ORGANOCHLORINE RESIDUES IN NORMAL AND LEAD POISONED GREATER FLAMINGOS- RELATIONSHIPS WITH THE FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION

Livers from 65 greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus ruber roseus) collect ed in three Spanish wetlands were analyzed for organochlorine (OC) res idues and fatty acid (FA) composition. Some of these birds were lead p oisoned(n=52), as determined in a previous study published elsewhere. The effects of OC levels and normal/abnormal lead levels on the FA com position were analyzed with ANOVA tests in order to establish possible influences among them. High lead concentration was found to increase the relative proportions of :16:0 and 18:1 n-9; and to decrease the pr oportions of 18:0, :18:2 n-6 and 20:3 n-6. Main Oc residues in liver s amples were highly chlorinated PCBs (range 211-17,289 ng/g wet weight) and pp'-DDE (11-10,268 ng/g WW), and it was determined that PCBs infl uenced positively the relative proportions of 18:0, 20:4 n-6 and;!2:a n-6, and negatively the 16:0 and 16:1 n-7 proportions. These results a re discussed and compared with previously published data on the use of FAs as biomarkers of lead and OC exposure.