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Fourteen legacy organochlorine (OC) contaminants and 12 perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were measured in eggs of tawny owls (Strix alueco) in central Norway (1986-2019). We expected OCs to have reached stable equilibrium levels due to bans, and that recent phase-out of some PFASs would have slowed the increase of these compounds. ∑OC comprised on average approximately 92% of the measured compounds, whereas ∑PFAS accounted for approximately 8%. However, whereas the ∑OC to ∑PFAS ratio was approximately 60 in the first 5 years of the study, it was only approximately 11 in the last 5 years. Both OC pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) showed substantial declines over the study period (~85%-98%): hexachlorocyclohexanes and chlordanes seemed to be levelling off, whereas p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) and hexachlororbenzene (HCB), and most PCB congeners still seemed to decline at a more or less constant rate. While the concentration of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), the dominating PFAS, was reduced by approximately 43%, other perfluorinated sulfonates (PFSAs) showed only minor changes. Moreover, the median concentrations of seven perfluorinated carboxylic acids (PFCAs) increased approximately five-fold over the study period. Perfluorononanoic acid and perfluoroundecanoate acid, however, seemed to be levelling off in recent years. In contrast, perfluorododecanoic acid, perfluorodecanoate acid, perfluorotridecanoic acid, and perfluorotetradecanoic acid seemed to increase more or less linearily. Finally, perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) was increasingly likely to be detected over the study period. Hence, most legacy OCs and PFOS have not reached a lower threshold with stable background levels, and voluntary elimination of perfluoroalkyl carboxylates still has not resulted in declining levels in tawny owls in central Norway. Environ Toxicol Chem 2022;41:1508-1519. © 2022 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.

We investigated trophic dynamics of Hg in the polluted Baltic Archipelago Sea using established trophic magnification (TMFs) and biomagnification factors (BMFs) on a comprehensive set of bird, fish, and invertebrate species. As different ecological and ecophysiological species traits may affect trophic dynamics, we explored the effect of food chain (benthic, pelagic, benthopelagic) and thermoregulatory strategy on trophic total Hg (THg) dynamics, using different approaches to accommodate benthopelagic species and normalize for trophic position (TP). We observed TMFs and most BMFs greater than 1, indicating overall THg biomagnification. We found significantly higher pelagic TMFs (3.58-4.02) compared to benthic ones (2.11-2.34) when the homeotherm bird species were excluded from models, but not when included. This difference between the benthic and pelagic TMFs remained regardless of how the TP of benthopelagic species was modeled, or whether TMFs were normalized for TP or not. TP-corrected BMFs showed a larger range (0.44-508) compared to BMFs representing predator-prey concentration ratios (0.05-82.2). Overall, the present study shows the importance of including and evaluating the effect of ecological and ecophysiological traits when investigating trophic contaminant dynamics.

Climate change may affect temporal trends of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Arctic wildlife. We studied how biological and climate variables influence temporal trends of selected POP groups in landlocked Arctic char muscle and in ringed seal blubber from West and East Greenland. The variables included fish length or animal age, sex, a stable nitrogen isotope, sea ice extent, air or seawater temperature, salinity and the Arctic Oscillation Index (AOI). Model selection for multiple regression showed that the most important predictors varied among POP groups, species and region. Decreasing time trends were found for all POP groups with the exception of hexachlorobenzene (HCB) concentration which remained stable in Arctic char and ringed seals from West Greenland. When retained in the most parsimonious model, the AOI was positively associated with POP concentrations for East Greenland seals, but negatively for West Greenland seals. Seawater temperature and sea ice extent were positively associated with POP concentrations. The effects of explanatory variables on the annual rates of change in POP concentrations were relatively minor relative to the decline caused by reduction in POP emissions following national and international regulations introduced since the 1970s.

In this study, we evaluated the suitability of body feathers, preen oil and plasma for estimation of organohalogen compound (OHC) exposure in northern goshawk Accipiter gentilis nestlings (n = 37; 14 nests). In addition, body feathers received further examination concerning their potential to provide an integrated assessment of (1) OHC exposure, (2) its dietary sources (carbon sources and trophic position) and (3) adrenal gland response (corticosterone). While tetrabromobisphenol A was not detected in any sample, the presence of polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides, polybrominated diphenyl ethers and hexabromocyclododecane in body feathers (median: 23, 19, 1.6 and 3.5 ng g−1 respectively), plasma (median: 7.5, 6.2, 0.50 and 1.0 ng g−1 ww, respectively) and preen oil (median: 750, 600, 18 and 9.57 ng g−1 ww, respectively) suggests analytical suitability for biomonitoring of major OHCs in the three matrices. Furthermore, strong and significant associations (0.20 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.98; all P < 0.05) among the OHC concentrations in all three tissues showed that body feathers and preen oil reliably reflect circulating plasma OHC levels. Of the dietary proxies, δ13C (carbon source) was the most suitable predictor for variation in feather OHCs concentrations, while no significant relationships between body feather OHCs and δ15N (trophic position) were found. Finally, body feather corticosterone concentrations were not related to variation in OHC concentrations. This is the first study to evaluate feathers of a terrestrial bird of prey as an integrated non-destructive tool to jointly assess nestling ecophysiology and ecotoxicology.

There has been a considerable number of reports on Hg concentrations in Arctic mammals since the last Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) effort to review biological effects of the exposure to mercury (Hg) in Arctic biota in 2010 and 2018. Here, we provide an update on the state of the knowledge of health risk associated with Hg concentrations in Arctic marine and terrestrial mammal species. Using available population-specific data post-2000, our ultimate goal is to provide an updated evidence-based estimate of the risk for adverse health effects from Hg exposure in Arctic mammal species at the individual and population level. Tissue residues of Hg in 13 species across the Arctic were classified into five risk categories (from No risk to Severe risk) based on critical tissue concentrations derived from experimental studies on harp seals and mink. Exposure to Hg lead to low or no risk for health effects in most populations of marine and terrestrial mammals, however, subpopulations of polar bears, pilot whales, narwhals, beluga and hooded seals are highly exposed in geographic hotspots raising concern for Hg-induced toxicological effects. About 6% of a total of 3500 individuals, across different marine mammal species, age groups and regions, are at high or severe risk of health effects from Hg exposure. The corresponding figure for the 12 terrestrial species, regions and age groups was as low as 0.3% of a total of 731 individuals analyzed for their Hg loads. Temporal analyses indicated that the proportion of polar bears at low or moderate risk has increased in East/West Greenland and Western Hudson Bay, respectively. However, there remain numerous knowledge gaps to improve risk assessments of Hg exposure in Arctic mammalian species, including the establishment of improved concentration thresholds and upscaling to the assessment of population-level effects.

