title: Latitudinal exposure to DDTs, HCB, PCBs, PBDEs and DP in giant petrels (Macronectes spp.) across the Southern Ocean.
abstract: Studies on Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Antarctic wildlife are scarce, and usually limited to a single locality. As a result, wildlife exposure to POPs across the Southern Ocean is poorly understood. In this study, we report the differential exposure of the major southern ocean scavengers, the giant petrels, to POPs across a wide latitudinal gradient. Selected POPs (PCBs, HCB, DDTs, PBDEs) and related compounds, such as Dechlorane Plus (DP), were analyzed in plasma of southern giant petrels (Macronectes giganteus) breeding on Livingston (62°S 61°W, Antarctica), Marion (46°S 37°E, sub-Antarctic), and Gough (40°S 10°W, cool temperate) islands. Northern giant petrels (Macronectes halli) from Marion Island were also studied. Stable isotope ratios of C and N (δ(13)C and δ(15)N) were used as dietary tracers of the marine habitat and trophic level, respectively. Breeding locality was a major factor explaining petrel exposure to POPs compared with species and sex. Significant relationships between δ(13)C values and POP burdens, at both inter- and intra-population levels, support latitudinal variations in feeding grounds as a key factor in explaining petrel pollutant burdens. Overall, pollutant levels in giant petrels decreased significantly with latitude, but the relative abundance (%) of the more volatile POPs increased towards Antarctica. DP was found at negligible levels compared with legacy POPs in Antarctic seabirds. Spatial POP patterns found in giant petrels match those predicted by global distribution models, and reinforce the hypothesis of atmospheric long-range transport as the main source of POPs in Antarctica. Our results confirm that wildlife movements out of the polar region markedly increase their exposure to POPs. Therefore, strategies for Antarctic wildlife conservation should consider spatial heterogeneity in exposure to marine pollution. Of particular relevance is the need to clarify the exposure of Antarctic predators to emerging contaminants that are not yet globally regulated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Instrumental Analysis and Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Organic Chemistry, CSIC (IQOG-CSIC), Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain. Electronic address: jlroscales@iqog.csic.es.
authors.forename: Jose L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Roscales
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio) and Department of Animal Biology, Universitat de Barcelona, Av Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Jacob
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: González-Solís
authors.affiliation: Institut de Recerca de la Biodiversitat (IRBio) and Department of Animal Biology, Universitat de Barcelona, Av Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zango
authors.affiliation: Percy FitzPatrick Institute, DST-NRF Centre of Excellence, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa.
authors.forename: Peter G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.affiliation: Department of Instrumental Analysis and Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Organic Chemistry, CSIC (IQOG-CSIC), Juan de la Cierva 3, 28006 Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Begoña
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Jiménez
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000097:blood*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000097:blood*; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009792:Oceans and Seas; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
keywords: Antarctica; Long-range transport; POPs; Seabirds; Stable isotopes