaccumulative behaviour of chemicals in terrestrial systems, we examined trophic magnification of hydrophobic POPs in an urban terrestrial food web that included an avian apex predator, the Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii). Over 100 samples were collected from various trophic levels of the food web including hawk eggs, songbirds, invertebrates, and berries and analysed for concentrations of 38 PCB congeners, 20 OCPs, 20 PBDE congeners, and 7 other brominated flame retardants listed on the Government of Canada's Chemicals Management Plan. We determined trophic magnification factors (TMFs) for contaminants that had a 50% or greater detection frequency in all biota samples and compared these terrestrial TMFs to those observed in aquatic systems. TMFs in this terrestrial food web ranged between 1.2 (0.21 SE) and 15 (4.0 SE), indicating that the majority of these POPs are biomagnifying. TMFs of the legacy POPs investigated in this terrestrial food web increased in a statistically significant relationship with both the logarithm of the octanol-air (log KOA) and octanal-water partition (log KOW) coefficients of the POPs. POPs with a log KOA >6 or a log KOW >5 exhibited biomagnification potential in this terrestrial food web.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate M Fremlin
- Simon Fraser University, Dept. of Biological Sciences, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada.
| | - John E Elliott
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, 5421 Robertson Road, Delta, British Columbia V4K 3N2, Canada; Simon Fraser University, Dept. of Biological Sciences, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada.
| | - David J Green
- Simon Fraser University, Dept. of Biological Sciences, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada.
| | - Kenneth G Drouillard
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, 2990 Riverside Drive West, Windsor, Ontario N9B 3P4, Canada.
| | - Tom Harner
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Air Quality Research Division, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada.
| | - Anita Eng
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, Air Quality Research Division, 4905 Dufferin Street, Toronto, Ontario M3H 5T4, Canada.
| | - Frank A P C Gobas
- School of Resource and Environmental Management, Faculty of the Environment, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada; Simon Fraser University, Dept. of Biological Sciences, 8888 University Drive, Burnaby, British Columbia V5A 1S6, Canada.
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24
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Miller A, Elliott JE, Wilson LK, Elliott KH, Drouillard KG, Verreault J, Lee S, Idrissi A. Influence of overwinter distribution on exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in seabirds, ancient murrelets (Synthliboramphus antiquus), breeding on the Pacific coast of Canada. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2020; 259:113842. [PMID: 31926389 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.113842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Revised: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 12/12/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Assessing the fate of both legacy and newer persistent organic pollutants (POPs) is an ongoing challenge. Top predators, including seabirds, are effective monitors of POPs because they forage over a range of marine habitats, integrating signals over space and time. However, migration patterns can make unravelling contaminant sources, and potentially assessments of the effectiveness of regulations, challenging if chemicals are acquired at distant sites. In 2014, we fitted geolocators on ancient murrelets (Synthliboramphus antiqueus) at four colonies on the Pacific Coast of Canada to obtain movement data throughout an annual cycle. All birds underwent a post-breeding moult in the Bering Sea. Around one-third then returned to overwinter on the British Columbia (BC) coast while the rest migrated to overwinter in waters along the north Asian coast. Such a stark difference in migration destination provided an opportunity to examine the influence of wintering location on contaminant signals. In summer 2015, we collected blood samples from returned geo-tagged birds and analyzed them for a suite of contaminants, including polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), non-PBDE halogenated flame retardants, perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), organochlorines, and mercury. Feathers were also collected and analyzed for stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N, and δ34S). We found no significant differences in blood concentrations of any contaminant between murrelets from the two different overwinter areas, a result that indicates relatively rapid clearance of POPs accumulated during winter. Spatial variation in diet (i.e., δ13C) was associated with both BDE-47 and -99 concentrations. However, individual variation in trophic level had little influence on concentrations of any other examined contaminants. Thus, blood from these murrelets is a good indicator of recent, local contaminants, as most signals appear independent of overwintering location.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aroha Miller
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Delta, BC, Canada
| | - John E Elliott
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Delta, BC, Canada.
| | - Laurie K Wilson
- Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Delta, BC, Canada
| | | | | | - Jonathan Verreault
- Université du Québec à Montréal, P.O. Box 8888, Succursale Centre-ville, Montreal, QC, H3C 3P8, Canada
| | - Sandi Lee
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Delta, BC, Canada
| | - Abde Idrissi
- Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Directorate, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Ottawa, ON, Canada
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25
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Sham RCT, Tao LSR, Mak YKY, Yau JKC, Wai TC, Ho KKY, Zhou GJ, Li Y, Wang X, Leung KMY. Occurrence and trophic magnification profile of triphenyltin compounds in marine mammals and their corresponding food webs. ENVIRONMENT INTERNATIONAL 2020; 137:105567. [PMID: 32087482 DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/09/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence of triphenyltin (TPT) compounds, a highly toxic antifouling biocide, has been documented in marine environments and organisms all over the world. While some studies showed that marine mammals can be used as sentinel organisms to evaluate the pollution status of emerging contaminants in the environment because of their long lifespans and high trophic levels, information regarding the contamination status of TPT in marine mammal species has been limited over the past decade. More importantly, the primary bioaccumulation pathway of TPT in these long-lived apex predators and the corresponding marine food web is still uncertain. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the contamination statuses of TPT in two marine mammal species, namely the finless porpoise and the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin, and assess the trophic magnification potential of TPT along the food webs of these two species, using stable isotope analysis, and chemical analysis with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that TPT is the predominant residue in majority of the analyzed individuals of two marine mammals, with concentrations ranging from 426.2 to 3476.6 ng/g wet weight in their muscle tissues. Our results also demonstrated an exponential increase in the concentration of TPT along the marine food web, indicating that trophic magnification occurs in the respective food webs of the two marine mammals. The range of trophic magnification factors of TPT in the food webs of finless porpoise and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin was 2.51-3.47 and 2.45-3.39, respectively. These results suggest that high trophic organisms may be more vulnerable to the exposure of TPT-contaminated environments due to the high trophic magnification potential, and thus ecological risk of these compounds ought to be assessed with the consideration of their bioaccumulation potentials in these marine mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronia Chung-Tin Sham
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Lily Shi Ru Tao
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Yanny King Yan Mak
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Jason Kin Chung Yau
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Tak Cheung Wai
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Kevin King Yan Ho
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Guang-Jie Zhou
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
| | - Yongyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of the Environment & Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Xinhong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, College of the Environment & Ecology, Xiamen University, Xiamen 361102, China
| | - Kenneth Mei Yee Leung
- The Swire Institute of Marine Science and School of Biological Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region; State Key Laboratory of Marine Pollution, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
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26
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Bolton JL, Ylitalo GM, Chittaro P, George JC, Suydam R, Person BT, Gates JB, Baugh KA, Sformo T, Stimmelmayr R. Multi-year assessment (2006-2015) of persistent organic pollutant concentrations in blubber and muscle from Western Arctic bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus), North Slope, Alaska. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2020; 151:110857. [PMID: 32056639 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Revised: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Blubber and muscle were collected from male bowhead whales (n = 71) landed near Utqiaġvik (Barrow), Alaska, between 2006 and 2015 and analyzed for lipid content and concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in order to determine levels and trends over the collection period. Collection year was a significant predictor of blubber concentrations for most classes of POPs, while for a few classes, animal length (proxy for age) was also a significant predictor. This is the first report on levels of PBDEs in bowhead whales; concentrations of these compounds are low (≤55 ng/g wet weight). Blubber concentrations were lower than those reported in samples collected between 1992 and 2000, and many POP classes in blubber declined significantly between 2006 and 2015. Concentrations of POPs in bowhead whale tissues, which are subsistence foods for Native Alaskan communities, appear to be declining at rates comparable with previously reported temporal trends in Arctic biota.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennie L Bolton
- Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2725 Montlake Boulevard East, Seattle, WA 98112, USA.
