Different transfer pathways of an organochlorine pesticide across marine tropical food webs assessed with stable isotope analysis

• Published in: PloS one 2018-02, Vol.13 (2), p.e0191335-e0191335
• Main Authors: Dromard, Charlotte R, Bouchon-Navaro, Yolande, Cordonnier, Sébastien, Guéné, Mathilde, Harmelin-Vivien, Mireille, Bouchon, Claude
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Algae; Analysis; Aquatic habitats; Bioaccumulation; Biodiversity and Ecology; Biofilms; Biological magnification; Biology and Life Sciences; Carnivores; Chlordecone; Consumers; Contamination; Coral reefs; Corals; Cyclodiene pesticides; Detritivores; Earth Sciences; Ecology and Environmental Sciences; Engineering and Technology; Environmental aspects; Environmental Sciences; Feeders; Fish; Food chains; Food contamination; Food contamination & poisoning; Food webs; Herbivores; Invertebrates; Lobsters; Mangroves; Marine ecosystems; Marine organisms; Marine pollution; Molecular chains; Omnivores; Organic compounds; Organic matter; Organisms; Organochlorine pesticides; PCB; Pesticides; Physical Sciences; Pollution; Pollution sources; Polybrominated diphenyl ethers; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Properties; Regression analysis; Rivers; Seaweeds; Shellfish; Stable isotopes; Suspended organic matter; Suspension feeders; Trophic relationships; Turf; Water pollution; Zooplankton
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0191335

Chlordecone is a persistent organochlorine pesticide used in the banana fields of the French West Indies from 1972 to 1993. Three marine habitats (mangroves, seagrass beds and coral reefs) of two study sites located downstream contaminated rivers were chosen to evaluate the level of contamination of marine food webs. On each habitat, the food chain collected included suspended organic matter, primary producers (macroalgae, algal turf, seagrass), zooplankton, symbiotic organisms (corals, sea anemones), primary consumers (herbivores, suspension feeders, biofilm feeders), omnivores and detritivores (lobsters, fish), secondary consumers (carnivores 1: invertebrate feeders, planktivores) and tertiary consumers (carnivores 2: invertebrate and fish feeders, piscivores). Log-linear regressions of the concentrations of chlordecone versus nitrogen isotopic ratios (δ15N) were used to assess the bioaccumulation of chlordecone along trophic food webs. At each site, bioconcentration and bioamplification take part on the transfer of chlordecone in marine organisms. In mangroves (i.e. close to the source of pollution), lower trophic magnification factors (TMF) indicated that bioconcentration prevailed over bioamplification phenomenon. The opposite phenomenon appeared on coral reefs in which bioconcentration processes were less important and bioamplification pathway became dominant. Far from the source of pollution, molecules of chlordecone seemed to be transfered to organisms mostly via trophic interactions rather than water contact.