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Organochlorine residues in blood of cinereous vultures and Eurasian griffon vultures in a northeastern Mediterranean area of nature conservation

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Abstract

In the National Park of Dadia-Lefkimi-Soufli Forest (Dadia NP, Greece), seven “target” PCBs and 16 organochlorine pesticides (OCs) were analysed in blood samples of cinereous vultures (Aegypius monachus) and Eurasian griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus). PCB congeners 138, 153 and 180 predominated in both species’ blood samples. In both species, no differences were detected in congener levels between successive age classes, but in cinereous vulture, there were significant differences between adult and nestling in levels of PCB 28, 52, 101, 118 and between nestling and immature in levels of PCB 101. Regarding pesticides, p,p′-DDE dominated in both vultures followed by β-HCH, lindane and endosulfan sulphate, but ∑OCs were higher in griffon vulture. Significant differences were detected only between nestling and sub-adult cinereous vultures in heptachlor levels and between nestling and adult in p,p′-DDT. The origin of pollutants differs between the two vulture species and pollution patterns may not reflect those at Dadia NP.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Zoology, Aristotelian University, of Thessaloniki, 541 24, Thessaloniki, Greece

    Vassilis Goutner

  2. Dadia Project, WWF-Greece, Dadia, 684 00, Soufli, Greece

    Theodora Skartsi, Dimitrios Vasilakis & Javier Elorriaga

  3. Department of Environmental and Natural Resources Management, University of Ioannina, 301 00, Agrinio, Greece

    Ioannis K. Konstantinou

  4. Department of Chemistry, University of Ioannina, 451 10, Ioannina, Greece

    Theophanes M. Sakellarides & Triantafyllos A. Albanis

  5. Laboratory of Ecology and Management of Natural Resources, Department of Ecology and the Environment, 2 Kalvou Sq, 29100, Zakynthos, Greece

    Kostas Poirazidis

Authors
  1. Vassilis Goutner
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  2. Theodora Skartsi
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  3. Ioannis K. Konstantinou
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  4. Theophanes M. Sakellarides
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  5. Triantafyllos A. Albanis
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  6. Dimitrios Vasilakis
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  7. Javier Elorriaga
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  8. Kostas Poirazidis
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Correspondence to Vassilis Goutner.

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Goutner, V., Skartsi, T., Konstantinou, I.K. et al. Organochlorine residues in blood of cinereous vultures and Eurasian griffon vultures in a northeastern Mediterranean area of nature conservation. Environ Monit Assess 183, 259–271 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-1919-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-011-1919-8

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