DDT residues in snakes decline since DDT ban

Fleet, Robert R.; Plapp, Frederick W.

doi:10.1007/bf01685814

Cited by 22 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…95% confidence intervals appear below means when sexes were examined separately, males appeared to accumulate p,pЈ-DDE in fat with increasing body size, while females did not. This finding confirms that maternal transfer of OCs occurs in cottonmouths and suggests that in snakes, as in other reptiles [28], mobilization of OCladen fat during vitellogenesis and subsequent incorporation into developing follicles serves as a mechanism by which adult females depurate lipophilic contaminants [16,27]. Santos et al [27] determined that concentrations of DDTs (primarily p,pЈ-DDE) in carcass lipids of wild viperine snakes (Natrix maura) increased significantly with carcass mass in adult males but not adult females.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 66%

“…In addition, egg-laying species were common at Navasota River but essentially absent from Old River Slough. During these studies, diamondback water snakes (Nerodia rhombifer) (live bearers) also were common at Navasota River but consistently absent from Old River Slough [15][16][17]. During these studies, diamondback water snakes (Nerodia rhombifer) (live bearers) also were common at Navasota River but consistently absent from Old River Slough [15][16][17].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…In 1971, p,pЈ-DDE concentrations in snakes at Old River Slough were over 100-fold higher than in snakes from Navasota River [15]. However, by 1974 and 1975 (following the ban on DDT in 1972), p,pЈ-DDE concentrations in snakes from Old River Slough had declined in the three most frequently sampled species, and the abundance of egg-laying species had increased greatly [16]. However, by 1974 and 1975 (following the ban on DDT in 1972), p,pЈ-DDE concentrations in snakes from Old River Slough had declined in the three most frequently sampled species, and the abundance of egg-laying species had increased greatly [16].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Cottonmouths collected from Old River Slough in the 1970s consistently contained the highest mean p,pЈ-DDE concentrations of all snakes examined [15,16]. Mean p,pЈ-DDE concentrations in cottonmouths collected from the site in 1971 and 1974 through 1975 are 662-and 252-fold higher, respectively, than the mean concentration detected in cottonmouths at the LHAAP [15,16]. Additionally, the mean p,pЈ-DDE concentration in nine other snake species collected from Navasota River in 1971 was twofold higher than that found in the LHAAP cottonmouths [15].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Organochlorine pesticides and mercury in cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) from northeastern Texas, USA

Rainwater¹,

Reynolds²,

Cañas³

et al. 2005

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Despite their ecological importance and global decline, snakes remain poorly studied in ecotoxicology. In this study, we examined organochlorine (OC) pesticide and mercury accumulation in cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) living on a contaminated site in northeastern Texas (USA). Mercury and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) were detected in all snakes examined. Other OCs, including p,p'-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p'-DDT), methoxychlor, aldrin, and heptachlor, also were detected, but less frequently. Concentrations of p,p'-DDE were higher in fat than in liver, while mercury concentrations were highest in liver, followed by kidney and tail clips. One animal contained the highest mercury concentration yet reported for a snake (8,610 ng/g). Mercury concentrations in liver and kidney were higher in males than females, while no intersex differences in p,p'-DDE concentrations were observed. Concentrations of p,p'-DDE in fat were correlated positively with body size in male cottonmouths but not females, suggesting a slower rate of accumulation in females. Body size strongly predicted mercury concentrations in liver, kidney, and tail clips of both sexes. Tail clips were strong predictors of mercury in liver and kidney in males but not females, suggesting possible sex-dependent differences in mercury toxicokinetics. Both long-term field studies and controlled laboratory investigations are needed to adequately assess the response of cottonmouths to chronic contaminant exposure.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 66%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 97%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 98%

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Organochlorine pesticides and mercury in cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) from northeastern Texas, USA

Rainwater¹,

Reynolds²,

Cañas³

et al. 2005

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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“…Water snakes exposed to high levels of arsenic, selenium, and cadmium experience elevated standard metabolic rates, which may reduce the fitness of the animals by significantly altering energy resource allocation (Hopkins et al 1999). Organochlorine pesticides have been implicated in deaths (Koeman et al 1978;George and Stickel 1949) and declines in snake populations in the southern United States (Fleet et al 1972;Fleet and Plapp 1978). The effects of PCBs have not been measured in snakes, although anecdotal reports indicate captive snakes exposed to PCB contamination in their water supply have been poisoned and died (Wojcik et al 1995).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Concentrations in Plasma of the Lake Erie Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) and Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon sipedon) from the Great Lakes Basin in 1998

Bishop

Rouse

2000

Arch. Environ. Contam. Toxicol.

