Aroclor 1254� residues in birds: Lethal levels and loss rates

Stickel, William H.; Stickel, Lucille F.; Dyrland, Russell A.; Hughes, D. L.

doi:10.1007/bf01055641

Cited by 50 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 18 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…1995) are considerably lower than those usually considered lethal in birds (Sileo et al . 1977; Stickel et al . 1984), the individuals with high levels are well within the range expected to produce behavioural aberrations (Peakall 1985; Gabrielsen et al .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patterns of incubation and nest‐site attentiveness in relation to organochlorine (PCB) contamination in glaucous gulls

Bustnes

Bakken

Erikstad

et al. 2001

Journal of Applied Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Summary 1.Although experimental studies show that organochlorines (OC) can affect bird behaviour, field assessments are invariably confounded by ecological differences between contaminated and uncontaminated sites. The behaviour of individual birds in the field has rarely been related to the contaminant burden. 2. We examined individual patterns of incubation and nest-site attentiveness in relation to OC burden, measured as polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentration in the blood, of 27 glaucous gulls Larus hyperboreus in two breeding areas at Bear Island, in the north-eastern Atlantic. 3. Blood PCB concentrations ranged from 52 ng g − 1 to 1079 ng g − 1 (wet weight). There were significant differences between the two breeding areas, and females had significantly lower concentrations than males. 4. Gull behaviour differed significantly between breeding areas and sexes independently of PCB. Females incubated more than males (54% vs. 46%) but spent more time away from the nest site than males, both overall (23% vs. 12%) and when not incubating (50% vs. 21%). They were also absent for longer periods (4·5 vs. 2·8 h). Moreover, length of incubation bouts (6·4 vs. 4·4 h), the amount of time absent from the nest site when not incubating (51% vs. 25%) and length of absences (5·6 vs. 1·8 h) differed between breeding areas, probably due to different feeding specializations. 5. After controlling for these area and sex effects, the proportion of time absent from the nest site when not incubating, and the number of absences, were both significantly related to blood concentration of PCB. 6. Increased absence from the nest site in individual glaucous gulls with high blood concentrations of OC suggests effects on reproductive behaviour. We speculate that endocrine disruption or neurological effects might be involved, leading to increased energetic costs during incubation and reduced reproductive output.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Patterns of incubation and nest‐site attentiveness in relation to organochlorine (PCB) contamination in glaucous gulls

Bustnes

Bakken

Erikstad

et al. 2001

Journal of Applied Ecology

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Glaucous gulls, avian apex predators in the Arctic, were noted to have high concentrations of POPs Mehlum & Daelemans, 1995), and some individuals occasionally were found dying in convulsions (Bogan & Bourne, 1972;Gabrielsen et al, 1995), a behavior similar to that of passerine birds experimentally fed PCB-contaminated food (Stickel et al, 1984). There is evidence that these high concentrations of POPs may produce metabolic, hormonal, developmental, reproductive and behavioural stress (Bustnes, 2006;Gabrielsen, 2007) and in a field study, positive correlations between nematode intensities and concentration of OC pesticides and PCBs were observed .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Relationships Between Persistent Organic Pollutants and Circulating Immunoglobulin-Y in Black-Legged Kittiwakes and Atlantic Puffins

Sagerup

Åsbakk

Polder

et al. 2014

Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health, Part A

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Have Although persistent organic pollutants (POPs) may affect the immune system, few field studies actually examined this effect. There are indications that POP exert effects on the immune system; however, in the Arctic ecosystem data are scarce. The aim of this study was to examine immune functions in two medium trophic-positioned seabirds, the black-legged kittiwakes (Rissa tridactyla) and Atlantic puffins (Fratercula arctica). Overall POP concentrations were higher in kittiwakes than puffins and males had significantly higher concentrations than females. Mean concentrations of total polychlorinated biphenyls (ΣPCB9) were 4700 ± 200 and 9600 ± 1400 ng/g lipid weight and 2800 ± 180 and 3900 ± 200 ng/g lipid weight in female and male kittiwake and puffin blood, respectively. Levels of immunoglobulin-Y (IgY) in blood of kittiwakes were not markedly affected by concentrations of POP. Similarly, the primary IgY response to tetanus toxoid was not affected by POP concentrations in a subsample of immunized kittiwakes. In puffins, there were significant correlations between the IgY-response and some of the POPs, but with low explanatory values. These results suggest that POPs concentrations were lower than, or just at the threshold level for effects of the proposed IgY biomarker. It is also conceivable that the IgY levels are not a suitable endpoint for evaluating perturbation of the immune system in free-living seabirds.

show abstract

“…Models describing the bioaccumulation of PCBs and other organochlorines in birds have been described only to a limited extent [5][6][7]. Few experimental studies have documented key toxicokinetic parameters of PCBs such as contaminant elimination rates in nondomesticated species [8,9]. Few experimental studies have documented key toxicokinetic parameters of PCBs such as contaminant elimination rates in nondomesticated species [8,9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Bioaccumulation and Toxicokinetics of 42 Polychlorinated Biphenyl Congeners in American Kestrels (Falco Sparverius)

Drouillard¹,

Fernie²,

Smits³

et al. 2001

Environ Toxicol Chem

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The bioaccumulation and toxicokinetics of 42 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) was determined in male American kestrels exposed to an Aroclor-contaminated diet for 120 d followed by a 348-d depuration period. The birds were housed under ambient outdoor temperatures to permit normal fluctuations in body weight during the study. Whole body PCB clearance, plasma/fat distribution coefficients, and plasma PCB clearance constants were determined for individual PCBs to calibrate a two-compartment rate constant model in order to describe PCB elimination in the birds. Plasma/fat partition coefficients (K(PF)) averaged 0.0060 +/- 0.0001 for all congeners of study, were not dependent on chemical hydrophobicity, and did not change in summer versus winter sacrificed animals. Plasma clearance constants (k'pc) for PCBs were observed to be dependent on both chlorine substitution patterns and congener hydrophobicity. Polychlorinated biphenyl congeners categorized as readily cleared congeners contained vicinal meta-para hydrogen substituents on at least one phenyl ring, while slowly cleared congeners were chlorine hindered at these positions. A general equation was derived to predict plasma clearance constants for all tri- to octachlorobiphenyls based on the presence of an open meta-para site on one of the phenyl rings and from the n-octanol-water partition coefficient of the chemical. The equation was validated by comparing predicted versus measured relative biomagnification factors of PCBs determined in birds at the end of the dosing period. The two-compartment model calibrated for PCB elimination in American kestrels may be used to describe PCB toxicokinetics in wild birds provided that seasonal fluctuations in the fat content of the modeled population is known.

show abstract

Aroclor 1254� residues in birds: Lethal levels and loss rates

Cited by 50 publications

References 18 publications

Patterns of incubation and nest‐site attentiveness in relation to organochlorine (PCB) contamination in glaucous gulls

Patterns of incubation and nest‐site attentiveness in relation to organochlorine (PCB) contamination in glaucous gulls

Relationships Between Persistent Organic Pollutants and Circulating Immunoglobulin-Y in Black-Legged Kittiwakes and Atlantic Puffins

Bioaccumulation and Toxicokinetics of 42 Polychlorinated Biphenyl Congeners in American Kestrels (Falco Sparverius)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About