Occurrence and risks of PCDD/Fs and PCBs in three raptors from North China

Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were investigated in muscle samples from common kestrels (Falco tinnunculus), eagle owls (Bubo bubo), and little owls (Athene noctua) collected in Beijing, China. The concentrations of PCDD/Fs were in the ranges of 22.7–5280, 67.5–1610, and 68.4–3180 pg/g lipid weight (lw), while levels of dioxin-like PCBs ranged from 4.91 to 1560, 8.08–294, and 28.2–3540 ng/g lw, in common kestrel, eagle owl, and little owl, respectively. The main PCDD/Fs congener was 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF, and CB-153 dominated the seven indicator PCBs. PCB levels have shown a decreasing trend in the last decade for the common kestrel, but not for little owl in Beijing, which exhibited higher levels of pollutants and toxic equivalency (TEQ) values than the other two species. Concentrations of PCDD/Fs, dioxin-like PCBs, and indicator PCBs differed between fledgling and adult raptors for certain species. Raptors in this study generally had a higher TEQ than the no-observed-effect level in the literature, indicating significant exposure risks to PCDD/Fs and dioxin-like PCBs in raptors, especially in adult little owls.