To assess how climate-sensitive factors may affect the exposure to organochlorines (OCs) and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), we monitored concentrations in eggs of the common goldeneye (Bucephala clangula) over two decades (1999–2019) in central Norway. The goldeneye alternates between marine and freshwater habitats and is sensitive to climate variation, especially due to alterations in ice conditions which may affect feeding conditions. We assessed how biological factors such as diet (stable isotopes δ13C and δ15N), the onset of egg laying, and physical characteristics such as winter climate (North Atlantic Oscillation: NAOw) influenced exposure. We predicted compounds to show different temporal trends depending on whether they were still in production (i.e. some PFASs) or have been banned (i.e. legacy OCs and some PFASs). Therefore, we controlled for potential temporal trends in all analyses. There were declining trends for α- and γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH), oxychlordane, cis-chlordane, cis-nonachlor, p,p′-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p.p′-DDT) and less persistent polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners (e.g. PCB101). In contrast, the dominant compounds, such as p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p′-DDE) and persistent PCB congeners, were stable, whereas hexachlorobenzene (HCB) increased over time. Most OCs were positively related to δ15N, suggesting higher exposure in birds feeding at upper trophic levels. Chlordanes and HCB were positively associated with δ13C, indicating traces of marine input for these compounds, whereas the relationships to most PCBs were negative. Among PFASs, perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA) and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) declined. Most PFASs were positively associated with δ13C, whereas there were no associations with δ15N. Egg laying date was positively associated to perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid (PFHpS), perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), suggesting that some of the PFAS load originated from the wintering locations. Although NAOw had little impact on the exposure to organohalogenated contaminants, factors sensitive to climate change, especially diet, were associated with the exposure to OHCs in goldeneyes.

Migratory bird species may serve as vectors of contaminants to Antarctica through the local deposition of guano, egg abandonment, or mortality. To further investigate this chemical input pathway, we examined the contaminant burdens and profiles of the migratory South polar skua (Catharacta maccormicki) and compared them to the endemic Adélie penguin (Pygoscelis adeliae). A range of persistent organic pollutants were targeted in muscle and guano to facilitate differentiation of likely exposure pathways. A total of 56 of 65 targeted analytes were detected in both species, but there were clear profile and magnitude differences between the species. The South polar skua and Adélie penguin muscle tissue burdens were dominated by p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (mean 5600 ng g−1 lw and 330 ng g−1 lw respectively) and hexachlorobenzene (mean 2500 ng g−1 lw and 570 ng g−1 lw respectively), a chemical profile characteristic of the Antarctic and Southern Ocean region. Species profile differences, indicative of exposure at different latitudes, were observed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), with lower chlorinated congeners and deca-chlorinated PCB-209 detected in South polar Skua, but not in Adélie penguins. Notably, the more recently used perfluoroalkyl substances and the brominated flame retardants, hexabromocyclododecane and tetrabromobisphenol A, were detected in both species. This finding suggests local exposure, given the predicted slow and limited long-range environmental transport capacity of these compounds to the eastern Antarctic sector.

Telomeres are used as biomarkers of vertebrate health because of the link between their length, lifespan, and survival. Exposure to environmental stressors appears to alter telomere dynamics, but little is known about telomere length and persistent organic pollutant (POP) exposure in wildlife. The white-tailed eagle (WTE; Haliaeetus albicilla) is an avian top predator that accumulates high levels of POPs and may subsequently suffer adverse health effects. Here we study the Baltic WTE population that is well documented to have been exposed to large contaminant burdens, thereby making it a promising candidate species for analyzing pollutant-mediated effects on telomeres. We investigated telomere lengths in WTE nestlings (n = 168) over 19 years and examined legacy POP concentrations (organochlorines and polybrominated diphenyl ethers) in whole blood and serum as potential drivers of differences in telomere length. Although we detected significant year-to-year variations in telomere lengths among the WTE nestlings, telomere lengths did not correlate with any of the investigated POP concentrations of several classes. Given that telomere lengths did not associate with POP contamination in the Baltic WTE nestlings, we propose that other environmental and biological factors, which likely fluctuate on a year-to-year basis, could be more important drivers of telomere lengths in this population.

Mercury has become a ubiquitous hazardous element even ending up in pristine areas such as the Arctic, where it biomagnifies and leaves especially top predators vulnerable to potential health effects. Here we investigate total mercury (THg) concentrations and dietary proxies for trophic position and habitat foraging (δ15N and δ13C, respectively) in fur of 30 Arctic wolves collected during 1869–1998 in the Canadian High Arctic and Greenland. Fur THg concentrations (mean ± SD) of 1.46 ± 1.39 μg g −1 dry weight are within the range of earlier reported values for other Arctic terrestrial species. Based on putative thresholds for Hg-mediated toxic health effects, the studied Arctic wolves have most likely not been at compromised health. Dietary proxies show high dietary plasticity among Arctic wolves deriving nutrition from both marine and terrestrial food sources at various trophic positions. Variability in THg concentrations seem to be related to the wolves' trophic position rather than to different carbon sources or regional differences (East Greenland, the Foxe Basin and Baffin Bay area, respectively). Although the present study remains limited due to the scarce, yet unique historic study material and small sample size, it provides novel information on temporal and spatial variation in Hg pollution of remote Arctic species.

International audience; Since the last Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme (AMAP) effort to review biological effects of mercury (Hg) on Arctic biota in 2011 and 2018, there has been a considerable number of new Arctic bird studies. This review article provides contemporary Hg exposure and potential health risk for 36 Arctic seabird and shorebird species, representing a larger portion of the Arctic than during previous AMAP assessments now also including parts of the Russian Arctic. To assess risk to birds, we used Hg toxicity benchmarks established for blood and converted to egg, liver, and feather tissues. Several Arctic seabird populations showed Hg concentrations that exceeded toxicity benchmarks, with 50 % of individual birds exceeding the "no adverse health effect" level. In particular, 5 % of all studied birds were considered to be at moderate or higher risk to Hg toxicity. However, most seabirds (95 %) were generally at lower risk to Hg toxicity. The highest Hg contamination was observed in seabirds breeding in the western Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Most Arctic shorebirds exhibited low Hg concentrations, with approximately 45 % of individuals categorized at no risk, 2.5 % at high risk category, and no individual at severe risk. Although the majority Arctic-breeding seabirds and shorebirds appeared at lower risk to Hg toxicity, recent studies have reported deleterious effects of Hg on some pituitary hormones, genotoxicity, and reproductive performance. Adult survival appeared unaffected by Hg exposure, although long-term banding studies incorporating Hg are still limited. Although Hg contamination across the Arctic is considered low for most bird species, Hg in combination with other stressors, including other contaminants, diseases, parasites, and climate change, may still cause adverse effects. Future investigations on the global impact of Hg on Arctic birds should be conducted within a multi-stressor framework. This information helps to address Article 22 (Effectiveness Evaluation) of the Minamata Convention on Mercury as a global pollutant.

