Article (Périodiques scientifiques)
Evaluation of the usefulness of bird feathers as a non-destructive biomonitoring tool for organic pollutants: A comparative and meta-analytical approach
Jaspers, V. L. B.; Voorspoels, S.; Covaci, Adrian et al.
2007In Environment International, 33 (3), p. 328-337
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Mots-clés :
feathers; biomonitoring; polybrominated diphenyl ethers; polychlorinated biphenyls; organochlorine pesticides; meta-analysis; stable isotopes
Résumé :
[en] In this study, we investigated whether bird feathers can be used as a non-destructive biomonitor for organic pollutants. We analysed the outermost tail feathers of 8 terrestrial and aquatic bird species from Belgium (8 species, n = 108) for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). Every compound class could be quantified in one single tail feather of the birds under study (sum PCBs ranging from 5.5 to 5 10 ng/g feather, sum PBDEs from 0.33 to 53 ng/g feather, sum DDTs from 1.5 to 730 ng/g feather), except for PBDEs in feathers of the common moorhen (Gallinula chloropus). Further, we calculated Pearson correlations between concentrations of organic pollutants in feathers and concentrations in corresponding muscle or liver tissue from the birds. Correlations were found significant in half of the cases of the terrestrial species, but were found not significant for the aquatic species, with the exception of a significant correlation of sum PCBs in the common moorhen. Only for the common buzzard (Buteo buteo) (n=43) all correlations were found significant (0.32 < r < 0.77). In order to cope for low statistical power, we performed a meta-analysis on all bird species together. This led to significant correlations between levels in feathers and corresponding levels in muscle or liver for all terrestrial birds (p < 0.05 in all cases, effect size 0.59 (p,p'-DDE) to 0.71 (Sigma PCB) for levels in feather and muscle). When correlations were recalculated excluding the birds that had died due to starvation, correlation coefficients for the terrestrial birds were found even higher (effect size up to 0.83 (Sigma PCB)). These results have important implications for non-destructive and retrospective biomonitoring. Although our results suggest that exact concentrations in the body cannot be predicted using feathers, bird feathers can give a good estimate of contamination levels in a population and as such are a potential non-destructive biomonitoring tool for organic pollutants. Outermost tail feathers and muscle tissue were also examined for nitrogen (delta N-15) and carbon (delta C-13) stable isotope content in the different bird species. However, delta N-15/delta C-13 signatures in feather or muscle were not significantly correlated with the corresponding levels of organic pollutants in these tissues. Various confounding factors (such as habitat, condition, age, sex) may have masked a relationship between delta N-15 values and organic pollutant levels in the birds under study. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Disciplines :
Sciences de l’environnement & écologie
Auteur, co-auteur :
Jaspers, V. L. B.;  University of Antwerpen - UA > Department of Biology
Voorspoels, S.;  University of Antwerpen - UA > Toxicological Center
Covaci, Adrian;  University of Antwerpen - UA > Toxicological Center
Lepoint, Gilles  ;  Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences et gestion de l'environnement > Océanologie
Eens, M.;  University of Antwerpen -UA > Department of Biology
Langue du document :
Anglais
Titre :
Evaluation of the usefulness of bird feathers as a non-destructive biomonitoring tool for organic pollutants: A comparative and meta-analytical approach
Date de publication/diffusion :
avril 2007
Titre du périodique :
Environment International
ISSN :
0160-4120
eISSN :
1873-6750
Maison d'édition :
Pergamon-Elsevier Science Ltd, Oxford, Royaume-Uni
Volume/Tome :
33
Fascicule/Saison :
3
Pagination :
328-337
Peer reviewed :
Peer reviewed vérifié par ORBi
Organisme subsidiant :
FWO - Fonds Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek Vlaanderen [BE]
UIA - Universitaire Instelling Antwerpen [BE]
Disponible sur ORBi :
depuis le 24 novembre 2008

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