| | - Gina M Ylitalo
- Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2725 Montlake Boulevard East, Seattle, WA 98112, USA
| | - Paul Chittaro
- Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2725 Montlake Boulevard East, Seattle, WA 98112, USA
| | - J Craig George
- Department of Wildlife Management, North Slope Borough, Box 69, Utqiaġvik (Barrow), AK 99723, USA
| | - Robert Suydam
- Department of Wildlife Management, North Slope Borough, Box 69, Utqiaġvik (Barrow), AK 99723, USA
| | - Brian T Person
- Department of Wildlife Management, North Slope Borough, Box 69, Utqiaġvik (Barrow), AK 99723, USA
| | - Jonelle B Gates
- Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2725 Montlake Boulevard East, Seattle, WA 98112, USA
| | - Keri A Baugh
- Environmental and Fisheries Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2725 Montlake Boulevard East, Seattle, WA 98112, USA
| | - Todd Sformo
- Department of Wildlife Management, North Slope Borough, Box 69, Utqiaġvik (Barrow), AK 99723, USA; Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7000, USA
| | - Raphaela Stimmelmayr
- Department of Wildlife Management, North Slope Borough, Box 69, Utqiaġvik (Barrow), AK 99723, USA; Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7000, USA
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27
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Kim SK, Kang CK. Temporal and spatial variations in hydrophobicity dependence of field-derived metrics to assess the biomagnification potential of hydrophobic organochlorine compounds. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 690:300-312. [PMID: 31295584 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2019] [Revised: 06/14/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The bioaccumulation potential ("B") of compounds is one of the major considerations in assessing chemical hazards. A variety of metrics, including hydrophobicity (KOW), bioconcentration factor (BCF), bioaccumulation factor (BAF), and to an increasing degree biomagnification factor (BMF) and trophic magnification factor (TMF), are widely used to characterize "B". In the present study, the variation and hydrophobicity-dependence of each of these metrics for recalcitrant hydrophobic organochlorine compounds (HOCs) was determined from four food webs collected in two different seasons at two different sites of the Han River, Korea. Measured environmental parameters and stable isotopic ratios exhibited distinct seasonal and spatial shifts in the ecological condition of the river. The observed values of individual metrics were positively and linearly related with their log KOW values, but linearized slopes differed significantly among the four food webs, with the largest variation being exhibited by TMF and log fugacity ratio (log F) followed by log BMF > log BAF. When based on field-derived mean linear equations, different log KOW values were obtained for a critical point for the identification of biomagnification of HOCs. Consequently, the biomagnification potential of HOCs and its relationship with KOW can vary, being seriously affected by not only on the metrics used for its assessment but also on spatial and temporal variations in ecological conditions. Our results indicate that TMF for "B" might be more robust than the other metrics but the development of new methodologies to reduce uncertainty and to enhance the accuracy of TMFs by correcting for ecological variation, together with addition efforts to harmonize individual metrics for "B".
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Affiliation(s)
- Seung-Kyu Kim
- Department of Marine Science, College of Natural Sciences, Incheon National University, 119 Academy-ro, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea; Research Institute of Basic Sciences, Incheon National University, 119 Academy-ro, Yeounsu-gu, Incheon 22012, Republic of Korea.
| | - Chang-Keun Kang
- School of Earth Sciences & Environmental Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
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28
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Zhang K, Fu Q, Ge F, Jin X, Guo R, Qiao X, Zhao X, Zheng X. The correlation study between fatty acids and organochlorine pesticides or δ 15N values in fish tissues from Dongting Lake, China. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2019; 182:109358. [PMID: 31247395 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2019.06.041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are ubiquitous environmental contaminants, while their correlations with δ15N values and fatty acids (FAs) in fish tissues remain largely unexplored. In the present study, six species of fish for daily consumption were collected from Dongting Lake, and they were dissected to tissue samples to analyze the δ15N values, FAs and OCPs. The results showed that the δ15N values of fish were ranked in the same order in different fish tissues. The polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) had a different distribution pattern in fish tissues, while the saturated fatty acid (SFAs) and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) were not. The composition of HCHs in fish tissues exhibited a tissue-specific and species-specific manner, while such pattern was not detected for DDTs. The correlation analysis indicated that the ratio of DHA/EPA was increased with the increase of δ15N value in the muscle, liver, gill, skin and intestine, indicating the substance flow in freshwater ecosystem. In addition, there were significant positive correlations between the concentrations of some PUFAs and OCPs in the muscle, suggesting that people should pay attention to co-intake of OCPs when they supplemented the PUFAs needed by the human body through fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kexin Zhang
- National Engineering Laboratory for Lake Pollution Control and Ecological Restoration, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Source Protection, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China; Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Qing Fu
- National Engineering Laboratory for Lake Pollution Control and Ecological Restoration, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Source Protection, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Fangfang Ge
- National Engineering Laboratory for Lake Pollution Control and Ecological Restoration, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Source Protection, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China; Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang, 050024, China
| | - Xiaoling Jin
- National Engineering Laboratory for Lake Pollution Control and Ecological Restoration, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Source Protection, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Rui Guo
- National Engineering Laboratory for Lake Pollution Control and Ecological Restoration, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Source Protection, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Xiaocui Qiao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Lake Pollution Control and Ecological Restoration, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Source Protection, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China
| | - Xingru Zhao
- National Engineering Laboratory for Lake Pollution Control and Ecological Restoration, State Environmental Protection Key Laboratory of Drinking Water Source Protection, Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing, 100012, China.
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Vergara EG, Hernández V, Munkittrick KR, Barra R, Galban-Malagon C, Chiang G. Presence of organochlorine pollutants in fat and scats of pinnipeds from the Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands, and their relationship to trophic position. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2019; 685:1276-1283. [PMID: 31272787 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.06.122] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2019] [Revised: 06/07/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Antarctica is still considered one of the few pristine areas in the globe. Despite this, several studies have shown phased out organic pollutants are present in several environmental abiotic and biological compartments. This study, based on blubber and fecal samples collected from five species of Antarctic pinnipeds, assessed the relationship between organochlorine pesticide (OCs) levels and trophic characterization using stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ15N). The prevailing pollutants found in blubber were hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), Heptachlor and Aldrin (0.84-564.11 ng g-1 l.w.). We also report a high presence of HCHs, Endrin, Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDTs) and Methoxychlor (4.50-363.86 ng g-1 d.w.) in feces suggesting a detoxification mechanism. All the species tend towards high trophic positions (3.4-4.9), but with considerable variation in trophic niche and organochlorine pesticide concentrations per sampling site. This finding suggests that differences in pesticide levels in individuals are associated to foraging ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- E G Vergara
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, EULA Chile Centre, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile; Melimoyu Ecosystem Research Institute, Vitacura, Santiago, Chile
| | - V Hernández
- Faculty of Natural and Oceanographic Sciences, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile
| | - K R Munkittrick
- Faculty of Biology, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, ON, Canada
| | - R Barra
- Faculty of Environmental Sciences, EULA Chile Centre, Universidad de Concepcion, Concepcion, Chile
| | - C Galban-Malagon
- Faculty of Life Sciences, Department of Ecology and Biodiversity, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile; Center for Bioinformatics and Integrative Biology, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, Chile
| | - G Chiang
- Melimoyu Ecosystem Research Institute, Vitacura, Santiago, Chile.