The occurrence of organohalogenated compounds (OHCs) in wildlife has received considerable attention over the last decades. Among the matrices used for OHCs biomonitoring, feathers are particularly useful as they can be collected in a minimally or non-invasive manner. In this study, concentrations of various legacy OHCs -polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)-, as well as emerging OHCs -per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and organophosphate ester flame retardants (OPEs)- were determined in feathers of 72 Eurasian eagle-owls (Bubo bubo) from Norway, with the goal of studying spatiotemporal variation using a non-invasive approach. Molted feathers were collected at nest sites from northern, central and southern Norway across four summers (2013-2016). Additionally, two museum-archived feathers from 1979 to 1989 were included. Stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen isotopes (δ15N) were used as dietary proxies. In total, 11 PFAS (sum range 8.25-215.90 ng g

Organophosphate flame retardants (PFRs) have largely replaced the market of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Concerns about PFR contamination and its impact on human health have consequently increased. A comprehensive investigation on the human exposure pathways to PFRs is to be endeavoured. This study investigated the occurrence of PFR metabolites in human urine, serum and hair, correlating them with external exposure data that was presented in our previous studies. Participants from Oslo (n = 61) provided a set of samples, including dust, air, handwipes, food, urine, serum and hair. Associations between PFR metabolites analyzed in the biological samples and the PFRs in environmental samples were explored. Different sampling strategies for dosimeters (e.g. floor/surface dust, personal/stationary air) were also compared to understand which is better for predicting human exposure to PFRs. Seven out of the eleven target PFR metabolites, including diphenyl phosphate (DPHP) and bis(1-chloro-2-propyl)-1-hydroxy-2-propyl phosphate (BCIPHIPP), were frequently detected (DF > 30%) in urine. DPHP was the most frequently detected metabolite in both serum and hair. Several PFR metabolites had higher levels in morning urine than in afternoon urine. Floor dust appeared to be a better proxy for estimating PFR internal exposure than surface dust, air, and handwipes. Some PFRs in handwipes and air were also correlated with their metabolites in urine and hair. Age, beverage consumption and food consumption were negatively associated with DPHP levels in urine. Discrepancies observed between the external and internal exposure for some PFRs call for further investigation on PFR bioaccessibility and clearance. Keywords: PFR metabolites, Exposure pathways, Dust, Air, Handwipe, Urine

Short-, medium-, and long-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs, MCCPs, and LCCPs) have a wide range of physical-chemical properties, indicating their varying bioaccumulation tendencies in marine and terrestrial ecosystems. However, there are few empirical data to reveal such bioaccumulation tendencies. In this study, we analyzed SCCPs, MCCPs, and LCCPs in samples from 18 species at both low and high trophic levels of marine and terrestrial ecosystems from the Scandinavian region collected during the past decade. These included fish, seabirds, marine mammals, and terrestrial birds and mammals. SCCPs, MCCPs, and LCCPs were present in all the species, with concentrations ranging from 26-1500, 30-1600, 6.0-1200 ng/g lipid, respectively. Although MCCPs and SCCPs predominated in most species, many terrestrial species had generally higher concentrations of LCCPs than marine species. Terrestrial raptors in particular accumulated higher concentrations of LCCPs, including C 24/25 - which are predominant among very-long-chain components. LCCP concentrations were highest and predominated (55% of total CPs) in peregrine falcons in this study, which is the first report where concentrations of LCCPs surpass those of SCCPs and MCCPs in wildlife. The results also indicate biomagnification of SCCPs, MCCPs, and LCCPs in both marine and terrestrial food chains, but in-depth studies of specific food webs are needed.

Resumen del póster presentado al SETAC Europe 31st Annual Meeting, celebrado de forma virtual del 3 al 6 de mayo de 2021., As a key part of the European Green Deal, the EU Chemicals Strategy aims for a non-toxic environment. A key challenge in this respect is to apply biomonitoring data in toxicological and ecotoxicological risk assessment to inform better management of chemicals in Europe. Raptors (birds of prey, owls and falcons) are widely used as sentinel species in monitoring programs and are particularly well-suited to contaminant monitoring. Delivering relevant contaminant data at pan-European scale requires the development of a pan-European network that brings together fieldworkers, sample collections and analytical laboratories, and of frameworks for the gathering, storage and analysis of raptor samples, together with related capacity-building and sharing of best practice. This challenge is being addressed by the COST Action European Raptor Biomonitoring Facility (https://erbfacility.eu/) building on the precursor Networking Programme Research and Monitoring for and with Raptors in Europe (EURAPMON; http://www.eurapmon.net/). This poster introduces a schematic sampling protocol for contaminant monitoring in raptors. The protocol provides best-practice guidance in a format accessible to both professionals and volunteers. The protocol aims to enhance sampling capabilities across Europe, ensure appropriate quality of samples and facilitate harmonization of procedures to maximize the reliability, comparability and interoperability of resulting contaminant data. The protocol starts with each matrix type, including sample types that are collected both during active (samples from captured birds and monitored nests) and passive (samples from dead birds and deserted nests) sampling. For each sample type (whole blood, plasma, serum, deserted or addled eggs, feathers, preen oil, regurgitated pellets, prey remains, gastric content and internal tissues), a specific protocol offering additional information is provided (e.g., collecting procedure, volume/mass of sample needed for contaminant monitoring, container types to conserve the sample, transport and storage conditions). The full protocol can be found online (https://doi.org/10.1007/s13280-020-01341-9)., European Raptor Biomonitoring Facility COST Action (CA16224) is supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology). Silvia Espín is supported by Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (IJCI-2017-34653).

