Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Mussels along the Chilean Coast

Mendoza, Gonzalo; Gutierrez, Luis A.; Pozo, Karla; Fuentes-Rios, Daniel; Montory, Mónica; Urrutia, Roberto; Barra, Ricardo

doi:10.1065/espr2006.01.011

Cited by 18 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…3, we can show that the fingerprint is similar to Arochlor 1260 commercial formulation. This is not surprising because this commercial formulation had been used in the southern hemisphere (Barra et al 2005;Mendoza et al 2006).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

Analysis of PCB levels in snow from the Aconcagua Mountain (Southern Andes) using the stir bar sorptive extraction

Quiroz¹,

Popp

Barra

2008

Environ Chem Lett

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This paper presents a first result of an investigation of the presence of anthropogenic pollutants named polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs, sum of 25 congeners) in snow samples in the Aconcagua Mountains in the Andean Range, along an altitudinal gradient. Samples were taken during an expedition in 2003 and analysed by using a specific technique of thermodesorption and GC-MS adapted to small amount of sample. Mountain ecosystems could be efficient natural trap of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) transported by the atmosphere, and it is shown in this note that PCBs are also present in snow samples but at low concentrations, levels ranged from 0.02 to 0.190 ng/L. The detected congeners were those more persistent (PCB 138, PCB180) and compared to other mountain and cold areas around the world, detected levels are in the low range indicating that pollution levels are lower in the southern hemisphere. This results points out the need of investigating with some more detail the role of mountains in the trapping of POPs and the associated risks including the climate change.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 81%

Analysis of PCB levels in snow from the Aconcagua Mountain (Southern Andes) using the stir bar sorptive extraction

Quiroz¹,

Popp

Barra

2008

Environ Chem Lett

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“…Since Mendoza et al (2006) reported the presence of pollutants (POPs, PCBs) in remote Patagonian lakes of Chile, long-range transport of bioaerosols into Patagonia must be considered as a possibility. The presence of CDC NO-1, here reported, also supports this possibility.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Unusual pathogenic bacterium isolated from microbial communities of bioaerosols at Chilean Patagonian lakes

et al. 2014

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Bioaerosols are transported from warm regions and lower latitudes of the planet to colder regions and higher latitudes, such as the Chilean Patagonia. The role of bioaerosols deposition in remote lake ecosystems is a potentially important process, but it has not yet been fully studied. The aim of this study was to detect and characterize potentially pathogenic viable microorganisms in bioaerosols in a pristine area. Samples were collected from the air, at three remote lakes in the Chilean Patagonia, using a sterile filtration system equipped with 0.2-lm-pore-size nitrocellulose filters. The bacterial community present in bioaerosols was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis. Isolates were identified and characterized for phenotypic and 16S rDNA analysis and antibiotic resistance. SEM observations of samples from each lake showed the presence of bacteria with different morphologies, and after culturing, the identification results revealed that they were strains of Acinetobacter, Alcaligenes, Edwarsiella, Pseudomonas, Burklolderia, Moraxella, Sphingomonas and CDC NO-1. CDC NO-1, uncommonly isolated worldwide, stands out from the rest of the isolates because it is a rarely found bacterium so far associated with dog and cat bites and was found at two out of three pristine lakes studied (Alto and Verde). This work demonstrates, for the first time, the presence of CDC NO-1, a clinically important Gram-negative microorganism, in bioaerosols and first report of CDC-NO1 isolation in Chile. Besides its presence in remote lakes, its antibiotic resistance is worth mentioning.

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“…However, these offi cial numbers grossly fi underestimate the real situation because of the existence of illegal and/or nonreported contaminated sites throughout the entire country (Barra et al 2006). Available data are scarce and fragmentary; however, it is clear that PCB contamination is widespread through the country, as even the concentrations reported for background levels are lower than in the Northern Hemisphere (Barra et al 2006;Borghini et al 2005). PCB values in sediments from a highland lake have been reported, with quite low levels, reaching maximum values of 2 ng/g dw, but with trends indicating an increase in recent times (Barra et al 2004).…”

Section: Chlorinated Hydrocarbons As Key Environmental Pollutantsmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…PCB values in sediments from a highland lake have been reported, with quite low levels, reaching maximum values of 2 ng/g dw, but with trends indicating an increase in recent times (Barra et al 2004). The most recent experience (Mendoza et al 2006) consisted of the spatial distribution analysis of PCBs in mussels for the length of the Chilean coast. In this study, statistical analysis of congeneric PCB composition indicated fi ve groups according to their fi molecular weight (number of chlorines), where the lighter congeners were observed in areas corresponding to high latitudes with total PCB values of 298 ng/g dry weight (Table 3).…”

Section: Chlorinated Hydrocarbons As Key Environmental Pollutantsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Remediation Technologies for Organochlorine-Contaminated Sites in Developing Countries

Bezama

Navia

Mendoza

et al. 2008

Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology

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Despite its importance in human life, until recently the relationship between soils and human health has been undervalued, especially in least developed countries. Currently, a holistic approach has been incorporated to identify best practices in soil science, defining it as "the task of all people concerned with the soil to direct their interest, not just towards the physical, chemical, and biological aspects, but also to those environmental, economic, social, legal, and technical aspects that affect soil use" (Abrahams 2002; Fent 2003). Considering this definition, the European Union (EU) as well as most developed countries have recognized organochlorine-contaminated sites as potential threats to the human health, threats that take different forms, such as their influence on water (e.g., drinking water resources), soil, and air as well as their interrelationships, which can directly affect human health (EC 2002; EP 2002; Bezama et al. 2004). Moreover, economic expansion and industrial growth are linked with growing lack of "greenfields" (a term that defines all areas without previous history of development): the supply of new building sites is limited and must contend with other competing uses, such as housing, recreation, nature, traffic, or agriculture (De Sousa 2001; Tedd et al. 2001). Thus, cleaning and reusing contaminated sites can be a meaningful alternative to address this issue, because most contaminated sites are located in metropolitan centres and are, therefore, prime candidates for urban development (Lorber et al. 2004).

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Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) in Mussels along the Chilean Coast

Abstract: Future studies are needed to confirm our findings utilizing another environmental matrix such as soil/sediments and air samples.

Cited by 18 publications

References 22 publications

Analysis of PCB levels in snow from the Aconcagua Mountain (Southern Andes) using the stir bar sorptive extraction

Analysis of PCB levels in snow from the Aconcagua Mountain (Southern Andes) using the stir bar sorptive extraction

Unusual pathogenic bacterium isolated from microbial communities of bioaerosols at Chilean Patagonian lakes

Remediation Technologies for Organochlorine-Contaminated Sites in Developing Countries

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