title: Persistent organic pollutants in Alaskan murre (Uria spp.) eggs: geographical, species, and temporal comparisons.
abstract: Concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in eggs of common and thick-billed murres (Uria aalge and U. lomvia) from five Alaskan nesting colonies were dominated by 4,4'-DDE, total polychlorinated biphenyls (totalPCBs; 46 congeners comprised mainly of PCB congeners 153, 118, 138, 99, and 151), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), beta-hexachlorocyclohexane (beta-HCH), and chlordane compounds (totalCHL). Concentrations of 4,4'-DDE, cis-nonachlor, and heptachlor epoxide were lower than those reported for some of the same colonies in the 1970s, while HCB concentrations were similar. In general, significantly higher concentrations were found in eggs from Gulf of Alaska colonies compared to those from Bering Sea colonies except for HCB (higher in the Bering Sea) and beta-HCH (no significant difference between the two regions). Thick-billed murre eggs contained higher concentrations of 4,4'-DDE and totalPCBs, whereas common murre eggs had higher HCB concentrations. Possible factors contributing to the POPs patterns found in eggs from these murre colonies are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Hollings Marine Laboratory, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 331 Ft. Johnson Road, Charleston, South Carolina 29412, USA. stacy.vanderpol@nist.gov
authors.forename: Stacy S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Vander Pol
authors.forename: Paul R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: John R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Kucklick
authors.forename: Rebecca S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Pugh
authors.forename: David G
authors.initials: DG
authors.lastname: Roseneau
authors.forename: Kristin S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Simac
mesh_terms: D000413:Alaska; D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D010063:Ovum / Q000737:chemistry*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D013997:Time Factors; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D006841:Hydrocarbons, Aromatic; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls