Temporal trend of bis(4-chlorophenyl) sulfone, methylsulfonyl-DDE and -PCBs in Baltic guillemot ( Uria aalge) egg 1971–2001 – A comparison to 4,4′-DDE and PCB trends

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) 2006-05, Vol.141 (2), p.226-237
• Main Authors: Jörundsdóttir, Hrönn, Norström, Karin, Olsson, Mats, Pham-Tuan, Hai, Hühnerfuss, Heinrich, Bignert, Anders, Bergman, Åke
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Aves; Baltic States; BCPS; bioaccumulation; Biological and medical sciences; Charadriiformes; DDE (pesticide); Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene - analogs & derivatives; Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene - analysis; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on vertebrates; Eggs - analysis; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental Pollutants - analysis; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Guillemot; Halichoerus grypus; indicator species; Marine; MeSO 2-PCB; metabolites; Oceans and Seas; pollutants; polychlorinated biphenyls; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - analysis; seabirds; Sulfones - analysis; TCPMe; Temporal trend; temporal variation; Time Factors; Trityl Compounds - analysis; Uria aalge; water pollution
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2005.08.054

The dynamics of organohalogen contaminants and their metabolites are best studied over time by analysis of biota at high trophic levels. In this study, time trends, 1971–2001, of bis(4-chlorophenyl) sulfone (BCPS) and of methylsulfonyl-substituted metabolites of PCBs and 4,4′-DDE, were investigated in eggs of guillemot ( Uria aalge) hatching in the Baltic Proper. Temporal trends of PCBs, trans-nonachlor, β-HCH, 4,4′-DDT, and 4,4′-DDE were also assessed. Tris(4-chlorophenyl) methane (TCPMe), a 4,4′-DDT by-product, was detected in the eggs. The concentration of BCPS ranged between 2.6–0.76 μg/g on a lipid weight basis over the three decades and showed a significant 1.6% annual decrease. Three metabolites of PCBs, i.e. 3′-MeSO 2-CB101, 4′-MeSO 2-CB101 and 4-MeSO 2-CB149, were quantified in all samples over time and showed an annual decrease of approximately 3% compared to MeSO 2-DDE with a decrease of 8.9%. The methylsulfonyl-PCB and -DDE metabolites are eliminated more slowly than the persistent PCB congeners and 4,4′-DDE. Trans-nonachlor decreases by 16% compared to 19% and 9% for 4,4′-DDT and β-HCH, respectively. The concentration of TCPMe in guillemot decreased by 8.2% per year. A linear relationship was found between TCPMe and 4,4′-DDE concentrations which supports the theory that TCPMe has an origin as a contaminant in commercial 4,4′-DDT products. The very slow decrease in BCPS concentrations is notable and remains to be explained. BCPS is still present at rather high concentrations in the guillemot eggs. The enantiomeric fraction varied between 0.27 and 0.67 which indicates less of a specific retention of the chiral MeSO 2-PCBs in guillemot eggs than in grey seal tissues, for example. Independent of meta- or para-substitution of the sulfone group, the most accumulative atropisomer of each of four MeSO 2-PCB pairs has been assigned an absolute R structure. The temporal trend of the plastic monomer bis(4-chlorophenyl) sulfone (BCPS) showed that it was present in low ppm concentrations in Baltic guillemot eggs and decreased by only 1.6% annually, 1971–2001.