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Watson SE, Hauffe HC, Bull MJ, Atwood TC, McKinney MA, Pindo M, Perkins SE. Global change-driven use of onshore habitat impacts polar bear faecal microbiota. ISME JOURNAL 2019; 13:2916-2926. [PMID: 31378786 DOI: 10.1038/s41396-019-0480-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2018] [Revised: 07/04/2019] [Accepted: 07/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The gut microbiota plays a critical role in host health, yet remains poorly studied in wild species. Polar bears (Ursus maritimus), key indicators of Arctic ecosystem health and environmental change, are currently affected by rapid shifts in habitat that may alter gut homeostasis. Declining sea ice has led to a divide in the southern Beaufort Sea polar bear subpopulation such that an increasing proportion of individuals now inhabit onshore coastal regions during the open-water period ('onshore bears') while others continue to exhibit their typical behaviour of remaining on the ice ('offshore bears'). We propose that bears that have altered their habitat selection in response to climate change will exhibit a distinct gut microbiota diversity and composition, which may ultimately have important consequences for their health. Here, we perform the first assessment of abundance and diversity in the faecal microbiota of wild polar bears using 16S rRNA Illumina technology. We find that bacterial diversity is significantly higher in onshore bears compared to offshore bears. The most enriched OTU abundance in onshore bears belonged to the phylum Proteobacteria, while the most depleted OTU abundance within onshore bears was seen in the phylum Firmicutes. We conclude that climate-driven changes in polar bear land use are associated with distinct microbial communities. In doing so, we present the first case of global change mediated alterations in the gut microbiota of a free-roaming wild animal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie E Watson
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, The Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, UK. .,Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all' Adige, TN, Italy.
| | - Heidi C Hauffe
- Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all' Adige, TN, Italy
| | - Matthew J Bull
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, The Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, UK.,Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all' Adige, TN, Italy
| | - Todd C Atwood
- United States Geological Survey (USGS), University Drive, Anchorage, AK, USA
| | - Melissa A McKinney
- Department of Natural Resource Sciences, McGill University, Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, QC, Canada
| | - Massimo Pindo
- Department of Genomics and Biology of Fruit Crops, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, S. Michele all' Adige, TN, Italy
| | - Sarah E Perkins
- School of Biosciences, Cardiff University, The Sir Martin Evans Building, Museum Avenue, Cardiff, UK.,Department of Biodiversity and Molecular Ecology, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach, San Michele all' Adige, TN, Italy
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31
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Borrell A, Tornero V, Bhattacharjee D, Aguilar A. Organochlorine concentrations in aquatic organisms from different trophic levels of the Sundarbans mangrove ecosystem and their implications for human consumption. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2019; 251:681-688. [PMID: 31108301 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2019.04.120] [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: 03/23/2019] [Revised: 04/20/2019] [Accepted: 04/25/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
The Sundarbans, a highly biodiverse tropical ecosystem stretching across India and Bangladesh, is also the largest mangrove forest in the world. Organochlorine compounds (OCs) have been extensively used for agriculture and sanitary purposes in the region. OCs can accumulate in biological tissues and biomagnify in organisms through food webs, for which reason they reach high concentrations in top predators. Because marine food webs are long and marine predators are extensively used in the region as human food, assessment of potential health-related risks caused by OC pollution is in order. This study is the first to determine the concentration of PCBs in fish and crustaceans from the Sundarbans mangroves, their accumulation trends through the food web, and the potential toxicological risk that their consumption poses to humans. DDT concentrations, which had already been assessed in the region, were also determined. The median concentrations ranged from below detection limits to 176.3 ng g-1 lipid weight for tDDT and 275.9 ng g-1 for PCBs. Overall, these concentrations were lower than those usually observed in other regions of the world, apparently as a result of the interplay of several factors: low environmental organochlorine inputs, the physical and climatic characteristics of an ecosystem dominated by high temperatures in a highly flushed ecosystem that dilutes and rapidly disperses pollutants, and the comparatively short food chain lengths that, similarly to other mangrove ecosystems, characterize the Sundarbans. Organochlorine concentrations were 2-3 orders of magnitude lower than commonly accepted tolerance levels, so their consumption do not pose a sensible risk to the population. However, concentrations of DDT in dry fish from retail markets were higher because this compound is used for pest control during fish processing. Potential risks involved in this practice likely outweigh potential benefits, so it is recommended that this compound is substituted by less hazardous alternatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asunción Borrell
- Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio) and Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences. Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Victoria Tornero
- Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio) and Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences. Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Dola Bhattacharjee
- Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Regional Office (South Zone), Kendriya Sadan, Bangalore, 560034, India
| | - Alex Aguilar
- Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio) and Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences. Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
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32
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Lippold A, Bourgeon S, Aars J, Andersen M, Polder A, Lyche JL, Bytingsvik J, Jenssen BM, Derocher AE, Welker JM, Routti H. Temporal Trends of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Barents Sea Polar Bears ( Ursus maritimus) in Relation to Changes in Feeding Habits and Body Condition. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2019; 53:984-995. [PMID: 30548071 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b05416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Temporal trends of persistent organic pollutants (POPs: PCBs, OH-PCBs, p, p'-DDE, HCB, β-HCH, oxychlordane, BDE-47, and 153) in relation to changes in feeding habits and body condition in adult female polar bears ( Ursus maritimus) from the Barents Sea subpopulation were examined over 20 years (1997-2017). All 306 samples were collected in the spring (April). Both stable isotope values of nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) from red blood cells declined over time, with a steeper trend for δ13C between 2012 and 2017, indicating a decreasing intake of marine and high trophic level prey items. Body condition, based on morphometric measurements, had a nonsignificant decreasing tendency between 1997 and 2005, and increased significantly between 2005 and 2017. Plasma concentrations of BDE-153 and β-HCH did not significantly change over time, whereas concentrations of Σ4PCB, Σ5OH-PCB, BDE-47, and oxychlordane declined linearly. Concentrations of p, p'-DDE and HCB, however, declined until 2012 and 2009, respectively, and increased thereafter. Changes in feeding habits and body condition did not significantly affect POP trends. The study indicates that changes in diet and body condition were not the primary driver of POPs in polar bears, but were controlled in large part by primary and/or secondary emissions of POPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Lippold
- Norwegian Polar Institute , Tromsø 9296 , Norway
- The Arctic University of Norway (UiT) , Tromsø 9019 , Norway
| | - Sophie Bourgeon
- The Arctic University of Norway (UiT) , Tromsø 9019 , Norway
| | - Jon Aars
- Norwegian Polar Institute , Tromsø 9296 , Norway
| | | | - Anuschka Polder
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) , Oslo 0454 , Norway
| | - Jan Ludvig Lyche
- Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU) , Oslo 0454 , Norway
| | - Jenny Bytingsvik
- Akvaplan-niva AS , Tromsø 9296 , Norway
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) Trondheim 7491 , Norway
| | - Bjørn Munro Jenssen
- Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) Trondheim 7491 , Norway
| | | | - Jeffrey M Welker
- University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) , Anchorage 99508 , United States
- University of Oulu , Oulu 90014 , Finland
- University of the Arctic
| | - Heli Routti
- Norwegian Polar Institute , Tromsø 9296 , Norway
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Baleen whale cortisol levels reveal a physiological response to 20th century whaling. Nat Commun 2018; 9:4587. [PMID: 30389921 PMCID: PMC6215000 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07044-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
One of the most important challenges researchers and managers confront in conservation ecology is predicting a population's response to sub-lethal stressors. Such predictions have been particularly elusive when assessing responses of large marine mammals to past anthropogenic pressures. Recently developed techniques involving baleen whale earplugs combine age estimates with cortisol measurements to assess spatial and temporal stress/stressor relationships. Here we show a relationship between baseline-corrected cortisol levels and corresponding whaling counts of fin, humpback, and blue whales in the Northern Hemisphere spanning the 20th century. We also model the impact of alternative demographic and environmental factors and determine that increased anomalies of sea surface temperature over a 46-year mean (1970-2016) were positively associated with cortisol levels. While industrial whaling can deplete populations by direct harvest, our data underscore a widespread stress response in baleen whales that is peripheral to whaling activities or associated with other anthropogenic change.
