Gp. Cobb et al., CHLORINATED CONTAMINANTS IN CHORIOALLANTOIC MEMBRANES FROM GREAT BLUEHERON EGGS AT WHIDBEY-ISLAND NAVAL-AIR-STATION, Chemosphere, 30(1), 1995, pp. 151-164
Chorio-allantoic membranes (CAMs) were collected and analyzed for chlo
rinated hydrocarbons as part of a wildlife toxicology demonstration pr
oject at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island, Washington, USA. Conc
entrations of DDT, DDE, DDD, Aroclor 1254, and Aroclor 1260 were found
at concentrations below 0.4 ppm for 13 of 14 samples. The low correla
tions among DDT and its metabolites in CAMs suggest herons are not bei
ng exposed to a consistent source of these compounds. Comparison of ch
lorinated hydrocarbon data for CAMs from three Puget Sound heron colon
ies, NAS Whidbey, Samish Island and Dumas Bay, indicates contaminant b
urdens in herons from NAS Whidbey and Samish Island are significantly
lower than burdens in herons from Dumas Bay.