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Razorbill (Alca torda) feathers as an alternative tool for evaluating exposure to organochlorine pesticides

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to explore the usefulness of feathers as a biomonitoring tool for organochlorine pesticides (OC) in a razorbill population (Alca torda). Fifteen OC were analyzed in feathers, including α-, β- and δ-hexachlorocyclohexane, lindane, aldrin, dieldrin, endrin, endosulfan I and II, endosulfan sulfate, p,p’-DDT, DDD, DDE, heptachlor and its epoxide. The geometric mean concentrations observed in this study were ∑DDT 67.40 ng/g, ∑HCH 62.88 ng/g, ∑Heptachlor 61.75 ng/g, ∑Endosulfan 19.70 ng/g, and ∑Drins 10.17 ng/g. The higher OC levels found in this study compared with other studies are probably affected by the razorbill diet and migration status. However, levels found in the feathers of the present study are related to concentrations in internal tissues below those which cause adverse reproductive and behavioral effects or other signs of organochlorine-pesticide poisoning in birds. Age does affect the concentration of OC pesticides in feathers. Thus, feathers would appear to be a promising tool for OC biomonitoring in seabirds, since it is possible to quantify OC compounds.

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Acknowledgments

Silvia Espín was provided with a grant from the Centre of Studies and Research for the Management of Agricultural and Environmental Risks (CEIGRAM). Special thanks to the Generalitat Valenciana for permission to obtain the samples and to Marcos Ferrández and Pablo Sánchez-Virosta for their help with sampling and necropsies. Thanks also to the Ministry for Science and Innovation and the Seneca Foundation (CARM) for their financial support via the MASCA’ 2004 (CGL2004-5959/BOS), MASCA’ 2008 (CGL-2008-4318/BOS) and 08758/PI/08 projects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Murcia, Campus de Espinardo, 30100, Murcia, Spain

    Silvia Espín, Emma Martínez-López, Pedro María-Mojica & Antonio J. García-Fernández

  2. Santa Faz Wildlife Recovery Centre, Generalitat Valenciana, Alicante, Spain

    Pedro María-Mojica

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  1. Silvia Espín
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  2. Emma Martínez-López
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  4. Antonio J. García-Fernández
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Correspondence to Antonio J. García-Fernández.

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Espín, S., Martínez-López, E., María-Mojica, P. et al. Razorbill (Alca torda) feathers as an alternative tool for evaluating exposure to organochlorine pesticides. Ecotoxicology 21, 183–190 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10646-011-0777-z

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