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34
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Diepens NJ, Koelmans AA. Accumulation of Plastic Debris and Associated Contaminants in Aquatic Food Webs. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2018; 52:8510-8520. [PMID: 29925231 PMCID: PMC6150694 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.8b02515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2018] [Accepted: 06/20/2018] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
We present a generic theoretical model (MICROWEB) that simulates the transfer of microplastics and hydrophobic organic chemicals (HOC) in food webs. We implemented the model for an Arctic case comprised of nine species including Atlantic cod and polar bear as top predator. We used the model to examine the effect of plastic ingestion on trophic transfer of microplastics and persistent HOCs (PCBs) and metabolizable HOCs (PAHs), spanning a wide range of hydrophobicities. In a scenario where HOCs in plastic and water are in equilibrium, PCBs biomagnify less when more microplastic is ingested, because PCBs biomagnify less well from ingested plastic than from regular food. In contrast, PAHs biomagnify more when more microplastic is ingested, because plastic reduces the fraction of PAHs available for metabolization. We also explore nonequilibrium scenarios representative of additives that are leaching out, as well as sorbing HOCs, quantitatively showing how the above trends are strengthened and weakened, respectively. The observed patterns were not very sensitive to modifications in the structure of the food web. The model can be used as a tool to assess prospective risks of exposure to microplastics and complex HOC mixtures for any food web, including those with relevance for human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noël J. Diepens
- Aquatic
Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Department of Environmental
Sciences, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Phone: +31 317 489701. E-mail:
| | - Albert A. Koelmans
- Aquatic
Ecology and Water Quality Management Group, Department of Environmental
Sciences, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 47, 6700 AA Wageningen, The Netherlands
- Wageningen Marine
Research, P.O. Box 68, 1970 AB IJmuiden, The Netherlands
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35
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Won EJ, Choi B, Hong S, Khim JS, Shin KH. Importance of accurate trophic level determination by nitrogen isotope of amino acids for trophic magnification studies: A review. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2018; 238:677-690. [PMID: 29621727 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2018.03.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
During the last several decades, persistent organic pollutants and metals cause great concern for their toxicity in organisms as well as for their bioaccumulation and/or trophic transfer through the food chains in ecosystems. A large number of studies therefore have focused on the trophic levels of organisms to illustrate food web structure, as a critical component in the study of pollutant dynamics and biomagnification. The trends in biomagnification of pollutants in food webs indeed provide fundamental information about the properties and fates of pollutants in ecosystems. The trophic magnification supports the establishment of a reliable trophic structure, which can further aid the understanding of the transport and exposure routes of contaminants in accumulation and risk assessments. Recently, efforts to interpret the food web structure using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios have contributed to better understanding of the fate of pollutants in the ecosystem. However, it is known that this isotope analysis of bulk ones has many weaknesses, particularly for uncertainties on the estimate of trophic levels and therefore of magnification factors for studied organisms, enough to support a regulatory interpretation. In this review, we collate studies that investigated biomagnification characteristics of pollutants in aquatic ecosystems, along with calculated trophic magnification factors. Moreover, we introduce a novel approach, compound-specific stable isotope analysis of nitrogen in amino acids, to establish reliable food web structures and accurate trophic levels for biomagnification studies. This method promises to provide sound results for interpreting the influence of the pollutant in organisms, along with their bioaccumulation and magnification characteristics, as well as that in ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun-Ji Won
- Department of Marine Science and Convergent Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, 15588, Republic of Korea; Department of Marine Chemistry & Geochemistry Research Center, Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology, Busan, 49111, Republic of Korea
| | - Bohyung Choi
- Department of Marine Science and Convergent Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, 15588, Republic of Korea
| | - Seongjin Hong
- Department of Ocean Environmental Sciences, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong Seong Khim
- School of Earth and Environmental Sciences & Research Institute of Oceanography, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyung-Hoon Shin
- Department of Marine Science and Convergent Technology, Hanyang University, Ansan, 15588, Republic of Korea.
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36
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Brown TM, Lord SI, Schindler DW, Elliott JE. Organohalogen contaminants in common loons (Gavia immer) breeding in Western Alberta, Canada. CHEMOSPHERE 2018; 202:438-445. [PMID: 29579678 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2018.03.107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2017] [Revised: 03/15/2018] [Accepted: 03/16/2018] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
We examined the influence of biological and geographical factors on the levels and patterns of organohalogen contaminants in blood of adult common loons (Gavia immer) collected from 20 lakes in Alberta, Canada. The loons were captured in the 2006 and 2007 breeding seasons over a 900 m elevation gradient across the eastern slope of the Canadian Rocky Mountains. While PCBs dominated the composition of these contaminants in loons at all sites (∑PCBs > p,p'-DDE > ∑PBDEs > ∑Chlordanes > HCB), p,p'-DDE and ∑PBDEs were also important, averaging approximately 50% and 20% of total PCB concentrations, respectively. ∑PCBs and ∑PBDEs were higher in males than in females. Inter-lake variation was apparent for contaminant concentrations and patterns and were largely explained by dietary signatures (δ15N and δ13C) and proximity to a large hydroelectric dam. Mean ∑PCB (19.6 ng/g wet weight (ww)) and organochlorine pesticide (OCP) (p,p'-DDE: 11.8 ng/g, cis-nonachlor: 0.10 ng/g, trans-nonachlor: 0.32 ng/g, HCB: 0.34 ng/g ww) concentrations in loons were approximately 4- to 17-fold lower than average concentrations reported in common loons from Atlantic Canada and were well below concentrations which have been associated with impaired reproductive success and eggshell thinning in other piscivorous birds. Dominant PBDE congeners were BDE47, BDE99, and BDE100. The regional mean for ∑PBDEs (4.04 ng/g ww) in loons from the present study was within the range reported for ∑PBDEs in nestling bald eagle plasma from British Columbia. This is the first report of PBDEs in loons and the first report of PCBs and OCPs in common loons from Western North America.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya M Brown
- Biological Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Sarah I Lord
- Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - David W Schindler
- Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
| | - John E Elliott
- Science & Technology Branch, Environment and Climate Change Canada, Delta, BC V4K 3N2, Canada.
