title: Dioxins and dl-PCBs in gull eggs from Spanish Natural Parks (2010-2013).
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence and distribution of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins, dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs) and biphenyls (PCBs), concretely those so-called as dioxin-like PCBs, in yellow-legged gull eggs (Larus michahellis) collected from five Natural Parks (some of them National Parks) in Spain during the period 2010-2013. PCDD/Fs and dl-PCBs were detected in all the samples. Due to the proximity to important urban and industrial areas higher concentrations were determined in colonies located in the Northern Mediterranean coast than those found in the Southern Mediterranean or Atlantic colonies where a softer anthropogenic impact occurs. Mean ∑PCDD/F concentrations ranged from 49 to 223pg/g lipid weight (lw) and ∑dl-PCB concentrations varied from 146 to 911ng/g lw. In the Natural Park of the Ebro Delta (Northern Mediterranean coast) two gull species share habitat: yellow-legged and Audouin gull (Larus audouinii). Eggs from both species were collected and PCDD/F and dl-PCB levels compared. The species that feeds exclusively on pelagic fish (L. audouinii) had significantly higher PCDD/F and dl-PCB levels than the scavenger L. michahellis, pointing out the diet-dependent differences in the accumulation of persistent organic pollutants between similar cohabitant breeding species. Finally, mean TEQ values were in general below those considered as critical for toxicological effects in birds.
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Morales
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Ma
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gene'rosa Martrat
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Jordi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Parera
authors.affiliation: Associació Ornitològica Picampall de les Terres de l'Ebre, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Albert
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bertolero
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ábalos
authors.affiliation: Department of Analytical Chemistry, University of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco Javier
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lacorte
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental Chemistry, IDAEA-CSIC, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. Electronic address: esteban.abad@idaea.csic.es.
authors.forename: Esteban
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Abad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D046091:Charadriiformes; D004147:Dioxins / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D010063:Ovum / Q000737:chemistry*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D013030:Spain
chemical_list: D004147:Dioxins; D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
keywords: Biomonitoring; Gull eggs; Mediterranean; PCDD/Fs; dl-PCBs