While new chemicals have replaced major toxic legacy contaminants such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT), knowledge of their current levels and biomagnification potential in Baltic Sea biota is lacking. Therefore, a suite of chemicals of emerging concern, including organophosphate esters (OPEs), short-chain, medium-chain and long-chain chlorinated paraffins (SCCPs, MCCPs, LCCPs), halogenated flame retardants (HFRs), and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), were analysed in blue mussel (Mytilus edulis), viviparous eelpout (Zoarces viviparus), Atlantic herring (Clupea harengus), grey seal (Halichoerus grypus), harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), common eider (Somateria mollissima), common guillemot (Uria aalge) and white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) from the Baltic Proper, sampled between 2006 and 2016. Results were benchmarked with existing data for legacy contaminants. The mean concentrations for ΣOPEs ranged from 57 to 550 ng g −1 lipid weight (lw), for ΣCPs from 110 to 640 ng g −1 lw for ΣHFRs from 0.42 to 80 ng g −1 lw, and for ΣPFAS from 1.1 to 450 ng g −1 wet weight. Perfluoro-4-ethylcyclohexanesulfonate (PFECHS) was detected in most species. Levels of OPEs, CPs and HFRs were generally similar or higher than those of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and/or hexabromocyclododecane (HBCDD). OPE, CP and HFR concentrations were also similar to PCBs and DDTs in blue mussel, viviparous eelpout and Atlantic herring. In marine mammals and birds, PCB and DDT concentrations remained orders of magnitude higher than those of OPEs, CPs, HFRs and PFAS. Predator-prey ratios for individual OPEs (0.28–3.9) and CPs (0.40–5.0) were similar or somewhat lower than those seen for BDE-47 (5.0–29) and HBCDD (2.4–13). Ratios for individual HFRs (0.010–37) and PFAS (0.15–47) were, however, of the same order of magnitude as seen for p,p′-DDE (4.7–66) and CB-153 (31–190), indicating biomagnification potential for many of the emerging contaminants. Lack of toxicity data, including for complex mixtures, makes it difficult to assess the risks emerging contaminants pose. Their occurence and biomagnification potential should trigger risk management measures, particularly for MCCPs, HFRs and PFAS.

Apex predators are characterized by high levels of biomagnifying organohalogenated contaminants (OHCs) which have been found to induce detrimental health effects in wildlife, such as immune system impairment. The leukocyte coping capacity (LCC) assay is a functional real-time measure of an innate immune response essential in pathogen resistance, known as the respiratory burst. The current study suggests the novel use of this tool to test whether OHCs impair the innate immune system of a sentinel top predator, the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla; WTE). The LCC analysis was performed in the field on WTE nestlings (n = 84) from northern Norway over two breeding seasons. Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) dominated the total OHC load, surpassing the levels of legacy organochlorines. In addition, we detected significant negative correlations between concentrations of all polychlorinated biphenyls, p,p′-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene, perfluorohexane sulfonic acid and long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids and the LCC of WTE nestlings. Based on our current findings reflecting a potential negative effect of both emerging and legacy OHCs on innate immune capacity, we suggest LCC to be a relevant and accessible test expanding the ecotoxicological toolbox to assess sub-lethal effects of OHCs in apex avian wildlife.

Here we review contaminant exposure and related health effects in six selected Baltic key species. Sentinel species included are common eider, white-tailed eagle, harbour porpoise, harbour seal, ringed seal and grey seal. The review represents the first attempt of summarizing available information and baseline data for these biomonitoring key species exposed to industrial hazardous substances focusing on anthropogenic persistent organic pollutants (POPs). There was only limited information available for white-tailed eagles and common eider while extensive information exist on POP exposure and health effects in the four marine mammal species. Here we report organ-tissue endpoints (pathologies) and multiple biomarkers used to evaluate health and exposure of key species to POPs, respectively, over the past several decades during which episodes of significant population declines have been reported. Our review shows that POP exposure affects the reproductive system and survival through immune suppression and endocrine disruption, which have led to population-level effects on seals and white-tailed eagles in the Baltic. It is notable that many legacy contaminants, which have been banned for decades, still appear to affect Baltic wildlife. With respect to common eiders, changes in food composition, quality and contaminant exposure seem to have population effects which need to be investigated further, especially during the incubation period where the birds fast. Since new industrial contaminants continuously leak into the environment, we recommend continued monitoring of them in sentinel species in the Baltic, identifying possible effects linked to climate change, and modelling of population level effects of contaminants and climate change.

Temporal trends of total mercury (THg) were examined in female polar bear (

The white-tailed eagle (

Understanding the spatiotemporal patterns of legacy organochlorines (OCs) is often difficult because monitoring practices differ among studies, fragmented study periods, and unaccounted confounding by ecological variables. We therefore reconstructed long-term (1939–2015) and large-scale (West Greenland, Norway, and central Sweden) trends of major legacy OCs using white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) body feathers, to understand the exposure dynamics in regions with different contamination sources and concentrations, as well as the effectiveness of legislations. We included dietary proxies (δ13C and δ15N) in temporal trend models to control for potential dietary plasticity. Consistent with the hypothesised high local pollution sources, levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) and hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) in the Swedish subpopulation exceeded those in the other subpopulations. In contrast, chlordanes (CHLs) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) showed higher concentrations in Greenland, suggesting the importance of long-range transport. The models showed significantly decreasing trends for all OCs in Sweden in 1968–2011 except for CHLs, which only decreased since the 1980s. Nevertheless, median concentrations of DDTs and PCBs remained elevated in the Swedish subpopulation throughout the 1970s, suggesting that the decreases only commenced after the implementation of regulations during the 1970s. We observed significant trends of increasing concentrations of PCBs, CHLs and HCB in Norway from the 1930s to the 1970s/1980s and decreasing concentrations thereafter. All OC concentrations, except those of PCBs were generally significantly decreasing in the Greenland subpopulation in 1985-2013. All three subpopulations showed generally increasing proportions of the more persistent compounds (CB 153, p.p′-DDE and β-HCH) and decreasing proportions of the less persistent ones (CB 52, p.p′-DDT, α- and γ-HCH). Declining trends of OC concentrations may imply the decreasing influence of legacy OCs in these subpopulations. Finally, our results demonstrate the usefulness of archived museum feathers in retrospective monitoring of spatiotemporal trends of legacy OCs using birds of prey as sentinels. This article is available under the Creative Commons CC-BY-NC-ND license and permits non-commercial use of the work as published, without adaptation or alteration provided the work is fully attributed.

Human-induced mercury (Hg) contamination is of global concern and its effects on wildlife remain of high concern, especially in environmental hotspots such as inland aquatic ecosystems. Mercury biomagnifies through the food web resulting in high exposure in apex predators, such as the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), making them excellent sentinel species for environmental Hg contamination. An expanding population of white-tailed eagles is inhabiting a sparsely populated inland area in Lapland, northern Finland, mainly around two large reservoirs flooded 50 years ago. As previous preliminary work revealed elevated Hg levels in this population, we measured Hg exposure along with dietary proxies (δ13C and δ15N) in body feathers collected from white-tailed eagle nestlings in this area between 2007 and 2018. Mercury concentrations were investigated in relation to territory characteristics, proximity to the reservoirs and dietary ecology as potential driving factors of Hg contamination. Mercury concentrations in the nestlings (4.97–31.02 μg g−1 dw) were elevated, compared to earlier reported values in nestlings from the Finnish Baltic coast, and exceeded normal background levels (≤5.00 μg g−1) while remaining below the tentative threshold of elevated risk for Hg exposure mediated health effect (>40.00 μg g−1). The main drivers of Hg contamination were trophic position (proxied by δ15N), the dietary proportion of the predatory fish pike (Esox lucius), and the vicinity to the Porttipahta reservoir. We also identified a potential evolutionary trap, as increased intake of the preferred prey, pike, increases exposure. All in all, we present results for poorly understood freshwater lake environments and show that more efforts should be dedicated to further unravel potentially complex pathways of Hg exposure to wildlife.