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Brown TM, Macdonald RW, Muir DCG, Letcher RJ. The distribution and trends of persistent organic pollutants and mercury in marine mammals from Canada's Eastern Arctic. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2018; 618:500-517. [PMID: 29145101 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.11.052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2017] [Revised: 11/03/2017] [Accepted: 11/04/2017] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Arctic contaminant research in the marine environment has focused on organohalogen compounds and mercury mainly because they are bioaccumulative, persistent and toxic. This review summarizes and discusses the patterns and trends of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and mercury in ringed seals (Pusa hispida) and polar bears (Ursus maritimus) in the Eastern Canadian Arctic relative to the rest of the Canadian Arctic. The review provides explanations for these trends and looks at the implications of climate-related changes on contaminants in these marine mammals in a region that has been reviewed little. Presently, the highest levels of total mercury (THg) and the legacy pesticide HCH in ringed seals and polar bears are found in the Western Canadian Arctic relative to other locations. Whereas, highest levels of some legacy contaminants, including ∑PCBs, PCB 153, ∑DDTs, p,p'-DDE, ∑CHLs, ClBz are found in the east (i.e., Ungava Bay and Labrador) and in the Beaufort Sea relative to other locations. The highest levels of recent contaminants, including PBDEs and PFOS are found at lower latitudes. Feeding ecology (e.g., feeding at a higher trophic position) is shaping the elevated levels of THg and some legacy contaminants in the west compared to the east. Spatial and temporal trends for POPs and THg are underpinned by historical loadings of surface ocean reservoirs including the Western Arctic Ocean and the North Atlantic Ocean. Trends set up by the distribution of water masses across the Canadian Arctic Archipelago are then acted upon locally by on-going atmospheric deposition, which is the dominant contributor for more recent contaminants. Warming and continued decline in sea ice are likely to result in further shifts in food web structure, which are likely to increase contaminant burdens in marine mammals. Monitoring of seawater and a range of trophic levels would provide a better basis to inform communities about contaminants in traditionally harvested foods, allow us to understand the causes of contaminant trends in marine ecosystems, and to track environmental response to source controls instituted under international conventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanya M Brown
- Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland A1B 3X9, Canada.
| | - Robie W Macdonald
- Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, Institute of Ocean Sciences, Sidney, British Columbia V8L 4B2, Canada; Centre for Earth Observation Science, Department of Environment and Geography, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Derek C G Muir
- Environment Canada, Canada Centre for Inland Waters, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, Ontario L7R 4A6, Canada
| | - Robert J Letcher
- Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Raven Road, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H3, Canada
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38
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Dromard CR, Bouchon-Navaro Y, Cordonnier S, Guéné M, Harmelin-Vivien M, Bouchon C. Different transfer pathways of an organochlorine pesticide across marine tropical food webs assessed with stable isotope analysis. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0191335. [PMID: 29390017 PMCID: PMC5794063 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chlordecone is a persistent organochlorine pesticide used in the banana fields of the French West Indies from 1972 to 1993. Three marine habitats (mangroves, seagrass beds and coral reefs) of two study sites located downstream contaminated rivers were chosen to evaluate the level of contamination of marine food webs. On each habitat, the food chain collected included suspended organic matter, primary producers (macroalgae, algal turf, seagrass), zooplankton, symbiotic organisms (corals, sea anemones), primary consumers (herbivores, suspension feeders, biofilm feeders), omnivores and detritivores (lobsters, fish), secondary consumers (carnivores 1: invertebrate feeders, planktivores) and tertiary consumers (carnivores 2: invertebrate and fish feeders, piscivores). Log-linear regressions of the concentrations of chlordecone versus nitrogen isotopic ratios (δ15N) were used to assess the bioaccumulation of chlordecone along trophic food webs. At each site, bioconcentration and bioamplification take part on the transfer of chlordecone in marine organisms. In mangroves (i.e. close to the source of pollution), lower trophic magnification factors (TMF) indicated that bioconcentration prevailed over bioamplification phenomenon. The opposite phenomenon appeared on coral reefs in which bioconcentration processes were less important and bioamplification pathway became dominant. Far from the source of pollution, molecules of chlordecone seemed to be transfered to organisms mostly via trophic interactions rather than water contact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte R. Dromard
- UMR BOREA, CNRS 7208 –MNHN–UPMC–UCBN–IRD 207 –UA, Laboratoire d’Excellence « CORAIL », Université des Antilles, Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe
- * E-mail:
| | - Yolande Bouchon-Navaro
- UMR BOREA, CNRS 7208 –MNHN–UPMC–UCBN–IRD 207 –UA, Laboratoire d’Excellence « CORAIL », Université des Antilles, Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe
| | - Sébastien Cordonnier
- UMR BOREA, CNRS 7208 –MNHN–UPMC–UCBN–IRD 207 –UA, Laboratoire d’Excellence « CORAIL », Université des Antilles, Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe
| | - Mathilde Guéné
- UMR BOREA, CNRS 7208 –MNHN–UPMC–UCBN–IRD 207 –UA, Laboratoire d’Excellence « CORAIL », Université des Antilles, Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe
| | - Mireille Harmelin-Vivien
- CNRS/IRD UM 110, Institut Méditerranéen d’Océanologie (MIO), Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille, France
| | - Claude Bouchon
- UMR BOREA, CNRS 7208 –MNHN–UPMC–UCBN–IRD 207 –UA, Laboratoire d’Excellence « CORAIL », Université des Antilles, Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe
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Griboff J, Horacek M, Wunderlin DA, Monferran MV. Bioaccumulation and trophic transfer of metals, As and Se through a freshwater food web affected by antrophic pollution in Córdoba, Argentina. ECOTOXICOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY 2018; 148:275-284. [PMID: 29078130 DOI: 10.1016/j.ecoenv.2017.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2017] [Revised: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/11/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The concentration of metals (Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ag, Cd, Hg, Pb, U), As and Se in different ecosystem components (water, sediment, plankton, shrimp, and fish muscle) has been determined in a eutrophic reservoir in the Province of Córdoba (Argentina). Los Molinos Lake (LML) was sampled during the dry (DS) and wet seasons (WS) in order to examine the bioaccumulation and transfer of these inorganic elements through the food web. Stable nitrogen isotope (δ15N) was used to investigate trophic interactions. According to this, samples were divided into three categories: plankton, shrimp (Palaemonetes argentinus) and fish (Silverside, Odontesthes bonariensis). The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) was calculated for the organisms, and it was determined that the elements analyzed undergo bioaccumulation, especially in organisms such as plankton. The invertebrates were characterized by the highest BAF for Cu and Zn in both seasons, As (DS), and Cd and Hg (WS). The fish muscle was characterized by the highest BAF for Se (WS), Ag and Hg (DS). On the other hand, a significant decrease in Al, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Cd and U concentrations through the analyzed trophic web during both seasons was observed. Moreover, a significant increase in Hg levels was observed with increasing trophic levels in the DS, indicating its biomagnification. Despite the increasing impact of metals, As and Se pollution in the studied area due to urban growth and agricultural and livestock activities, no previous study has focused on the behavior and relationships of these pollutants with the biotic and abiotic components of this aquatic reservoir. We expect that these findings may be used for providing directions or guidance for future monitoring and environmental protection policies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julieta Griboff
- ICYTAC, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos Córdoba, CONICET and Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Bv. Dr. Juan Filloy s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Micha Horacek
- BLT Wieselburg, HBLFA Francisco-Josephinum, Rottenhauserstrasse, 1, 3250 Wieselburg, Austria; Institute of Lithospheric Research, Vienna University, Althanstr. 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Daniel A Wunderlin
- ICYTAC, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos Córdoba, CONICET and Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Bv. Dr. Juan Filloy s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
| | - Magdalena V Monferran
- ICYTAC, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología de Alimentos Córdoba, CONICET and Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Bv. Dr. Juan Filloy s/n, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina.
