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Levels and distribution pattern of organochlorine pesticide residues in eggs of 22 terrestrial birds from Tamil Nadu, India

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Abstract

Long-term monitoring is essential to assess the patterns and distribution of the residues of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in biota. Bird eggs have several advantages than other environmental matrixes, which have been used extensively to portray the accumulation and distribution of OCPs. The present study investigated the organochlorine pesticide (OCP) residues in eggs of 22 species of terrestrial birds collected from Tamil Nadu, India. Eggs found abandoned were collected during nest monitoring between 2001 and 2008 and analyzed for the presence of organochlorine pesticide residues. The results showed that the mean concentrations of total hexachlorohexane (∑HCHs), total dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (∑DDTs), heptachlor epoxide, and dieldrin ranged from non-detectable (nd) to 2800 ng/g, nd to1000 ng/g, nd to 700 ng/g, and nd to 240 ng/g on a wet mass (wm) basis, respectively. The variation in magnitude of contamination among the species and feeding guilds were not significantly different (p > 0.05). Among the OCPs analyzed, the residues of β-HCH and p,p′-DDE were found to be the abundant in concentration. Similarly, among various bird species studied, the highest concentrations of ∑OCPs (> 5000 ng/g wm) were recorded in the eggs of gray junglefowl, scaly-breasted munia, and red-whiskered bulbul. This may be due to their widespread occurrence of their habitat at proximity to the agricultural fields, where organochlorines were in use until recently. Among the various contaminants analyzed, concentrations of p,p′-DDE and heptachlor epoxide exceeded the threshold levels of toxicity for wild birds in > 5% of the egg samples. Hence, this study indicates the need for continued monitoring and further systematic ecotoxicological investigation of these compounds not only in eggs but also in other environmental media.

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Acknowledgments

We extend our gratitude to the Director, Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), for financial assistance. Authors are grateful to Dr Philippe Garrigues, editor, ESPR for his valuable comments on the manuscript. We appreciate all research scholars and S. Patturajan for their assistance in field and laboratory works.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ICMR-Regional Occupational Health Centre (Southern), Indian Council of Medical Research, Bangalore, 562110, India

    Dhananjayan Venugopal

  2. Sálim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History, Anaikatty, Coimbatore, 641108, India

    Dhananjayan Venugopal, Muralidharan Subramanian & Alaguraj Arumugam

  3. GITAM University, Bangalore Campus, Nagadenahalli, Bangalore, 561203, India

    Jayakumar Rajamani

  4. Department of Environmental Science, Periyar University, Salem, Tamil Nadu, 636011, India

    Jayanthi Palaniyappan

  5. Department of Zoology & Wildlife Biology, A.V.C. College (Autonomous), Mayiladuthurai, 609305, India

    Jayakumar Samidurai

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  1. Dhananjayan Venugopal
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Venugopal, D., Subramanian, M., Rajamani, J. et al. Levels and distribution pattern of organochlorine pesticide residues in eggs of 22 terrestrial birds from Tamil Nadu, India. Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 39253–39264 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-09978-5

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