Trace elements in tissues of white chinned-petrels (Procellaria aequinoctialis) from Kerguelen waters, Southern Indian Ocean

• Published in: Polar Biology
• Main Authors: Cipro, Caio V. Z., Cherel, Yves, Caurant, Florence, Miramand, Pierre, Mèndez-Fernandez, Paula, Bustamante, Paco
• Other Authors: LIttoral ENvironnement et Sociétés (LIENSs), La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Centre d'Études Biologiques de Chizé - UMR 7372 (CEBC), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA)-La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2014
• Subjects: Procellariiformes; Heavy metals; subantarctic islands; Southern Ocean; seabirds; [SDV.TOX.ECO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Toxicology/Ecotoxicology; [SDE]Environmental Sciences; Indian; Kerguelen; Polar Biology
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-00990701; https://hal.science/hal-00990701/document; https://hal.science/hal-00990701/file/Cipro_et_al_2014_POLAR_BIOL.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-014-1476-z

International audience The use of seabirds to assess marine contamination by trace elements in areas remote from pollutant emission points has already been done at various latitudes. Nevertheless, little information is available concerning the Southern Indian Ocean. Determining the contaminants levels there appears necessary not only due to several deleterious effects reported in literature, but also as previous studies have highlighted elevated concentrations of cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg) in mollusks, crustaceans and fish. Within this context, the white-chinned-petrel appears as a key species due to its lifespan, diet and trophic position. Thirty three accidentally killed (collision with lights/bycatch in longline vessels) individuals collected in Kerguelen waters were analysed for Cd, copper (Cu), Hg, selenium (Se) and zinc (Zn) in liver, kidney, pectoral muscle, feathers and for mature males, testis. Elevated Hg concentrations (average: 58.4 g g-1 dw in liver) are likely due to the presence of mesopelagic prey in the diet of P. aequinoctialis. Cd concentrations (average of 65.7 g g-1 dw in kidney) can be attributed to a high level of fisheries offal consumption, as well as crustacean and squid ingestion. Correlation of Hg with Se indicates its detoxification by co-precipitation, and correlation of Cd with Zn suggests its displacement by Cd on metallothioneins binding sites. This work also indirectly confirms ecological data (range and diet composition) from the wintering period of the species, which is rather scarce. Seasonal diet change and moulting accounted more for the obtained results than sex of the birds.