We reconstructed the first long-term (1968-2015) spatiotemporal trends of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) using archived body feathers of white-tailed eagles (

Sulphate soils, characterised by low pH conditions, are found worldwide, and are potentially large sources of metal contamination, often exceeding industrial emissions. Metal leaching from sulphate soils has been shown to be harmful to aquatic organisms, but the cascading effect on exposure in apex avian predators has not been studied earlier. With the present study we aimed at evaluating the potential of white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) and great cormorant (Phalacrocorax carbo) nestlings, collected from nests located either in sulphate soil or control areas, for monitoring spatial contaminant trends of metals typically associated with sulphate soils. In blood of white-tailed eagles, the concentrations of aluminium and cobalt were significantly higher in sulphate soil areas. In blood of great cormorants, the concentrations of copper and manganese were so, while the concentration of zinc was found to be lower. Also, we observed an interaction between the latitude and soil type in cobalt and lithium concentrations of great cormorants, showing that concentrations in the sulphate soil associated nestlings rose more steeply towards the north than in the control group. Latitudinal trends of higher concentrations in the south were found in cadmium, manganese, and copper of white-tailed eagle nestlings, while thallium of white-tailed eagle nestlings, and thallium and zinc of great cormorant nestlings showed a latitudinal trend of higher concentrations in the north. Concentrations of several metals correlated positively within a species indicating covariation in metal exposure. Generally, the metal concentrations in both species were similar to levels reported to be below toxicity thresholds in other species. These results indicate, that white-tailed eagle and great cormorant nestling metal burdens may indicate environmental contamination from acidic sulphate soil runoff, and that they may act as indicators of latitudinal gradient identifying different contamination sources.

Paola Movalli et al., European Raptor Biomonitoring Facility COST Action (CA16224) is supported by COST (European Cooperation in Science and Technology) and funded by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union. Life APEX is financed by the European Union through the program LIFE17ENV/SK/000355‘Systematic use ofcontaminant data from apex predators and their prey in chemicals management’.

The spatiotemporal trends of mercury (Hg) are crucial for the understanding of this ubiquitous and toxic contaminant. However, uncertainties often arise from comparison among studies using different species, analytical and statistical methods. The long-term temporal trends of Hg exposure were reconstructed for a key sentinel species, the white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla). Body feathers were sampled from museum collections covering 150 years in time (from 1866 to 2015) from West Greenland (n = 124), Norway (n = 102), and Sweden (n = 87). A significant non-linear trend was observed in the Norwegian subpopulation, with a 60% increase in exposure occurring from 1866 to 1957 followed by a 40% decline until 2015. In the Swedish subpopulation, studied at a later period, the Hg exposure showed a drastic decline of 70% from 1967 to 2011. In contrast, no significant trend could be observed in the Greenland subpopulation. The additional analysis of dietary proxies (delta C-13 and delta N-15) in general increased performance of the temporal trend models, but this was dependent on the subpopulation and study period. The downward trend of Hg coincided with the decreasing delta C-13 and delta N-15 in the Norwegian subpopulation, suggesting a potential dietary mitigation of Hg contamination. Hg exposure in both the Greenland and Norwegian subpopulations was consistently below the suggested threshold for adverse health effects (40.0 mu g g(-1)), while the maximum exposure in the Swedish subpopulation was distinctively elevated ( median: 46.0 mu g g(-1)) and still remains well above natural background concentrations (maximum 5.0 mu g g(-1)). (C) 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

For many years, the sculpin has been utilized as a sentinel monitoring species for anthropogenic impacts on the marine environment. To further develop its potential as a screening model body burden of several trace elements, including cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and selenium (Se), were investigated. In addition, histopathology in shorthorn sculpins (Myoxocephalus scorpius; n = 20) and fourhorn sculpins (Myoxocephalus quadricornis; n = 10) were examined at three sites around the Scoresby Sound settlement in Central East Greenland. Fourhorn sculpins caught at the most distant site from the settlement, contained significantly higher hepatic Cu and Cd concentrations as well as significantly elevated gill Pb levels compared to the shorthorn sculpins collected at two other sites closer to the settlement. Histological examinations showed that fish with significantly higher concentrations of hepatic Cd and Se exhibited greater nuclear alterations, interstitial hyperplasia/hypertrophy, interstitial mononuclear infiltrations and granulomas. Further, fish with higher Cd and Cu gill tissue levels displayed a significantly higher number of cytoplasmic alterations and lamellar epithelium lifting, hypertrophic and hyperplastic epithelium along with mucus cell hyperplasia. While the presence of liver lesions were not species or sex-specific, the presence of gill lesions decreased in the order female fourhorn sculpins > female shorthorn sculpins > male fourhorn sculpins > male shorthorn sculpins. Hepatic Hg concentrations exceeded known lowest observable effect doses (LOED) for fish (0.1–0.5 μg g−1 ww) in 27% of fish, while liver Cd residues in 80% exceeded LOED (0.42–1.8 μg g−1 ww). Based upon these results, data suggest that using the sculpin as a valuable sentinel fish species histopathology may serve as a reliable tool for assessing marine ecosystem exposure to trace metals. However, confounding physiological and ecological factors also need to be considered.