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Use of Blood-soaked Cellulose Filter Paper for Measuring Carbon and Nitrogen Stable Isotopes. J Wildl Dis 2018; 54:375-379. [PMID: 29369725 DOI: 10.7589/2017-08-202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
We explored the use of filter paper soaked in whole blood for measuring carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stable isotopes, often used in feeding ecology or diet studies, to better understand drivers of exposure to contaminants. Our results showed no statistically or biologically relevant differences in C and N stable isotope measures between our gold standard (whole blood with anticoagulant) and eluates from processed, blood-soaked filter paper. Our data supported the effectiveness of using filter paper for assessing C and N stable isotopes in blood to address feeding ecology and other uses. The ease of sampling and processing should allow blood-soaked filter paper to be used in sampling of live (e.g., captured, stranded) and lethally taken (e.g., hunter-killed) wild vertebrates.
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Zuo J, Fan W, Wang X, Ren J, Zhang Y, Wang X, Zhang Y, Yu T, Li X. Trophic transfer of Cu, Zn, Cd, and Cr, and biomarker response for food webs in Taihu Lake, China. RSC Adv 2018; 8:3410-3417. [PMID: 35542949 PMCID: PMC9077756 DOI: 10.1039/c7ra11677b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 01/11/2018] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Water, sediments, and aquatic organism samples were collected from Taihu Lake in China. Four types of typical heavy metal (Cu, Zn, Cd, and Cr) were analyzed to evaluate their concentrations and trophic transfer in food webs. The stable nitrogen isotope δ15N was used to investigate the trophic interactions. The concentrations of Cd and Zn in the sediments of Taihu Lake exceeded Level I of the China National Quality Standards for Soil. Zn accumulation was identified to increase with the trophic level. The bioconcentration of the four heavy metals in aquatic organisms was evident, with the invertebrates showing the highest bioconcentration factor in the food webs. Several biomarkers were investigated, including metallothionein (MT), malondialdehyde, and Na+/K+-adenosine triphosphatase activity. A positive correlation relationship was found between the MT content and heavy metal accumulation in organism tissues. Samples were analyzed from Taihu Lake, the bioconcentration of metals was evident and MTs were used to monitor the heavy metal pollution.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinxing Zuo
- School of Space and Environment
- Beihang University
- Beijing 100191
- PR China
| | - Wenhong Fan
- School of Space and Environment
- Beihang University
- Beijing 100191
- PR China
| | - Xiaolong Wang
- School of Space and Environment
- Beihang University
- Beijing 100191
- PR China
| | - Jinqian Ren
- School of Space and Environment
- Beihang University
- Beijing 100191
- PR China
| | - YiLin Zhang
- School of Space and Environment
- Beihang University
- Beijing 100191
- PR China
| | - Xiangrui Wang
- School of Space and Environment
- Beihang University
- Beijing 100191
- PR China
| | - Yuan Zhang
- Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences
- Beijing 100012
- PR China
| | - Tao Yu
- Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences
- Beijing 100012
- PR China
| | - Xiaomin Li
- School of Space and Environment
- Beihang University
- Beijing 100191
- PR China
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Romero-Romero S, Herrero L, Fernández M, Gómara B, Acuña JL. Biomagnification of persistent organic pollutants in a deep-sea, temperate food web. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 605-606:589-597. [PMID: 28672247 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.06.148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Revised: 06/16/2017] [Accepted: 06/19/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and -furans (PCDD/Fs) were measured in a temperate, deep-sea ecosystem, the Avilés submarine Canyon (AC; Cantabrian Sea, Southern Bay of Biscay). There was an increase of contaminant concentration with the trophic level of the organisms, as calculated from stable nitrogen isotope data (δ15N). Such biomagnification was only significant for the pelagic food web and its magnitude was highly dependent on the type of top predators included in the analysis. The trophic magnification factor (TMF) for PCB-153 in the pelagic food web (spanning four trophic levels) was 6.2 or 2.2, depending on whether homeotherm top predators (cetaceans and seabirds) were included or not in the analysis, respectively. Since body size is significantly correlated with δ15N, it can be used as a proxy to estimate trophic magnification, what can potentially lead to a simple and convenient method to calculate the TMF. In spite of their lower biomagnification, deep-sea fishes showed higher concentrations than their shallower counterparts, although those differences were not significant. In summary, the AC fauna exhibits contaminant levels comparable or lower than those reported in other systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Romero-Romero
- Área de Ecología, Dpto. de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas, Universidad de Oviedo, Catedrático Rodrigo Uría s/n, 33071 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain.
