Reproductive and morphological condition of wild mink (Mustela vison) and river otters (Lutra canadensis) in relation to chlorinated hydrocarbon contamination.

Harding, Lee E.; Harris, Megan L.; Stephen, Craig; Elliott, John E.

doi:10.1289/ehp.99107141

Cited by 45 publications

(15 citation statements)

References 13 publications

(6 reference statements)

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“…Four samples collected from the lower Columbia River from 1990 to 1992 had a geometric mean concentration of 755 ng/g, whereas three samples from the upper portion of the river in Canada had a mean concentration of 165 ng/g (calculated from data reported by Elliot et al [33]). Harding et al [4] reported a total PCB concentration of 700 ng/g in a pooled sample collected from the lower Columbia River in Canada from 1994 to 1996. Concentrations in two pooled samples from the upper portion of the river ranged from 100 to 130 ng/g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Henny et al [3] reported an inverse correlation between baculum and testes size and PCBs and other OC compounds in juvenile river otters in Oregon, whereas Harding et al [4] reported an inverse correlation between PCBs and baculum length in juvenile mink, but not in river otters, collected in British Columbia. Grove [5] analyzed a much larger number of male river otters collected in Oregon and Washington.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The effects of PCBs and chlorinated pesticides have been suggested as a possible cause of widespread declines in populations of the Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) in Europe [2]. Polychlorinated biphenyls have also been linked to decreased baculum (os penis) size in mink and otters in North America [3][4][5] Mercury is another contaminant of concern. Elevated Hg concentrations in fish have been reported in New Jersey, particularly in the Pinelands region, where acidic conditions enhance Hg uptake [6].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mercury and halogenated organic contaminants in river otters (Lontra canadensis) in New Jersey, USA

Stansley

Velinsky²,

Thomas³

2010

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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Liver samples collected from New Jersey river otters (Lontra canadensis) in 2005 and 2007 were tested for Hg, organochlorine (OC) pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The highest mercury concentrations were found in otters living in the Pinelands region, where acidic soils and surface waters enhance Hg bioavailability. The highest individual Hg concentration was 19.8 µg/g wet weight, approximately 60% of the experimentally determined lethal threshold. Concentrations of OC pesticides were generally similar to those in otters from areas of Oregon and Washington close to agricultural and industrial sources. The geometric mean total PCB concentration (540 ng/g wet wt) was similar to the concentration in otters from the heavily populated and industrialized lower Columbia River in Oregon and Washington. Seven liver samples that were among the highest in terms of total PCBs were analyzed for PCDDs and PCDFs. Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins were detected in six of the samples at total concentrations ranging from 172 to 2,783 pg/g wet weight. Polychlorinated dibenzofurans were detected in three of the samples at total concentrations ranging from 1.50 to 2,719 pg/g wet weight. The geometric mean PBDE concentration was 10.6 ng/g wet weight, with a range of 0.82 to 436 ng/g wet weight. No statistically significant relationship was observed between liver contaminant concentrations and land use within an 8-km radius of the trapping location. Overall, the data suggest that contaminant concentrations are not high enough to adversely affect the overall otter population in New Jersey. However, contaminant-related effects on the health or reproductive success of individual otters in some areas are possible.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Mercury and halogenated organic contaminants in river otters (Lontra canadensis) in New Jersey, USA

Stansley

Velinsky²,

Thomas³

2010

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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“…Direct studies of reproduction in wild mink have seldom been attempted and have not met with success. However, recent field studies in western North America have revealed negative correlations between liver PCB concentrations in wild mink and otters and baculum (penis bone) length and testes size (Harding et al, 1999) at considerably lower PCB concentrations than those measured in Great Lakes mink.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 86%

Temporal and Spatial Trends in Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Concentrations of Mink in Canadian Lakes Erie and St. Clair