Concentrations of organohalogenated contaminants (OHCs) can show significant temporal and spatial variation in the environment and wildlife. Most of the variation is due to changes in use and production, but environmental and biological factors may also contribute to the variation. Nestlings of top predators are exposed to maternally transferred OHCs in the egg and through their dietary intake after hatching. The present study investigated spatial and temporal variation of OHCs and the role of age and diet on these variations in plasma of Norwegian white-tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) nestlings. The nestlings were sampled at two locations, Smola and Steigen, in 2015 and 2016. The age of the nestlings was recorded (range: 44 87 days old) and stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes (delta C-13 and (delta N-15) were applied as dietary proxies for carbon source and trophic position, respectively. In total, 14 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs, range: 0.82 - 59.05 ng/mL), 7 organochlorinated pesticides (0CPs, range: 0.89 - 52.19 ng/mL), 5 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs, range: 0.03 - 2.64 ng/mL) and 8 perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs, range: 4.58 - 52.94 ng/mL) were quantified in plasma samples from each location and year. The OHC concentrations, age and dietary proxies displayed temporal and spatial variations. The age of the nestlings was indicated as the most important predictor for OHC variation as the models displayed significantly decreasing plasma concentrations of PCBs, OCPs, and PBDEs with increasing age, while concentrations of PFASs were significantly increasing with age. Together with age, the variations in PCB, OCP and PBDE concentrations were also explained by delta C-13 and indicated decreasing concentrations with a more marine diet. Our findings emphasise age and diet as important factors to consider when investigating variations in plasma OHC concentrations in nestlings. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Despite the remoteness of the North Water, Northwest Greenland, the local Inughuit population is affected by global anthropogenic pollution and climate change. Using a cross-disciplinary approach combining Mercury (Hg) analysis, catch information, and historical and anthropological perspectives, this article elucidates how the traditional diet is compromised by Hg pollution originating from lower latitudes. In a new approach we here show how the Inughuits in Avanersuaq are subject to high Hg exposure from the hunted traditional food, consisting of mainly marine seabirds and mammals. Violation of the provisional tolerably yearly intake of Hg, on average by a factor of 11 (range 7–15) over the last 20 years as well as the provisional tolerably monthly intake by a factor of 6 (range 2–16), raises health concerns. The surplus of Selenium (Se) in wildlife tissues including narwhals showed Se:Hg molar ratios of 1.5, 2.3, and 16.7 in muscle, liver, and mattak, respectively, likely to provide some protection against the high Hg exposure. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s13280-018-1033-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Plasma samples from nestlings of two top predators, White‐tailed eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) and Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) from northern Norway were analysed for a wide range of PFASs. Body feathers from the White‐tailed eagles were also analysed and significant associations between specific PFASs in blood plasma and body feathers were found (0.36 < R2 < 0.67; all p < 0.05). This result suggests that analysing body feathers of White‐tailed eagle could potentially be a useful non‐invasive strategy to monitor PFASs exposure in nestlings of this species. White‐tailed eagles showed significantly higher levels of contaminants than Northern goshawks (plasma ∑PFASs Median = 45.83 vs 17.02 ng mL‐1 , p

The exposure to legacy polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDDs) and unrestricted 1,2-bis (2,4,6-tribromophenoxy) ethane (BTBPE), bis (2-ethylhexyl)-2,3,4,5-tetrabromophthalate (BEH-TEBP) and 2-ethylhexyl-2,3,4,5-tetrabromo-benzoate (EH-TBB) was examined in tail feathers of 76 birds belonging to ten predatory species inhabiting Pakistan. In addition, different feather types of six individuals of Black kite (Milvus migrans) were compared for their brominated flame retardant (BFR) levels. Black kite was found to be the most contaminated species with a median (minimum-maximum) tail feather concentration of 2.4 (0.70-7.5) ng g(-1) dw for Sigma PBDEs, 1.5 (0.5-8.1) ng g(-1) dw for Sigma HBCDDs and 0.10 ( 0.05 for both). Similarly, no significant concentration differences were observed among different feather types (all P > 0.05) suggesting their similar exposure. While variables such as species, trophic guild and delta N-15 values were evaluated as major predictors for BFR accumulation in the studied species, we predict that combined effects of just mentioned factors may govern the intra- and interspecific differences in BFR contamination profiles. We urge for further investigation of BFR exposure and potential toxicological effects in predatory birds from Asia with a more extensive sample size per species and location. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Little is known about the accumulation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and its consequences for seabirds in the Mediterranean basin. We characterised the plasma contaminant profile (polychlorinated biphenyls ΣPCBs; organochlorine pesticides ΣOCPs; polybrominated diphenyl ethers ΣPBDEs) of a population of the seabird Scopoli's shearwater (Calonectris diomedea) that breeds in the southern Mediterranean (Linosa Island) and investigated (i) whether sex, stable isotope ratios (related to diet), reproductive phase (early incubation vs. late breeding season) and body mass explained variation in contaminant burden and (ii) whether they predict health-related variables. The predominant category of POPs was ΣPCBs contributing between 53.0 and 92.4% of the total POPs in each shearwater. The percentage contribution of ΣOCPs to total POPs ranged between 7.6 and 47.0%, while that of ΣPBDEs ranged between < 1% and 22.1%. Near the end of the breeding season, concentrations of ΣPCBs, ΣOCPs and ΣPOPs were significantly higher than at the beginning of the incubation period. ΣPBDEs were higher in males than females near the end of the breeding season, while they were higher in females than males at the beginning of the egg incubation period. Carbon- and nitrogen isotope ratios and individual body mass were not significantly associated with any contaminant class. Mates differed in the concentration of POPs, but they had similar stable isotope values. There was little evidence for a connection between contaminants and blood-based markers of oxidative balance. None of the contaminants predicted the probability of a bird being resighted as a breeder the following year. Thus, although POPs were present at high concentrations in some individuals, our study suggests little concern regarding POP exposure for this shearwater population.

The present study investigated the current-use brominated flame retardants (BFRs) tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) and hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD), simultaneously with legacy polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), in Barn Owls (Tyto alba) collected from two regions with a contrasting degree of urbanisation and vicinity to point sources (Flanders in Belgium versus Normandy in France). Both tissues (muscle, liver, adipose and preen gland) and feathers (primary, tail and body feathers) showed elevated HBCD concentrations in Flanders, close to Europe's sole HBCD production plant in the Netherlands, and identified Normandy as a historical source region for PBDEs. In sharp contrast, the reactive BFR TBBPA bioaccumulated poorly (2.3%) in tissue samples, but was present in 96% of all body feather samples (0.367.07 ng g− 1 dw), equally in both regions. PBDE concentrations in tissues (7.46903 ng g− 1 lw) were considerably lower in the investigated Flemish Barn Owls, collected in 2008/2009, compared to specimens collected in 2003/2004 (4611,000 ng g− 1 lw), possibly suggesting the effectiveness of the 2004 European ban of Penta- and Octa-BDE mixtures. Feathers showed a similar trend and additionally exhibited HBCD concentrations (0.02333 ng g− 1 dw) surpassing those of PBDEs (0.5010.4 ng g− 1 dw). While body feathers were a reliable matrix to predict both internal PBDE (0.21 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.67) and HBCD body burdens (0.20 ≤ R2 ≤ 0.37), the suitability of primary and tail feathers appeared to be confounded by external contamination and moult. In conclusion, the present study clearly showed that the reactive versus additive use of BFRs results in contrasting exposure scenarios in a species higher up the food chain, and therefore may have profound implications for environmental health. In addition, the presented results extend the promising use of feathers as a non-destructive sampling strategy for current-use BFRs, and show that birds of prey are valid early-warning systems for environmental contamination.