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From the Great Lakes basin, concentrations of 59 congener-specific polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 14 organochlorine pesticides were measured in blood plasma of northern water snake (Nerodia sipedon sipedon) and Lake Erie water snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum), which is endangered in Canada. In 1998, four male adult Lake Erie water snakes were sampled from Pelee Island, western Lake Erie; four male northern water snakes were sampled at Little Lake, about 20 km north of Parry Sound in central Ontario; and four adult gravid female northern water snakes were sampled from Garden Island, eastern Lake Ontario. The blood plasma was pooled by site for a total of three samples analyzed. The Pelee Island sample from male Lake Erie water snakes contained less than half the lipid concentration (0.349%) than samples from the other sites, but it was the most contaminated with PCBs, even on a wet weight basis. Summed concentration of individual PCBs in the Pelee Island sample was 167 ng/g (wet weight), which was 14-fold higher than the next most contaminated sample, which was from Little Lake. The plasma sample from Little Lake contained 12 ng/g (WW) and was four times more contaminated with PCBs than the sample from female snakes from Garden Island, Lake Ontario. Organochlorine pesticide concentrations in plasma were relatively similar among sites. None of the pesticides was found above trace concentrations (0.1-0.9 ng/g) except pp'-DDE, which occurred at 2-5 ng/g among sites. PCB congener patterns in the Lake Erie water snakes were compared to PCB patterns in plasma of common snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina serpentina) from Lake Ontario, herring gull eggs (Larus argentatus) from western Lake Erie, and mudpuppy eggs (Necturus maculosus) from the Detroit River. The PCB patterns in water snake and herring gull sample were most similar, followed by the pattern in snapping turtle plasma. The presence of more lower-chlorinated chlorobiphenyls in the mudpuppy eggs relative to the other species made this sample distinct from the water snake, gull, and turtle.

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Serum B esterases as a nondestructive biomarker in the lizard Gallotia galloti experimentally treated with parathion

Sánchez

Fossi

Focardi

1997

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Lizards (Gallotia galloti) were given either single or consecutive acute oral treatments of the organophosphorus (OP) insecticide parathion in two different experiments. Brain, serum, and liver microsomal esterase activities and liver microsomal monooxygenase activities were measured 6 and 24 h after the single acute treatment at each of four different doses (Experiment 1) or periodically up to 72 d after a number of consecutive acute treatments at two different doses (Experiment 2). Inhibition of serum butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) and carboxylesterase activities was observed in all treatment groups after 24 h and in the groups treated with 2.5, 5, and 7.5 mg/kg of parathion 6 h after treatment. Brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) was inhibited at all doses after 6 h but only at the highest dose after 24 h. Highly significant nonlinear correlations, based on a piecewise linear regression model, were obtained between brain AChE activity and serum esterase activities at two sampling times after the single acute treatment. Liver microsomal carboxylesterase was found to be induced at the lower doses 6 and 24 h after treatment. Liver microsomal monooxygenase activity was higher 6 h after treatment than at 24 h, but the difference was not statistically significant. In Experiment 2, serum esterase activities recovered exponentially over a period of weeks. An increase in the recovery time to normal esterase activity was observed after each consecutive acute treatment. Brain AChE activity was inhibited at the end of consecutive administrations of parathion at the higher dose, and liver microsomal monooxygenase activity was inhibited at both doses. Symptoms of poisoning were observed in lizards treated with the higher dose of parathion, but no mortality was recorded. Two main conclusions can be drawn: (1) serum esterase activities recovered extremely slowly after acute treatment with parathion and even more slowly after consecutive acute treatments, and (2) there was a nonlinear correlation between the nondestructive biomarkers, serum “B” esterases, and the destructive biomarker, brain AChE, 6 and 24 h after exposure. These results suggest that G. galloti should be an ideal bioindicator organism to assess OP exposure in the Canary Islands instead of the birds commonly used for this purpose.

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DDT residues in snakes decline since DDT ban

Cited by 22 publications

References 7 publications

Organochlorine pesticides and mercury in cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) from northeastern Texas, USA

Organochlorine pesticides and mercury in cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) from northeastern Texas, USA

Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Concentrations in Plasma of the Lake Erie Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon insularum) and Northern Water Snake (Nerodia sipedon sipedon) from the Great Lakes Basin in 1998

Serum B esterases as a nondestructive biomarker in the lizard Gallotia galloti experimentally treated with parathion

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