Patterns of Trace Element Accumulation in Waterfowl Restricted to Impoundments Holding Coal Combustion Waste

Waterfowl are often exposed to and readily accumulate anthropogenic contaminants when foraging in polluted environments. Settling impoundments containing coal combustion waste (CCW) enriched in trace elements such as arsenic (As), selenium (Se), and mercury (Hg) are often used by free‐ranging migrat...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental toxicology and chemistry 2020-05, Vol.39 (5), p.1052-1059
Main Authors: Leaphart, James C., Oldenkamp, Ricki E., Bryan, Albert L., Kennamer, Robert A., Beasley, James C.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anthropogenic factors
Arsenic
Bioaccumulation
Birds
Blood
Combustion
Contaminants
Contamination
Exposure
Foraging habitats
Heavy metals
Liver
Mercury
Mercury (metal)
Muscles
Nondestructive testing
Polluted environments
Ring‐necked ducks
Sampling
Sampling methods
Selenium
Trace elements
Waterfowl
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Summary:Waterfowl are often exposed to and readily accumulate anthropogenic contaminants when foraging in polluted environments. Settling impoundments containing coal combustion waste (CCW) enriched in trace elements such as arsenic (As), selenium (Se), and mercury (Hg) are often used by free‐ranging migratory and resident waterfowl and represent potential sources for contaminant uptake. To assess accumulation of CCW contaminants, we experimentally restricted waterfowl to a CCW‐contaminated impoundment and quantified trace element burdens in blood, muscle, and liver tissues over known periods of exposure (between 3 and 92 d). From these data we developed models 1) to predict elemental bioaccumulation with increased exposure time, and 2) to predict muscle/liver burdens based on concentrations in blood as a nondestructive sampling method. Although Hg and As did not bioaccumulate in our waterfowl, we observed an increase in Se concentrations in muscle, liver, and blood tissues over the duration of our experiment. Furthermore, we found that blood may be used as an effective nondestructive sampling alternative to predict muscle and liver tissue concentrations in birds contaminated with Se and As through dietary exposure. These data provide unique insights into accumulation rates of contaminants for waterfowl utilizing habitats contaminated with CCW and demonstrate the efficacy of nonlethal sampling of waterfowl to quantify contaminant exposure. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:1052–1059. © 2020 SETAC
ISSN:0730-7268
1552-8618
DOI:10.1002/etc.4697