Accumulation status of persistent organochlorines in albatrosses from the North Pacific and the Southern Ocean

Current status of contamination by persistent organochlorines (OCs) such as polychlorinated biphenyles (PCBs), dichloro-diphenyl trichloroethane and i ts metabolites (DDTs), isomers of hexachlorocyclohexane (HCHs), hexachlorob enzene (HCB) and chlordane compounds (CHLs) were examined in 61 individuals belonging to eight albatross species collected from the North Pacific and the Southern Ocean. Generally high OC concentrations were found in albatros ses from the North Pacific than those from the Southern Oceans. Black-foote d albatrosses had noticeably high PCBs and DDTs concentrations with mean va lues of 92 and 33 mug/g wet weight in subcutaneous fat, respectively. Among the other OCs, concentration of CHLs was higher than that of HCB in North Pacific albatrosses. HCHs accumulation was the lowest among all the OCs ana lyzed. Species-specific differences were observed for HCB, CHLs and DDTs in some species in the Southern Ocean. No significant difference of gender an d age-related accumulation was observed in total OCs. However, PCB concentr ations were higher in mature birds than those from immature ones in the Sou thern Ocean. Species-specific accumulation patterns of OCs in albatrosses w ere closely related with their feeding, migration, age and geographical ran ges. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.