Pelagic seabirds as biomonitors of persistent organic pollutants in the Southwestern Atlantic

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin 2019-12, Vol.149, p.110516, Article 110516
• Main Authors: Quadri Adrogué, Agustina, Miglioranza, Karina S.B., Copello, Sofía, Favero, Marco, Seco Pon, Juan P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agricultural practices; Agrochemicals; Animals; Aquatic birds; Argentina; Atlantic Ocean; Biomonitors; Birds - physiology; Breeding seasons; Chlorpyrifos; Chlorpyrifos - analysis; Ecosystem assessment; Environmental Monitoring; Feathers; Feathers - chemistry; Female; Females; Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers - analysis; Lipids; Male; Males; Organochlorine pesticides; PCB; Pelagic seabirds; Persistent organic pollutants; Pesticides; Pesticides - analysis; Pollutants; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - analysis; POPs; Seabirds; Seasons; Sentinel Species; South America; Water Pollutants, Chemical - analysis
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363
• DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110516

Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are accumulated through time and can exert different effect on ecosystems. POPs and Chlorpyrifos, a current use pesticide, were assessed in body feathers of males and females of Black-browed albatross (Thalassarche melanophris, BBA) and Cape petrels (Daption capense, CAP) during their non-breeding seasons at the Patagonian Shelf, Argentina. Chlorpyrifos showed the highest values among all pollutants in both species (49.56–84.88 ng g−1), resulting from current agricultural practices. The pattern OCPs > PCBs > PBDEs was observed in both species, and CAP showed higher concentrations than BBA probably as a consequence of higher lipid mobilization and pollutants availability during dispersion. Non-significant differences between sexes about POPs levels were found; however a slight tendency was observed, females>males in CAP, and males>females in BBA. More attention and further studies are needed to understand seabirds' physiology and its relationship with the pollutants distribution in their tissues and considering breeding season. •POPs and Chlorpyrifos were detected and quantified in body feathers of two pelagic seabird species.•Chlorpyrifos was the main pollutant found in both analyzed species.•Pollutants loads differed between the Black-browed albratross and the Cape petrel.