| | - Laura Herrero
- Department of Instrumental Analysis and Environmental Chemistry, Institute of General Organic Chemistry, CSIC, Juan de la Cierva, 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Mario Fernández
- Department of Instrumental Analysis and Environmental Chemistry, Institute of General Organic Chemistry, CSIC, Juan de la Cierva, 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Belén Gómara
- Department of Instrumental Analysis and Environmental Chemistry, Institute of General Organic Chemistry, CSIC, Juan de la Cierva, 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - José Luis Acuña
- Área de Ecología, Dpto. de Biología de Organismos y Sistemas, Universidad de Oviedo, Catedrático Rodrigo Uría s/n, 33071 Oviedo, Asturias, Spain
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Pedro S, Boba C, Dietz R, Sonne C, Rosing-Asvid A, Hansen M, Provatas A, McKinney MA. Blubber-depth distribution and bioaccumulation of PCBs and organochlorine pesticides in Arctic-invading killer whales. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2017; 601-602:237-246. [PMID: 28554115 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.05.193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2017] [Revised: 05/19/2017] [Accepted: 05/20/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Sightings of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Greenland have increased in recent years, coincident with sea ice loss. These killer whales are likely from fish-feeding North Atlantic populations, but may have access to marine mammal prey in Greenlandic waters, which could lead to increased exposures to biomagnifying contaminants. Most studies on polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and organochlorine (OC) contaminants in killer whales have used biopsies which may not be representative of contaminant concentrations through the entire blubber depth. Here, we measured PCB and OC concentrations in 10 equal-length blubber sections of 18 killer whales harvested in southeast Greenland (2012-2014), and 3 stranded in the Faroe Islands (2008) and Denmark (2005). Overall, very high concentrations of ΣPCB, Σchlordanes (ΣCHL), and Σdichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (ΣDDT) were found in the southeast Greenland and Denmark individuals (means of ~40 to 70mgkg-1 lipid weight). These concentrations were higher than in the Faroe Island individuals (means of ~2 to 5mgkg-1 lipid weight) and above those previously reported for other fish-feeding killer whales in the North Atlantic, likely in part due to additional feeding on marine mammals. On a wet weight basis, concentrations of all contaminants were significantly lower in the outermost blubber layer (0.15-0.65cm) compared to all other layers (p<0.01), except for Σhexachlorocyclohexanes. However, after lipid correction, no variation was found for ΣCHL and Σchlorobenzene concentrations, while the outermost layer(s) still showed significantly lower ΣPCB, ΣDDT, Σmirex, Σendosulfan, and dieldrin concentrations than one or more of the inner layers. Yet, the magnitude of these differences was low (up to 2-fold) suggesting that a typical biopsy may be a reasonable representation of the PCB and OC concentrations reported in killer whales, at least on a lipid weight basis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Pedro
- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
| | - Conor Boba
- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Rune Dietz
- Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Roskilde DK-4000, Denmark
| | - Christian Sonne
- Department of Bioscience, Arctic Research Centre, Aarhus University, Roskilde DK-4000, Denmark
| | | | - Martin Hansen
- Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA; Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720, USA
| | - Anthony Provatas
- Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
| | - Melissa A McKinney
- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA
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Environmental and behavioral changes may influence the exposure of an Arctic apex predator to pathogens and contaminants. Sci Rep 2017; 7:13193. [PMID: 29038498 PMCID: PMC5643432 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-13496-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2017] [Accepted: 09/25/2017] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent decline of sea ice habitat has coincided with increased use of land by polar bears (Ursus maritimus) from the southern Beaufort Sea (SB), which may alter the risks of exposure to pathogens and contaminants. We assayed blood samples from SB polar bears to assess prior exposure to the pathogens Brucella spp., Toxoplasma gondii, Coxiella burnetii, Francisella tularensis, and Neospora caninum, estimate concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs), and evaluate risk factors associated with exposure to pathogens and POPs. We found that seroprevalence of Brucella spp. and T. gondii antibodies likely increased through time, and provide the first evidence of exposure of polar bears to C. burnetii, N. caninum, and F. tularensis. Additionally, the odds of exposure to T. gondii were greater for bears that used land than for bears that remained on the sea ice during summer and fall, while mean concentrations of the POP chlordane (ΣCHL) were lower for land-based bears. Changes in polar bear behavior brought about by climate-induced modifications to the Arctic marine ecosystem may increase exposure risk to certain pathogens and alter contaminant exposure pathways.
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Pedro S, Fisk AT, Tomy GT, Ferguson SH, Hussey NE, Kessel ST, McKinney MA. Mercury and persistent organic pollutants in native and invading forage species of the Canadian Arctic: Consequences for food web dynamics. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2017; 229:229-240. [PMID: 28599207 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2017.05.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2016] [Revised: 05/25/2017] [Accepted: 05/29/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Contaminant dynamics within Arctic marine food webs may be altered through the climate-driven northward invasions of temperate/boreal species. Here, we compare tissue concentrations of total mercury (THg) and legacy and emerging persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in native versus invading forage species sampled from 2012 to 2014 near Arviat, Clyde River, and Resolute Bay, NU, representing, low, mid- and high eastern Canadian Arctic regions, respectively. Concentrations of THg, legacy Σ-polychlorinated biphenyls (ΣPCB) and Σ-organochlorine (ΣOC) pesticides were detected in all forage species, whereas emerging halogenated flame retardants were detected in only a few individuals. Concentrations of major contaminant groups among regions did not vary for Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), while for sculpin (Cottoidea) there was no clear latitudinal trend. Thus, considering interspecific variation, native sculpin and northern shrimp (Pandalus borealis) had the highest overall concentrations of THg (0.17 ± 0.02 and 0.21 ± 0.01 μg g-1 wet weight, respectively), ΣPCB (322 ± 35 and 245 ± 25 ng g-1 lipid weight (lw), respectively), and ΣOC (413 ± 38 and 734 ± 64 ng g-1 lw, respectively). Comparing the keystone native species, Arctic cod, to its 'replacement' species, capelin (Mallotus villosus) and sandlance (Ammodytes spp.), THg concentrations were higher in Arctic cod compared to capelin (p < 0.001), which was partly explained by differences in fish length. Conversely, capelin and sandlance had higher concentrations of most POPs than Arctic cod (p < 0.02). Neither feeding habitat (based on δ13C), trophic position (based on δ15N), nor fish length significantly explained these differences in POPs between Arctic cod, capelin and sandlance. Higher POPs concentrations, as well as variation in congener/compound patterns, in capelin and sandlance relative to Arctic cod seem, therefore, more likely related to a more "temperate"-type contaminant signature in the invaders. Nevertheless, the relatively small (up to two-fold) magnitude of these differences suggested limited effects of these ecological changes on contaminant uptake by Arctic piscivores.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Pedro
- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
| | - Aaron T Fisk
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Gregg T Tomy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2, Canada
| | - Steven H Ferguson
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Central and Arctic Region, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N6, Canada
| | - Nigel E Hussey
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Steven T Kessel
- Great Lakes Institute for Environmental Research, University of Windsor, Windsor, ON N9B 3P4, Canada
| | - Melissa A McKinney
- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269, USA.
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Three-Dimensional Geometric Morphometric Analysis of Fossil Canid Mandibles and Skulls. Sci Rep 2017; 7:9508. [PMID: 28842717 PMCID: PMC5573390 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-10232-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2017] [Accepted: 08/08/2017] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Much of the fossil record for dogs consists of mandibles. However, can fossil canid mandibles be reliably identified as dogs or wolves? 3D geometric morphometric analysis correctly classifies 99.5% of the modern dog and wolf mandibles. However, only 4 of 26 Ust’-Polui fossil mandibles, a Russian Arctic site occupied from 250BCE to 150CE, were identified as dogs and none of the 20 Ivolgin mandibles, an Iron Age site in southern Russia, were identified as dogs. Three of the Ust’-Polui mandibles and 8 of the Ivolgin mandibles were identified as wolves. In contrast, all 12 Ivolgin skulls and 5 Ust’-Polui skulls were clearly identified as dogs. Only the classification of the UP6571 skull as a dog (Dog Posterior Probability = 1.0) was not supported by the typical probability. Other evidence indicates these canids were domesticated: they were located within human dwellings, remains at both sites have butchery marks indicating that they were consumed, and isotope analysis of canid and human remains from Ust’-Polui demonstrate that both were consuming freshwater protein; indicating that the humans were feeding the canids. Our results demonstrate that the mandible may not evolve as rapidly as the cranium and the mandible is not reliable for identifying early dog fossils.