Information on trace element pollution in the terrestrial environment and its biota is limited compared to the marine environment. In the present study, we collected body feathers and blood of 37 Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) nestlings from Tromsø (northern Norway), Trondheim (central Norway), and Murcia (southeastern Spain) to study regional exposure, hypothesizing the potential health risks of metals and other trace elements. Blood and body feathers were analyzed by a high resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (HR-ICP-MS) for aluminum (Al), nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), arsenic (As), selenium (Se), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb). The influence of regional differences, urbanization and agricultural land usage in proximity to the nesting Northern goshawks was investigated using particular spatial analysis techniques. Most trace elements were detected below literature blood toxicity thresholds, except for elevated concentrations (mean±SD ¿g ml¿1 ww) found for Zn (5.4±1.5), Cd (0.00023±0.0002), and Hg (0.021±0.01). Corresponding mean concentrations in feathers (mean±SD ¿g g¿1 dw) were 82.0±12.4, 0.0018±0.002, and 0.26±0.2 for Zn, Cd and Hg respectively. Multiple linear regressions indicated region was a significant factor influencing Al, Zn, Se and Hg feather concentrations. Blood Cd and Hg concentrations were significantly influenced by agricultural land cover. Urbanization did not have a significant impact on trace element concentrations in either blood or feathers. Overall metal and trace element levels do not indicate a high risk for toxic effects in the nestlings. Levels of Cd in Tromsø and Hg in Trondheim were however above sub-lethal toxic threshold levels. For holistic risk assessment purposes it is important that the concentrations found in the nestlings of this study indicate that terrestrial raptors are exposed to various trace elements., This study was part of NewRaptor (project ID 230465/F20) funded by the Norwegian Research Council and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). We acknowledge the following people for their help in obtaining the samples: Nathalie Briels and Sina Thu Randulff from NTNU and Gjøran Stenberg from Nord University (Norway), Mario León-Ortega, M. Paz Aldeguer, Pedro María Mojica and José Enrique Martínez from the University of Murcia (Spain).

In the present study, trace elements and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were quantified from Magnificent frigatebirds (Fregata magnificens) breeding at a southern Atlantic island. Stable isotope ratio of carbon (delta C-13) and nitrogen (delta N-15) were also measured to infer the role of foraging habitat on the contamination. For another group from the same colony, GPS tracks were recorded to identify potential foraging areas where the birds may get contaminated. Fourteen trace elements were targeted as well as a total of 40 individual POPs, including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The concentration of Hg in the blood was up to 6 times higher in adults (5.81 +/- 1.27 mu g g(-1) dw.) than in nestlings (0.99 +/- 0.23 mu g g(-1) dw.). A similar pattern was found for POPs. Sigma PCBs was the prevalent group both in adults (median 673, range 336 -2801 pg g(-1) ww.) and nestlings (median 41, range 19-232 pg g(-1) ww.), followed by the sum of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes and metabolites (Sigma DDTs), showing a median value of 220 (range 75 -2342 pg g(-1) ww.) in adults and 25 (range 13-206 pg g(-1) ww.) in nestlings. The isotope data suggested that the accumulation of trace elements and POPs between adults and nestlings could be due to parental foraging in two different areas during incubation and chick rearing, respectively, or due to a shift in the feeding strategies along the breeding season. In conclusion, our work showed high Hg concentration in frigatebirds compared to non-contaminated seabird populations, while other trace elements showed lower values within the expected range in other seabird species. Finally, POP exposure was found generally lower than that previously measured in other seabird species. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Little is known about the levels of organochlorines (OCs) in predatory bird species from Asia or the factors governing their concentrations. This study is the first report on concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in predatory birds of Pakistan. The concentrations of PCBs and OCPs were investigated using tail feathers of ten different species of predatory birds. In addition, concentration differences among body, tail, primary and secondary feathers were investigated for six individuals of black kite (Milvus migrans). Ranges of concentrations were highest for dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE: 0.11-2163 ng g(-1) dry wt,) followed by dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (p,p'-DDT: 0.36-345 ng g(-1) dry wt.), hexachlorobenzene (HCB: 0.02-34 ng g(-1) dry wt.), Sigma PCBs (0.03-16 ng g(-1) dry wt.) and trans-nonachlor (TN; 0.01-0.13 ng g(-1) dry wt.). CB 118, 153,138, and 180 along with p,p'-DDE were found as the most prevalent compounds. Sigma PCBs and Sigma DDTs were significantly different among species (both p < 0.01) and omnivorous, scavengers, carnivorous and piscivorous trophic guilds (all p < 0.03). Only Sigma PCBs were significantly clifferentamong different families of birds (p

This article is an output from a workshop on Setting Best Practices on Raptor Contaminant Monitoring Activities in Europe, one of the activities of the EURAPMON network (http:// www.eurapmon.net) hosted in Murcia in May–June 2013.-- et al., Biomonitoring using birds of prey as sentinel species has been mooted as a way to evaluate the success of European Union directives that are designed to protect people and the environment across Europe from industrial contaminants and pesticides. No such pan-European evaluation currently exists. Coordination of such large scale monitoring would require harmonisation across multiple countries of the types of samples collected and analysed-matrices vary in the ease with which they can be collected and the information they provide. We report the first ever pan-European assessment of which raptor samples are collected across Europe and review their suitability for biomonitoring. Currently, some 182 monitoring programmes across 33 European countries collect a variety of raptor samples, and we discuss the relative merits of each for monitoring current priority and emerging compounds. Of the matrices collected, blood and liver are used most extensively for quantifying trends in recent and longer-term contaminant exposure, respectively. These matrices are potentially the most effective for pan-European biomonitoring but are not so widely and frequently collected as others. We found that failed eggs and feathers are the most widely collected samples. Because of this ubiquity, they may provide the best opportunities for widescale biomonitoring, although neither is suitable for all compounds. We advocate piloting pan-European monitoring of selected priority compounds using these matrices and developing read-across approaches to accommodate any effects that trophic pathway and species differences in accumulation may have on our ability to track environmental trends in contaminants., The work undertaken for this review was also supported by EURAPMON.