Martin

McDaniel

Hunter

2006

Environ Monit Assess

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Mink (Mustela vison) carcasses were collected from local commercial trappers from fall 1998 to spring 2003 from tributaries and marshes within 4.8 km from the shores of Lakes Erie and St. Clair, including the Wheatley Harbour and St. Clair River Areas of Concern (AOCs), as well as from inland sites (8 to 40 km from shore). Liver concentrations, on a lipid weight basis, of chlorinated hydrocarbons were measured and compared among sites and to tissue concentrations of mink from two previous collections from similar sites over the past 25 years. Mink from the western Lake Erie sites, which included the Wheatley Harbour AOC, had significantly higher concentrations of sum PCBs and PCB Aroclors than those from the St. Clair corridor or inland sites, with concentrations from the rest of Lake Erie being intermediate. Dieldrin concentrations were also significantly higher in western Lake Erie than many other sites, and those of oxychlordane and mirex also tended to be higher (0.05 < p < 0.1). There were no differences in contaminant concentrations between the St. Clair River AOC and the downstream non-AOC Lake St. Clair site, with the exception of slightly higher levels of octachlorostyrene (OCS). Concentrations of PCBs and other chlorinated hydrocarbons in mink showed a general decrease over the past two decades. In contrast, PCBs and some organochlorine pesticides tended to increase, significantly so with oxychlordane, in western Lake Erie mink over the same time period. DDE declined at all sites. Currently, mink liver PCB concentrations are within the range associated with reproductive impairment, as determined from captive mink studies, in 11.7% of all animals collected from the Lakes Erie and St. Clair basin overall, but in almost 40% of individuals from western Lake Erie.

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“…These endocrine disruptors may cause a variety of problems with growth, development, reproduction, and behavior (Kavlock et al 1996). Gonadal abnormality and reproductive impairment caused by endocrine disruptors have been documented in fish (Edmunds et al 2000;Gimeno et al 1997;Gray and Metcalfe 1997), turtles (Guillette et al 1994(Guillette et al , 1996Willingham and Crews 1999), minks (Harding et al 1999;Heaton et al 1995), and birds (Fry et al 1987;Halldin et al 1999). However, information about gonadal differentiation in amphibians involving endocrine disruptors is relatively scarce.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Chinese domestic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on gonadal differentiation in Xenopus laevis.

Qin

Zhou

Chu

et al. 2003

Environ Health Perspect

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To determine whether polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) influence gonadal differentiation in Xenopus laevis, tadpoles were exposed to two Chinese domestic PCBs (PCB 3 and PCB 5) from Nieuwkoop and Faber stage 46/47 to complete metamorphosis. Gonads were characterized using a dissecting microscope. The control X. laevis had normal ovaries or testes in gross morphology, whereas obviously abnormal testes including ovotestes were found in PCB 3- and PCB 5-exposed groups. Ovotestes were characterized by morphologic ovaries in the cranial and caudal parts and morphologic testes in the middle part. PCBs did not alter the percentage of females but reduced the percentage of males with morphologically normal testes. The histologic structure of gonads was examined by a series of sections. Morphologically normal and abnormal testes from a few frogs exposed to PCBs were interspersed with oocytes in histologic sections. These testes exhibited looser structure with fewer seminiferous tubes, spermatogonia, and spermatozoa than in controls. The findings suggest that PCB 3 and PCB 5 have significant feminization effects on gonadal differentiation in X. laevis and that this species is sensitive to endocrine disruption and may be used as a good model to study endocrine disruption. Key words: endocrine disruptor, gonadal differentiation, ovotestis, PCB 3, PCB 5, polychlorinated biphenyls, Xenopus laevis. Environ Health Perspect 111:553–556 (2003). doi:10.1289/ehp.5620 available vi

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Reproductive and morphological condition of wild mink (Mustela vison) and river otters (Lutra canadensis) in relation to chlorinated hydrocarbon contamination.

Abstract: We assssed dloinated hydrbon ontamation of mink and river otter on the Columbia and Fraser River systems ofnorthwestern North America, in relation to morphological measures ofcondition. We obtained camusses of mink and river otters from commercial tpers during the winters

Cited by 45 publications

References 13 publications

Mercury and halogenated organic contaminants in river otters (Lontra canadensis) in New Jersey, USA

Mercury and halogenated organic contaminants in river otters (Lontra canadensis) in New Jersey, USA

Temporal and Spatial Trends in Chlorinated Hydrocarbon Concentrations of Mink in Canadian Lakes Erie and St. Clair

Effects of Chinese domestic polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) on gonadal differentiation in Xenopus laevis.

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