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McKinney MA, Atwood TC, Pedro S, Peacock E. Ecological Change Drives a Decline in Mercury Concentrations in Southern Beaufort Sea Polar Bears. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2017; 51:7814-7822. [PMID: 28612610 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.7b00812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
We evaluated total mercury (THg) concentrations and trends in polar bears from the southern Beaufort Sea subpopulation from 2004 to 2011. Hair THg concentrations ranged widely among individuals from 0.6 to 13.3 μg g-1 dry weight (mean: 3.5 ± 0.2 μg g-1). Concentrations differed among sex and age classes: solitary adult females ≈ adult females with cubs ≈ subadults > adult males ≈ yearlings > cubs-of-the-year ≈ 2 year old dependent cubs. No variation was observed between spring and fall samples. For spring-sampled adults, THg concentrations declined by 13% per year, contrasting recent trends observed for other Western Hemispheric Arctic biota. Concentrations also declined by 15% per year considering adult males only, while a slower, nonsignificant decrease of 4.4% per year was found for adult females. Lower THg concentrations were associated with higher body mass index (BMI) and higher proportions of lower trophic position food resources consumed. Because BMI and diet were related, and the relationship to THg was strongest for BMI, trends were re-evaluated adjusting for BMI as the covariate. The adjusted annual decline was not significant. These findings indicate that changes in foraging ecology, not declining environmental concentrations of mercury, are driving short-term declines in THg concentrations in southern Beaufort Sea polar bears.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A McKinney
- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Connecticut , Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Todd C Atwood
- United States Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center , Anchorage, Alaska 99508, United States
| | - Sara Pedro
- Wildlife and Fisheries Conservation Center, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment and Center for Environmental Sciences and Engineering, University of Connecticut , Storrs, Connecticut 06269, United States
| | - Elizabeth Peacock
- United States Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center , Anchorage, Alaska 99508, United States
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Ren J, Wang X, Wang C, Gong P, Wang X, Yao T. Biomagnification of persistent organic pollutants along a high-altitude aquatic food chain in the Tibetan Plateau: Processes and mechanisms. ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION (BARKING, ESSEX : 1987) 2017; 220:636-643. [PMID: 27751636 DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2016.10.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2016] [Revised: 09/03/2016] [Accepted: 10/07/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Biomagnification of some persistent organic pollutants (POPs) has been found in marine and freshwater food chains; however, due to the relatively short food chains in high-altitude alpine lakes, whether trophic transfer would result in the biomagnification of POPs is not clear. The transfer of various POPs, including organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), along the aquatic food chain in Nam Co Lake (4700 m), in the central Tibetan Plateau, was studied. The POPs levels in the water, sediment and biota [plankton, invertebrates and fish (Gymnocypris namensis)] of Nam Co were generally low, with concentrations comparable to those reported for the remote Arctic. The composition profiles of POPs in the fish were different from that in the water, but similar to their food. DDEs, DDDs, PCB 138, 153 and 180 displayed significant positive correlations with trophic levels, with trophic magnification factors (TMFs) ranged between 1.5 and 4.2, implying these chemicals can undergo final biomagnification along food chain. A fugacity-based dynamic bioaccumulation model was applied to the fish with localized parameters, by which the simulated concentrations were comparable to the measured data. Modeling results showed that most compounds underwent net gill loss and net gut uptake; only when the net result of the combined gut and gill fluxes would be positive, bioaccumulation could eventually occur. The net accumulation flux increased with fish age, which was caused by the continuous increase of gut uptake by aged fish. Due to the oligotrophic condition, efficient food absorption is likely the key factor that influences the gut POPs uptake. Long residence times with half-lives up to two decades were found for the higher chlorinated PCBs in Gymnocypris namensis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Ren
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xiaoping Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100101, China.
| | - Chuanfei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Ping Gong
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Xiruo Wang
- School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Tandong Yao
- Key Laboratory of Tibetan Environment Changes and Land Surface Processes, Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China; CAS Center for Excellence in Tibetan Plateau Earth Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
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Tsygankov VY, Lukyanova ON, Khristoforova NK. The Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea as the region of natural aquaculture: Organochlorine pesticides in Pacific salmon. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2016; 113:69-74. [PMID: 27580871 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2016.08.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2016] [Revised: 08/18/2016] [Accepted: 08/24/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Kuril Islands of the Sea of Okhotsk and the western part of the Bering Sea are an area of natural feeding of Pacific salmon, and the catch area of ones for food market. Food safety of products is an important task of aquaculture. Сoncentrations of HCHs (α-, β-, γ-) and DDT and its metabolites (DDD and DDE) were determined in organs of the pink (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), chum (O. keta), chinook (O. tshawytscha), and sockeye (O. nerka), which caught from the natural aquaculture region of Russia (near the Kuril Islands (the northern-western part of the Pacific Ocean), the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea). The average total concentration of OCPs in organs of salmon from Western Pacific is lower than that in salmon from the North Pacific American coast and the Atlantic Ocean. The region can be used to grow smolts, which will be later released into the ocean.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vasiliy Yu Tsygankov
- School of Biomedicine, Far Eastern Federal University, 690950, 8 Sukhanova Str., Vladivostok, Russia; School of Natural Sciences, Far Eastern Federal University, 690950, 8 Sukhanova Str., Vladivostok, Russia.
| | - Olga N Lukyanova
- School of Natural Sciences, Far Eastern Federal University, 690950, 8 Sukhanova Str., Vladivostok, Russia; Pacific Research Fisheries Centre (TINRO-Centre), 690091, 4 Shevchenko Alley, Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Nadezhda K Khristoforova
- School of Natural Sciences, Far Eastern Federal University, 690950, 8 Sukhanova Str., Vladivostok, Russia; Pacific Geographical Institute FEB RAS, 690041, 7 Radio Str., Vladivostok, Russia
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50
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O'Hara TM, Hoekstra PF, Hanns C, Backus SM, Muir DCG. Concentrations of selected persistent organochlorine contaminants in store-bought foods from northern Alaska. Int J Circumpolar Health 2016; 64:303-13. [PMID: 16277115 DOI: 10.3402/ijch.v64i4.18008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We address marine and terrestrial mammal blubber, liver, muscle, kidney, heart, tongue, maktak and maktaaq (epidermis and blubber from bowhead, beluga whales, respectively), and fish muscle and livers, as commonly consumed tissues in subsistence communities across northern Alaska in the context of organochlorine (OC) contamination of store-bought foods. Human exposure to contaminants from biota, as part of a subsistence diet, has been superficially evaluated in numerous studies (focused on liver and blubber), but are limited in the type of tissues analyzed, and rarely consider the contaminants in the alternatives (i.e., store-bought foods). STUDY DESIGN Concentrations from published literature on selected persistent organochlorine contaminants (OCs) in eight tissues of the bowhead whale and other biota (1) were compared to store-bought foods evaluated in this study. RESULTS As expected, store-bought foods had lower concentrations of OCs than some tissues of the marine mammals (especially blubber, maktak, and maktaaq). However, blubber is rarely eaten alone and should not be used to give consumption advice unless considered as a portion of the food item (i.e., maktak). This study indicates that the store-bought food alternatives have detectable OC concentrations (e.g., < 0.01 to 22.5 ng/g w.w. for hexachlorobenzene) and, in many cases, have greater OC concentrations than some subsistence food items. Many wildlife tissues had OC concentrations similar to those quantified in local store-bought food. CONCLUSIONS Switching from the traditional diet to western store-bought foods will not always reduce exposure to OCs. However, raw blubber-based products are clearly more contaminated with OCs due to lipid content. A detailed profile of traditional/country foods and western foods consumed by subsistence communities of northern Alaska is required to address chronic exposure in more detail for the diverse sources of foods (subsistence use and commercially available) and the widely varying concentrations of contaminants reported therein. This should be combined with biomonitoring people dependent upon subsistence foods. Further assessment of essential and non-essential elements, emerging contaminants (e.g. brominated flame retardants), etc. should be conducted in order to improve our understanding of the differences and similarities between wildlife and store-bought foods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Wildlife Management, North Slope Borough, Barrow, Alaska, USA.
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