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Investigating spatial patterns of mercury and rodenticide residues in raptors collected near the Charlotte, NC, USA, metropolitan area

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Abstract

Raptor population growth is dynamic and trends vary across species and by location in the United States. For those species that are declining, it is important to identify potential causes including chemical contaminants. Sampling wild raptors is problematic due to their small population sizes and role as a top predator. Therefore, we obtained liver samples (n = 56) from carcasses of several raptor species, including common species like red-tailed hawks, red-shouldered hawks, barred owls, great horned owls, and osprey that arrived dead or were euthanized from a non-profit rehabilitation center in Charlotte, North Carolina. Raptors were found or collected in South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, but most samples were located near the metropolitan region of Charlotte, NC. We analyzed livers for total mercury residue (mg/kg, dry weight) and five anti-coagulant rodenticides (μg/kg wet weight). Mercury was analyzed using a direct mercury analyzer approach and rodenticides were quantified by LC-MS. Mercury residues were high in piscivorous birds (15.09 mg/kg for osprey and 6.93 mg/kg for great blue herons, dry weight) and relatively high in red-shouldered hawks and one eastern screech owl tested. Six of our samples exceeded a health threshold of 1 mg/kg (wet weight) including three osprey and one each of great blue heron, red-shouldered hawk, and eastern screech owl. Brodifacoum was the only rodenticide consistently detected in our samples. Brodifacoum detections exceeded 75% in barred owls, great horned owls, and red-shouldered hawks. Sixty-nine percent of owl samples were within (or exceeded) a threshold of brodifacoum residue associated with a 10–20% risk of acute toxicity. Correlations between residues and human population density were not significant for either mercury or brodifacoum. Our data suggest that mercury residues for most raptors were not of significant concern with the exception of osprey and possibly red-shouldered hawks. Rodenticide exposures associated with a risk of acute toxicity appear to be common and warrant further investigation.

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Acknowledgements

LCMS analysis made possible by an NSF-MRI Grant (CHE-1624377) to DNB. We thank several students who helped with necropsies of raptors over the years including H. Williams, J. Doughty, and M. Weeks. We also thank A. Ball for help with sample preparation and cleanup for rodenticide analysis and F. Cardenas for help with sample preparation for mercury analysis. We thank two anonymous reviewers for helpful feedback that improved this manuscript

Funding

Funding for this research came from the Carolina Bird Club research grant to SMW and JFT.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Biology Department, Queens University of Charlotte, Charlotte, NC, USA

    Scott M. Weir & Jeffrey F. Thomas

  2. Chemistry Department, Davidson College, Davidson, NC, USA

    David N. Blauch

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  1. Scott M. Weir
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  2. Jeffrey F. Thomas
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  3. David N. Blauch
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Correspondence to Scott M. Weir.

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Responsible editor: Philippe Garrigues

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Weir, S.M., Thomas, J.F. & Blauch, D.N. Investigating spatial patterns of mercury and rodenticide residues in raptors collected near the Charlotte, NC, USA, metropolitan area. Environ Sci Pollut Res 25, 33153–33161 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-3229-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-018-3229-y

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