Relationships between the presence of PCBs, OCPs and metals in aquatic ecosystems and the ecological water quality were investigated by combining datasets of long-term monitoring of chemicals in European eel (Anguilla anguilla, N = 1156) in Flanders (Belgium) and the Ecological Quality Ratio (EQR), based on the assessment of fish assemblages at 185 locations. For most pollutants, EQR scores were lower when pollutant levels were higher. Threshold concentrations for a good quality could be formulated for PCB's, most metals and OCPs. Mixed models suggested that the ecological water quality was significantly correlated with the presence of PCBs. However, the low R2 indicates that other environmental pressures may significantly influence the biotic integrity of fish communities. Empirical data and their analyses are essential to enable defining threshold values of bioaccumulated levels to allow better protection of the aquatic environment and its biota through associated food webs as demanded by the Water Framework Directive.

Very little is known on the exposure of high trophic level species to current-use brominated (BFRs) and phosphorus flame retardants (PFRs), although observations on their persistence, bioaccumulation potential, and toxicity have been made. We investigated the accumulation of BFRs and PFRs, and their associations with dietary proxies (δ(13)C, δ(15)N and δ(34)S), in plasma and feathers of White-tailed Eagle Haliaeetus albicilla nestlings from Trøndelag, Norway. In addition to accumulation of a wide range of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners in both plasma and feathers, all non-PBDE BFRs and PFRs could be measured in feathers, while in plasma only two of six PFRs, i.e. tris-(2-chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP) and tris-(2,3-dichloropropyl) phosphate (TDCPP) were detected. PFR concentrations in feathers (0.95-3,000 ng g(-1)) were much higher than selected organochlorines (OCs), such as polychlorinated biphenyl 153 (CB 153; 2.3-15 ng g(-1)) and dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE; 2.3-21 ng g(-1)), PBDEs (0.03-2.3 ng g(-1)) and non-PBDE BFRs (0.03-1.5 ng g(-1)). Non-significant associations of PFR concentrations in feathers with those in plasma (P ≥ 0.74), and their similarity to reported atmospheric PFR concentrations, may suggest atmospheric PFR deposition on feathers. Most OCs and PBDEs, as well as tris(chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), tris(phenyl) phosphate (TPHP) and tri-(2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP) were associated to δ(15)N and/or δ(13)C (all P ≤ 0.02). Besides δ(15)N enrichment, δ(34)S was depleted in nestlings from fjords, inherently close to an urbanised centre. As such, both may have been a spatial proxy for anthropogenic disturbance, possible confounding their use as dietary proxy.

Top predators in northern ecosystems may suffer from exposure to persistent organic pollutants (POPs) as this exposure may synergistically interact with already elevated natural stress in these ecosystems. In the present study, we aimed at identifying biological (sex, body condition), ecological (dietary carbon source, trophic level) and spatial factors (local habitat, regional nest location) that may influence intra- and interspecific variation in exposure of subarctic predatory bird nestlings to polychlorinated biphenyl 153 (CB 153), polybrominated diphenyl ether 47 (BDE 47), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p′-DDE) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB). During three breeding seasons (2008–2010), we sampled body feathers from fully-grown nestlings of three ecologically distinct predatory bird species in subarctic Norway: Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla) and Golden Eagle (Aquila chrysaetos). The present study analysed, for the first time, body feathers for both POPs and carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotopes, thus integrating the dietary carbon source, trophic level and POP exposure for the larger part of the nestling stage.Intraspecific variation in exposure was driven by a combination of ecological and spatial factors, often different for individual compounds. In addition, combinations for individual compounds differed among species. Trophic level and local habitat were the predominant predictors for CB 153, p,p′-DDE and BDE 47, indicating their biomagnification and decreasing levels according to coast > fjord > inland. Variation in exposure may also have been driven by inter-annual variation arisen from primary sources (e.g. p,p′-DDE) and/or possible revolatilisation from secondary sources (e.g. HCB). Interspecific differences in POP exposure were best explained by a combination of trophic level (biomagnification), dietary carbon source (food chain discrimination) and regional nest location (historical POP contamination).In conclusion, the combined analysis of POPs and stable isotopes in body feathers from fully-grown nestlings has identified ecological and spatial factors that may drive POP exposure over the larger part of the nestling stage. This methodological approach further promotes the promising use of nestling predatory bird body feathers as a non-destructive sampling strategy to integrate various toxicological and ecological proxies. Keywords: δ13C, δ15N, Body feather, Biomagnification, Habitat, Stable isotope

Hair sampled from 96 East Greenland polar bears (Ursus maritimus) over the periods 1892–1927 and 1988–2009 was analyzed for cortisol as a proxy to investigate temporal patterns of environmental stress. Cortisol concentration was independent of sex and age, and was found at significantly higher (p

To circumvent difficulties associated with monitoring adult predatory birds, we investigated the feasibility of different non-destructive strategies for nestling white-tailed eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla). We were able to quantify polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorinated pesticides (OCPs) in body feathers (16.92, 3.37 and 7.81 ng g− 1 dw, respectively), blood plasma (8.37, 0.32 and 5.22 ng mL− 1 ww, respectively), and preen oil (1157.95, 30.92 and 440.74 ng g− 1 ww, respectively) of all nestlings (N = 14). Strong significant correlations between blood plasma and preen oil concentrations (0.565 ≤ r ≤ 0.801; P < 0.05) indicate that preen oil levels closely reflect the internal state of contamination. We found fewer significant correlations between body feather and blood plasma concentrations, which were almost exclusively between PCB concentrations (0.554 ≤ r ≤ 0.737; P < 0.05). These results differ from a previous study on younger nestlings, and may indicate that the nestlings studied here, ready to fledge the nest, were possibly undergoing certain physiological changes that may have confounded the use of body feathers as biomonitor matrix. Finally, we provide an integrated discussion on the use of body feathers and preen oil as non-destructive biomonitor strategies for nestling predatory birds.

In previous studies, feathers of adult predatory birds have been evaluated as valid non-destructive biomonitor matrices for persistent organic pollutants (POPs). In this study, we assessed for the first time the usefulness of nestling raptor feathers for non-destructive biomonitoring of POPs. For this purpose, we collected body feathers and blood of nestlings from three avian top predators from northern Norway: northern goshawks (Accipiter gentilis), white-tailed eagles (Haliaeetus albicilla) and golden eagles (Aquila chrysaetos). We were able to detect a broad spectrum of legacy POPs in the nestling feathers of all three species (Σ PCBs: 6.78–140 ng g−1; DDE: 3.15–145 ng g−1; Σ PBDEs: 0.538–7.56 ng g−1). However, these concentrations were lower compared to other studies on raptor species, probably due to the aspect of monitoring of nestlings instead of adults. Besides their analytical suitability, nestling feathers also appear to be biologically informative: concentrations of most POPs in nestling feathers showed strong and significant correlations with blood plasma concentrations in all species (p