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Penguin colonies as secondary sources of contamination with persistent organic pollutants
- Source :
- Organohalogen compounds, Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 9(8), 822-825, Journal of environmental monitoring, Journal of Environmental Monitoring 9 (2007) 8
- Publication Year :
- 2007
-
Abstract
- Although long-range atmospheric transport has been described as the predominant mechanism for exposing polar regions to persistent organic pollutants (POPs), recent studies have suggested that bird activity can also contribute substantially to contaminant levels in some environments. However, because the species so far reported have all been migratory, it has not been demonstrated conclusively whether locally elevated contamination represents transport from lower latitudes by the migrating birds or, alternatively, redistribution and concentration of contaminants that were already present in the high-latitude environments. The present study demonstrates, for the first time, that several POPs are present in elevated concentrations in an environment frequented by a non-migratory species (Adelie penguins) that spends its entire life in the Antarctic. Levels of POPs, such as p,p′-DDE, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), chlordanes (CHLs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), were 10 to 100-fold higher in soil samples from penguin colonies than from reference areas. This significant difference is likely related to local penguin activity, such as a higher abundance of guano and the presence of bird carcasses. This hypothesis is also supported by a higher percentage of persistent congeners (PCB 99, 118, 138 and 153) in the soil from the colonies compared to the reference areas. This profile of PCB congeners closely matched profiles seen in penguin eggs or penguin blood.
- Subjects :
- polybrominated diphenyl ethers
Polybrominated Biphenyls
Antarctic Regions
adelie penguin
antarctica
Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law
DDT
chemistry.chemical_compound
Polybrominated diphenyl ethers
organochlorine pesticides
island
Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated
Animals
Soil Pollutants
Tissue Distribution
Wageningen Environmental Research
Pesticides
Biology
soils
Pollutant
biology
Geography
Pharmacology. Therapy
Significant difference
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
Adelie penguin
General Medicine
Hexachlorobenzene
belgium
Contamination
biology.organism_classification
polychlorinated-biphenyls
Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Spheniscidae
Centrum Ecosystemen
Centre for Ecosystem Studies
chemistry
arctic lake ecosystems
Environmental chemistry
Soil water
transport
Guano
Environmental science
Environmental Pollutants
Environmental Monitoring
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 14640325 and 03387208
- Volume :
- 9
- Issue :
- 8
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Journal of Environmental Monitoring
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....71243f6f493ada24706d247e7ac51534