Trophic transfer of polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polychlorinated biphenyls in a tidal freshwater marsh

The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) at Tinicum Marsh contains one of the last remaining tidal freshwater marsh communities along the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River Estuary. The marsh receives a significant load of nutrients and sediment-associated contaminants and is hypothesised...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Chemistry and ecology 2012-08, Vol.28 (4), p.305-325
Main Authors: Ashley, J. T.F, Vasquez, M. A, Zelanko, P, McKinley, E, Schafer, M, Zaoudeh, L, Horwitz, R, Stapleton, H. M, Velinsky, D. J
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
bioaccumulation
Brackish
carbon
carbon/nitrogen isotopes
Chemical contaminants
conservation areas
Delaware River
estuaries
feeding behavior
Freshwater
isotopes
marshes
Nitrogen
nutrients
PBDEs
PCB
PCBs
polybrominated diphenyl ethers
Polychlorinated biphenyls
trophic relationships
trophic transfer
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Summary:The John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) at Tinicum Marsh contains one of the last remaining tidal freshwater marsh communities along the Pennsylvania side of the Delaware River Estuary. The marsh receives a significant load of nutrients and sediment-associated contaminants and is hypothesised to act as an effective trap for these chemicals. The goal of this study was to quantify the levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at various trophic levels at two sites within Tinicum Marsh and assess the factors important in determining their bioaccumulation and trophic transfer. For both PCBs and PBDEs, lipid variation for all species was a large factor in determining contaminant body burden. Also, concentrations in biota increased with increasing trophic level as determined by nitrogen isotope analysis (δ¹⁵N values) at the downstream site within Tinicum Marsh. This trend was less apparent at the upstream site and may be due to differences in feeding behaviours among species between the two sites and/or differences in carbon and nitrogen sources and recycling. These data are valuable in assisting bioaccumulation/trophic transfer studies and serve as benchmarks to which future PCB and PBDE concentrations will be compared.
ISSN:1029-0370
0275-7540
1029-0370
DOI:10.1080/02757540.2012.656608