Influence of trophic position on organochlorine concentrations and compositional patterns in a marine food web

Abstract

The accumulation of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), DDTs (p,p'-DDT [1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane], o,p'-DDT [1,1,1-trichloro-2-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-(4-chlorophenyl)ethane], p,p'-DDD [1,1,-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethane], o.p'-DDD [1,1-dichloro-2-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-(4-chlorophenyl)ethane], and p,p'-DDE [1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis(4-chlorophenyl)ethene]), chlordanes (trans-chlordane, cis-chlordane, trans-nonachlor, cis-nonachlor and oxychlordane), hexachlorocyclohexanes (alpha-, beta-, and gamma-isomers), hexachlorobenzene, and mirex was investigated in a marine food web from southeastern Norway. The food web consisted of the polychaete Nereis diversicolor, lesser sandeel (Ammodytes tobianus), three species of gobys (Gobiusculus flavescens, Pomatoschistus sp., and Gobius niger), bullrout (Myoxocephalus scorpius), cod (Gadus morhua), herring gull (Larus argentatus), and harbor seal (Phoca vitulina). The results show that interspecies differences in organochlorine (OC) compositional patterns in the food web depend on several factors (allometric, biochemical, physical, and physicochemical) specific to both the chemicals and the organisms. The importance of dietary accumulation and metabolic capacity increases toward higher trophic levels, while the OC patterns are to a larger extent determined by the lipophilicity and water solubility of the compounds at lower trophic levels. Furthermore, stable nitrogen isotopes provided a continuous measure of trophic position, rendering us capable of quantifying the increases in the concentrations of sigma PCB, sigma dichorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), and sigma chlordane (CHL) and the percentages of highly chlorinated PCBs through the food web. The information provided may be important for future modeling of the fate of organochlorine contaminants in marine food webs.

Bioaccumulation of native polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from sediment by a polychaete and a gastropod: Freely dissolved concentrations and activated carbon amendment

“…The test organisms were the netted dog whelk H. reticulata (Gastropoda) and the ragworm N. diversicolor (Polychaeta). In addition to being important prey for several bottom‐dwelling fish species [16], both organisms are common in large parts of Europe [17] and are able to live in aquaria for extended periods [15]. Despite the gastropod's siphon ventilating to the overlying water, the mode of living by these organisms is such that they are intimately associated with the sediment so that equilibrium between organism and pore water can be expected [15].…”

Evaluation of the usefulness of bird feathers as a non-destructive biomonitoring tool for organic pollutants: A comparative and meta-analytical approach

“…Mercury concentrations in body feathers were markedly different between northern fulmars (Fulmaris glacialis) and great skuas (Catharacta skua), reflecting differences in diet, but there was no corresponding difference in trophic status as measured through nitrogen stable isotope signatures. Most other studies have usually been performed on aquatic food webs (Borga et al, 2004;Ruus et al, 2002), which are possibly easier to link to δ 15 N values, given that diets are generally more constant within aquatic environments.…”

Characterization of Trophic Transfer for Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins, Dibenzofurans, Non- and Mono-ortho Polychlorinated Biphenyls in the Marine Food Web of Bohai Bay, North China

“…In addition, the TMFs for non-2,3,7,8-substitued PCDD/Fs are lower than those of 2,3,7,8-substituted PCDD/Fs with similar log K ow. This could be explained by the fact that the metabolic transformation rate dominates the overall depuration rate of dioxin, and the metabolic transformation rate is higher for PCDD/Fs than for non-and mono-ortho PCBs, on the basis of the fact that gill elimination, respiration uptake, and dietary uptake rates are all dependent on the log Kow (17,33,34). This corresponds well with the studies by Opperhuizen and Sijm (35), which reported that some 2,3,7,8-unsubstituted congeners are taken up at a normal rate and eliminated rapidly due to biotransformation and enzymatic oxidation, and 2,3,7,8-TeCDD-like congeners are taken up and eliminated at constant rate.…”

“…Recently, many studies have focused on high trophic level animals such as seabirds, cetaceans, and seals, using them as bioindicators for monitoring marine pollution (6,(8)(9)(10)(11)(12). In addition to the studies on the accumulation of dioxin in high trophic level animals, biomagnification in the food web has also been described (4,13) by using stable isotopes of nitrogen to provide continuous trophic levels, a method which has been used to study the dynamics of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine contaminants in marine and freshwater food webs (14)(15)(16)(17)(18). Naito (4) studied the tropodynamics of PCDDs, PCDFs, non-and mono-ortho PCBs in the aquatic food chain of Tokyo Bay and found that non-and mono-ortho PCBs have a significantly higher biomagnification potential than PCDD/Fs.…”

“…Naito (4) studied the tropodynamics of PCDDs, PCDFs, non-and mono-ortho PCBs in the aquatic food chain of Tokyo Bay and found that non-and mono-ortho PCBs have a significantly higher biomagnification potential than PCDD/Fs. However, the food web used in Naito's study excluded organisms such as seabirds or mammals at high trophic levels, which are often included in the trophodynamic studies of chemicals (14,17,19,20). On the other hand, Broman (13) focused on the estimation of the bioaccumulation of PCDD/ Fs in two marine food webs including phytoplankton, zooplankton, fish, and eider ducks from the Northern Baltic.…”