CONGENER-SPECIFIC BIOACCUMULATION OF PCBS IN DIFFERENT WATER BIRD SPECIES

Citation
G. Zimmermann et al., CONGENER-SPECIFIC BIOACCUMULATION OF PCBS IN DIFFERENT WATER BIRD SPECIES, Chemosphere, 34(5-7), 1997, pp. 1379-1388
Citations number
25
Categorie Soggetti
Environmental Sciences
Journal title
ISSN journal
00456535
Volume
34
Issue
5-7
Year of publication
1997
Pages
1379 - 1388
Database
ISI
SICI code
0045-6535(1997)34:5-7<1379:CBOPID>2.0.ZU;2-7
Abstract
The bioaccumulation behaviour of single PCB congeners in three trophic levels of a food chain in an aquatic ecosystem was studied. Congener- specific biotransfer factors were calculated comparing PCB concentrati ons in tissues of 4 water bird species with the contents measured in t heir food source. The coplanar PCBs were of particular interest. The m aximum concentrations of individual PCB congeners detected in mussels, fish and birds were 0.5, 4, and 26 mu g/g extractable lipids, respect ively. In general, the mussel-feeding tufted ducks showed lower PCB le vels than the fish-feeding bird species. The biotransfer factors were highest for the non-ortho chloro-substituted coplanar PCB congeners fr om lake trout to grey herons (3 to 15, depending on the congener). If the TCDD toxic equivalency (TEq) concept based on mammalian toxicity d ata is used for the toxicological assessment the detected PCB levels a re in the range where effects on the reproductive impairment of theses bird species could result. However, no indication for such effects co uld be observed. This suggests that species-specific TEF values are re quired. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.