Environmental contaminants in four eider species from Alaska and arctic Russia

Stout, Jordan H; Trust, Kimberly A.; Cochrane, Jean Fitts; Suydam, Robert; Quakenbush, Lori T.

doi:10.1016/s0269-7491(01)00336-0

Cited by 49 publications

(41 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…White-tailed ptarmigan (Lagopus leucurus) in a Cd-polluted, low-Ca ecosystem showed evidence of renal tubular damage at kidney Cd levels greater than 100 g/g, and survival rates of ptarmigan from the Cd-polluted site were lower than those of birds from a nonpolluted site [28]. Cadmium levels in kidneys of sea ducks usually are less than 100 g/g wet weight, but levels as high as 70 g/g have been reported [5][6][7][8]29]. Evidence exists that Cd toxicity may occur at kidney concentrations less than 100 g/g wet weight.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Survival rates and blood metal concentrations in two species of free‐ranging North American sea ducks

Wayland

Drake

Alisauskas

et al. 2008

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Abstract-Populations of several species of North American sea ducks have declined in the past few decades. Exposure to environmental contaminants, particularly metals, has been proposed as one of many possible factors contributing to these declines. Population dynamics are influenced by survival rates and breeding effort. In the present study, we examined the relationships between blood metal concentrations (Cd, Pb, Se, and Hg) and apparent annual survival and recapture probabilities (the latter as a surrogate for breeding effort) in adult females of two sea duck species, the king eider (Somateria spectabilis) and the white-winged scoter (Melanitta fusca), both of which have experienced declines in continental population during in recent years. No support was found for the hypothesis that exposure of white-winged scoters to these metals or of king eiders to Cd, Se, and Pb adversely affected probabilities of apparent annual survival. We detected a weak negative relationship ( ϭ Ϫ0.833) between Hg and annual survival ␤ of king eiders, but the 90% confidence interval of the slope estimate overlapped zero (Ϫ2.439 to ϩ0.672). Recapture probabilities were unrelated to concentrations of Cd, Se, and Pb in either species. Evidence indicated that Hg concentrations affected recapture probability in white-winged scoters ( ϭ Ϫ194.77; 90% confidence interval, Ϫ203.770 to Ϫ185.778). Mercury levels were low ␤ in both species, and blood samples may not adequately represent long-term exposure to Hg. Therefore, conclusions regarding Hg effects on these birds should be considered with caution.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…org). In particular, exposure of sea ducks to some trace metals often is high relative to that of other species of birds [5][6][7][8].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Survival rates and blood metal concentrations in two species of free‐ranging North American sea ducks

Wayland

Drake

Alisauskas

et al. 2008

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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“…Studies on seabirds in many parts of the world have found Hg levels thought to be elevated above background levels, specifically in Antarctica (Norheim et al 1982), North America (Pearce et al 1979;Braune et al 2001), Europe (Furness et al 1995), Russia (Stout et al 2002), Asia (Kim et al 1996), and the North Pacific (Burger and Gochfeld 2000). Moreover, researchers have found these elevated Hg levels in species with diverse foraging strategies (Elliott et al 1992; Thompson et al 1992, Burger andGochfeld 2000).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marine Foraging Birds As Bioindicators of Mercury in the Gulf of Maine

et al. 2008

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From existing databases, we compiled and evaluated 604 total mercury (Hg) levels in the eggs and blood of 17 species of marine foraging birds from 35 Gulf of Maine islands to provide baseline data and to determine the best tissue, age class, and species for future biomonitoring. While mean Hg levels in most species did not exceed adverse effects thresholds, levels in some individual eggs did; for all species arithmetic mean egg Hg levels ranged from 0.04 to 0.62 (microg/g, wet weight). Piscivorous birds had higher Hg levels than invertivores. Leach's storm-petrel (Oceanodroma leucorhoa), razorbill (Alca torda), and black guillemot (Cepphus grylle) adult blood and egg Hg levels were higher than other species. Our results indicate that adult blood is preferable to chick blood for detecting long-term temporal trends because adult levels are higher and not confounded by metabolic effects. However, since we found that eggs and adult blood are comparable indicators of methylmercury bioavailability, we determined that eggs are the preferred tissue for long-term Hg monitoring because the relative ease in collecting eggs ensures consistent and robust datasets. We suggest specific sampling methods, and based on our results demonstrate that common eider (Somateria mollissima), Leach's storm-petrel, double-crested cormorant, and black guillemot are the most effective bioindicators of Hg of the Gulf of Maine.

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“…Recent studies report elevated lead concentrations in eiders, a commonly hunted waterfowl, from the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta region of western Alaska (11,12). The Alaska Native communities living around this region (e.g., Bethel) rely largely on a subsistence diet that includes waterfowl killed with lead shot.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Use of lead isotope ratios to identify sources of lead exposure in Alaska Natives

Patel

Adrianne

Jones

et al. 2008

International Journal of Circumpolar Health

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Objectives. Although banned nationwide for waterfowl hunting, lead shot is still used for hunting in regions of Alaska. Consumption of birds hunted with lead shot may be a route of human lead exposure in susceptible populations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Alaskan health officials conducted a cross-sectional exposure assessment and used isotope ratios (IR) to test that assumption. Study Design. Cross-sectional exposure assessment study. Methods. We compared isotopic profiles of blood lead in Alaska Native women from Bethel (n=10) and Barrow (n=10) to lead shot samples purchased from the respective regions. To evaluate the source of lead for the buckshot, we evaluated IR profiles for lead mineral and ore from a smelter in Torreon, Mexico, a suspected source of origin for the lead. Results. The lead IRs for the blood lead differed significantly from the lead shot IRs (p< 0.001); thus, lead shot is unlikely to be the sole source of lead exposure of public health significance in participants of this study. Overlap in IRs for the lead shot and blood lead existed for 6 (30%) of the women from Bethel and Barrow; however, no correlation was noted between lead levels and the IRs for the blood lead. IR profiles for lead mineral and ore from Mexico were substantially different from the IRs of lead shot from Alaska, confirming that buckshot in this study is unlikely to originate from the Mexican smelter. Conclusions. Lead shot from the manufacturer in this study does not appear to be the sole source of lead exposure in most participants; nonetheless, lead shot could yet be a potential source of exposure in some populations, possibly those whose diet consists of game hunted with lead shot.

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Environmental contaminants in four eider species from Alaska and arctic Russia

Cited by 49 publications

References 22 publications

Survival rates and blood metal concentrations in two species of free‐ranging North American sea ducks

Survival rates and blood metal concentrations in two species of free‐ranging North American sea ducks

Marine Foraging Birds As Bioindicators of Mercury in the Gulf of Maine

Use of lead isotope ratios to identify sources of lead exposure in Alaska Natives

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