title: The use of blue tit eggs as a biomonitoring tool for organohalogenated pollutants in the European environment.
abstract: In the present study, large scale geographical variation in the occurrence of organohalogenated pollutants (OHPs) was investigated throughout Europe using eggs of a terrestrial resident passerine species, the blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus). Blue tit eggs from 10 sampling locations, involving suburban, rural and remote areas, in 7 European countries were collected and analysed. Sum polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels ranged from 150ng/g lipid weight (lw) to 2003ng/g lw. Sum polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) ranged from 3.95ng/g lw to 114ng/g lw. As expected, PCB and PBDE concentrations were significantly higher in the sampled suburban locations compared to the rural and remote locations. Sum organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) ranged from 122ng/g lw to 775ng/g lw. OCP concentrations were, against the expectations, found to be lower in the rural sampling locations compared to the other locations. Contamination profiles of PCBs, PBDEs and OCPs differed also among the sampling locations, which may be due to local contamination sources. Finally, we compared the results of this study with previously reported OHP concentrations in the eggs of a closely related species, the great tit (Parus major), from the same sampling locations in Europe. We found no differences in concentrations between the species. In addition, we found a significant, positive correlation between the sum PCB concentrations in blue tit eggs and great tit eggs, suggesting similar exposure pathways, mechanisms of accumulation and maternal transfer of PCBs. In conclusion, our results suggest the usefulness of eggs from passerine birds as a biomonitoring tool for OHPs on a large geographical scale.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Ethology, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, Wilrijk, Belgium. evi.vandensteen@ua.ac.be
authors.forename: Evi
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Van den Steen
authors.forename: Rianne
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pinxten
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Covaci
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Carere
authors.forename: Tapio
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Eeva
authors.forename: Philipp
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Heeb
authors.forename: Bart
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kempenaers
authors.forename: Jan T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lifjeld
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Massa
authors.forename: Ana Cláudia
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Norte
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orell
authors.forename: Juan José
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Sanz
authors.forename: Juan Carlos
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Senar
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sorace
authors.forename: Marcel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eens
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000378:metabolism*; D005060:Europe; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000378:metabolism*; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000378:metabolism*; D010063:Ovum / Q000378:metabolism*; D046109:Passeriformes; D010575:Pesticides / Q000378:metabolism; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010575:Pesticides; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls