DNA damage in Arctic seabirds: Baseline, sensitivity to a genotoxic stressor, and association with organohalogen contaminants

Abstract

Environmental contaminants are found throughout Arctic marine ecosystems, and their presence in seabirds has been associated with toxicological responses. However, there are few studies of genotoxicity in Arctic avian wildlife. The purpose of the present study was to quantify deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage in lymphocytes of selected seabird species and to examine whether accumulation of organohalogen contaminants (ΣOHCs) affects DNA damage. Blood was sampled from common eider (Somateria mollissima), black guillemot (Cepphus grylle), black-legged kittiwake (Rissa tridactyla), glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus), arctic skua (Stercorarius parasiticus), and great skua (Stercorarius skua) in Kongsfjorden, Svalbard (Norway). Contaminant concentrations found in the 6 species differed, presumably because of foraging ecology and biomagnification. Despite large differences in contaminant concentrations, ranging from ΣOHCs 3.3 ng/g wet weight in the common eider to ΣOHCs 895 ng/g wet weight in the great skua, there was no strong difference among the species in baseline DNA damage or sensitivity to a genotoxic stressor (hydrogen peroxide). Baseline levels of DNA damage were low, with median values ranging from 1.7% in the common eider to 8.6% in the great skua. There were no associations between DNA damage and contaminants in the investigated species, suggesting that contaminant concentrations in Kongsfjorden are too low to evoke genotoxic effects, or possibly that lymphocytes are resistant to strand breakage. Clearly, genotoxicity is a topic for future studies of Arctic seabirds. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1084-1091. © 2017 SETAC.

Higher plasma oxidative damage and lower plasma antioxidant defences in an Arctic seabird exposed to longer perfluoroalkyl acids

“…To the best of our knowledge, only two studies have addressed this topic in free-living animals. 36 did not find any significant relationship between plasma PFAS concentrations and the activity of the antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase in plasma of white-tailed eagle nestlings, while 32 did not find any significant relationship between PFASs and amount of DNA damage in lymphocytes.…”

“…[17][18][19][20] It is worthwhile to note that while PFASs have been produced for over 50 years, it is only since late 1990s that their occurrence in the environment has come under scientific scrutiny. PFASs have raised recent concerns about their potential physiological disrupting properties and negative impacts on reproductive fitness in wildlife (multiple species in ; lesser black-backed gull in ; northern fulmar in 23 ; zebrafish in 24 ; tree swallow in 25 ; black-legged kittiwake and northern fulmar in 26 ; black-legged kittiwake in [27][28] ; black-legged kittiwake in [29][30] ; glaucous gull in 31 ; common eider, black guillemot, black-legged kittiwake, glaucous gull, arctic skua and great skua in 32 ).…”

Common Eider and Herring Gull as Contaminant Indicators of Different Ecological Niches of an Urban Fjord System

“…The higher concentrations of lipophilic OHCs and Hg in blood of common eider compared to that of herring gull illustrate the difference between these urban birds and more marine‐influenced gulls. In the Arctic, where marine feeding gulls occupy a higher trophic position compared to eiders, higher contaminant concentrations have been found in the former, due to the higher trophic position of the gulls and feeding in different parts of the food web (Savinov et al 2003; Haarr et al 2018). In urban areas, contaminant concentrations in gulls have been shown to increase with the proportion of marine prey in the diet (Santos et al 2017).…”

ToxChip PCR Arrays for Two Arctic-Breeding Seabirds: Applications for Regional Environmental Assessments

“…3,4,6 Seabirds are good bioindicators of environmental contaminant burdens due to their relatively high trophic position, their diverse foraging habits and migration ranges, and the existence of established field collection protocols. 7 Intermittent Arctic seabird monitoring for contaminants began in 1975 and became more consistent in the 1990s, 4,8,9 which has enabled both temporal and spatial evaluation of contaminant burdens in these important indicator species. These studies have also resulted in an increased understanding of how contaminant burdens in different tissues relate to exposure during migratory or breeding periods.…”

“…Additionally, cold conditions favor the persistence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) due to slower degradation rates . Many high trophic level species in the Arctic have elevated lipid content, enabling bioaccumulation and biomagnification of highly lipophilic chemicals. ,, Seabirds are good bioindicators of environmental contaminant burdens due to their relatively high trophic position, their diverse foraging habits and migration ranges, and the existence of established field collection protocols . Intermittent Arctic seabird monitoring for contaminants began in 1975 and became more consistent in the 1990s, ,, which has enabled both temporal and spatial evaluation of contaminant burdens in these important indicator species.…”