Latitudinal exposure to DDTs, HCB, PCBs, PBDEs and DP in giant petrels (Macronectes spp.) across the Southern Ocean

Studies on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Antarctic wildlife are scarce, and usually limited to a single locality. As a result, wildlife exposure to POPs across the Southern Ocean is poorly understood. In this study, we report the differential exposure of the major southern ocean scavengers...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental Research
Main Authors: Roscales, José L., González-Solís, Jacob, Zango, Laura, Ryan, Peter G., Jiménez, Begoña
Other Authors: Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (España), Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (España)
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:unknown
Published: Academic Press 2016
Subjects:
POPs
Seabirds
Antarctica
Long-rangetransport
Stableisotopes
Antarctic
Giganteus
Gough
Southern Ocean
Antarc*
Giant Petrels
Macronectes giganteus
Marion Island
W. Antarctica
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/134332
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envres.2016.04.005
https://doi.org/10.13039/501100003339
https://doi.org/10.13039/501100003329
Description
Summary:Studies on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Antarctic wildlife are scarce, and usually limited to a single locality. As a result, wildlife exposure to POPs across the Southern Ocean is poorly understood. In this study, we report the differential exposure of the major southern ocean scavengers, the giant petrels, to POPs across a wide latitudinal gradient. Selected POPs (PCBs, HCB, DDTs, PBDEs) and related compounds, such as Dechlorane Plus (DP), were analyzed in plasma of southern giant petrels (Macronectes giganteus) breeding on Livingston (62°S 61°W, Antarctica), Marion (46°S 37°E, sub-Antarctic), and Gough (40°S 10°W, cool temperate) islands. Northern giant petrels (Macronectes halli) from Marion Island were also studied. Stable isotope ratios of C and N (δC and δN) were used as dietary tracers of the marine habitat and trophic level, respectively. Breeding locality was a major factor explaining petrel exposure to POPs compared with species and sex. Significant relationships between δC values and POP burdens, at both inter- and intra-population levels, support latitudinal variations in feeding grounds as a key factor in explaining petrel pollutant burdens. Overall, pollutant levels in giant petrels decreased significantly with latitude, but the relative abundance (%) of the more volatile POPs increased towards Antarctica. DP was found at negligible levels compared with legacy POPs in Antarctic seabirds. Spatial POP patterns found in giant petrels match those predicted by global distribution models, and reinforce the hypothesis of atmospheric long-range transport as the main source of POPs in Antarctica. Our results confirm that wildlife movements out of the polar region markedly increase their exposure to POPs. Therefore, strategies for Antarctic wildlife conservation should consider spatial heterogeneity in exposure to marine pollution. Of particular relevance is the need to clarify the exposure of Antarctic predators to emerging contaminants that are not yet globally regulated. CSIC ...

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