PCB and Heavy Metal Contamination and Effects in European Starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris ) at a Superfund Site

Arenal, Christine Ann; Halbrook, Richard S.

doi:10.1007/s001289900328

Cited by 16 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Concentrations ranged between 0.1 and 0.5 g/g wet weight in eggs [54]. At Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge (IL, USA), European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris), a terrestrial insectivore, had no reduction in hatching success associated with concentrations of 52 g/g wet weight Aroclor 1242 in 15-d-old nestlings [55]. That concentration is similar to levels of total PCBs present in Housatonic River nestlings.…”

Section: Total Pcbs: Other Passerine Species and Laboratory Studiesmentioning

confidence: 76%

Exposure and effects of chemical contaminants on tree swallows nesting along the Housatonic River, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, USA, 1998–2000

Custer

Dummer

et al. 2003

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Hatching success of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) was assessed for three years in relation to chemical contamination along the Housatonic River, Berkshire County (MA, USA), in 1998, 1999, and 2000. Nest boxes were erected at five sites along the Housatonic River and its tributaries and at one reference location. Concentrations of total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were some of the highest ever reported in bird eggs. Mean concentrations at sites along the Housatonic River ranged between 32 and 101 microg/g wet weight. A significant negative relationship was observed between concentrations of total PCBs in clutches and hatching success. A significant negative relationship was also observed between hatching success and the sum of the total dioxins and furans and the associated toxic equivalents (TEQs) for dioxins and furans. In a combined model with PCB TEQs and dioxin/furan TEQs, PCB TEQs were not significantly correlated to hatching success, whereas dioxin/furan TEQs were. Contamination of tree swallows was from local food sources. Accumulation rates of total PCBs in 12-d-old nestlings averaged between 34 and 76 microg/d at the sites along the main stem of the Housatonic River compared to <1 microg/d at the reference location.

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Section: Total Pcbs: Other Passerine Species and Laboratory Studiesmentioning

confidence: 76%

Exposure and effects of chemical contaminants on tree swallows nesting along the Housatonic River, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, USA, 1998–2000

Custer

Dummer

et al. 2003

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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“…To be able to monitor pollutant levels in small study sites with point-source pollution, interest shifted to birds with a smaller home range and insectivorous diet. In North America, studies with tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor; 10,11) and European starling (Sturnus vulgaris; 9,12) have shown the usefulness of passerine model species to assess contaminant levels and harmful effects of POPs in field studies.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Accumulation of Organochlorines and Brominated Flame Retardants in the Eggs and Nestlings of Great Tits,Parus major

Dauwe

Jaspers

Covaci

et al. 2006

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Insectivorous birds may be very useful sentinels for local point-source contamination with persistent pollutants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). Eggs have been used extensively to monitor lipophilic contaminants, as females can pass contaminants stored in their body tissues into their eggs. Concentrations and profiles in eggs therefore relate to contamination in the female. Because nestlings are raised on food items collected locally, it is expected that the body burden in nestlings would reflect their diet and local pollution levels better than eggs. In this study we compared the accumulation and the profile of PCBs, PBDEs, and OCPs in great tit (Parus major) eggs, nestlings (5-, 10-, and 15-days old), and their food in two study sites. Our results showed that concentrations in great tit eggs were 4 to 6 times higher than those in nestlings. Concentrations in nestling great tits corresponded with concentrations predicted by a bioenergetics-based model. Most of the persistent organic pollutants in 15-day old nestlings were still from maternal origin. The profile of these persistent pollutants in eggs and nestlings also gradually changed during development. With increasing age, the proportion of the most persistent compounds decreased. This study shows that most of the persistent pollutants in fully grown nestlings may still be from maternal origin. For nestlings to be suitable as indicators of local contamination, most of the POPs they accumulate should originate from dietary sources rather than from maternal transfer via the egg. Nestling birds may therefore not be good sentinels for local contamination with persistent pollutants.

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“…Tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) are one of the few passerine species that have been evaluated in field studies of PCB effects, but findings have been equivocal [9,10]. We identified just two field studies on the effects of PCBs on birds exposed via the soil‐to‐terrestrial invertebrate food chain, neither of which reported concentrations of PCBs in eggs, nestlings, or adults [11,12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Productivity of American robins exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls, Housatonic River, Massachusetts, USA

Henning

Robinson

McKay

et al. 2003

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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American robins (Turdus migratorius) breeding in the Housatonic River (MA, USA) watershed were studied in the field in 2001 to determine whether productivity was adversely affected by exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), as would be suggested by extrapolation from laboratory studies on other avian species. The study involved identifying nests within the Housatonic River floodplain (target area) and in reference areas beyond foraging distance of the floodplain, monitoring clutch size and number hatched and fledged, collecting eggs and nestlings for analysis for PCBs, and testing for differences in productivity between populations. One hundred and six active robin nests were monitored. Although concentrations of PCBs in target specimens were more than two orders of magnitude greater than in reference specimens, the only statistically significant differences in productivity were inconsistent with an exposure-related effect. First-generation productivity of exposed robins was within the range of natural background variation. Bioequivalence tests confirmed that first-generation productivity was statistically and biologically equivalent in target and reference robins. These findings contrast with extrapolations from laboratory studies of other avian species.

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PCB and Heavy Metal Contamination and Effects in European Starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris ) at a Superfund Site

Cited by 16 publications

References 10 publications

Exposure and effects of chemical contaminants on tree swallows nesting along the Housatonic River, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, USA, 1998–2000

Exposure and effects of chemical contaminants on tree swallows nesting along the Housatonic River, Berkshire County, Massachusetts, USA, 1998–2000

Accumulation of Organochlorines and Brominated Flame Retardants in the Eggs and Nestlings of Great Tits,Parus major

Productivity of American robins exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls, Housatonic River, Massachusetts, USA

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