High levels of mercury and low levels of persistent organic pollutants in a tropical seabird in French Guiana, the Magnificent frigatebird, Fregata magnificens.
In the present study, trace elements and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were quantified from Magnificent frigatebirds (Fregata magnificens) breeding at a southern Atlantic island. Stable isotope ratio of carbon (δ(13)C) and nitrogen (δ(15)N) were also measured to infer the role of foraging habitat on the contamination. For another group from the same colony, GPS tracks were recorded to identify potential foraging areas where the birds may get contaminated. Fourteen trace elements were targeted as well as a total of 40 individual POPs, including organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). The concentration of Hg in the blood was up to 6 times higher in adults (5.81 ± 1.27 μg g(-1) dw.) than in nestlings (0.99 ± 0.23 μg g(-1) dw.). A similar pattern was found for POPs. ∑PCBs was the prevalent group both in adults (median 673, range 336-2801 pg g(-1) ww.) and nestlings (median 41, range 19-232 pg g(-1) ww.), followed by the sum of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes and metabolites (∑DDTs), showing a median value of 220 (range 75-2342 pg g(-1) ww.) in adults and 25 (range 13-206 pg g(-1) ww.) in nestlings. The isotope data suggested that the accumulation of trace elements and POPs between adults and nestlings could be due to parental foraging in two different areas during incubation and chick rearing, respectively, or due to a shift in the feeding strategies along the breeding season. In conclusion, our work showed high Hg concentration in frigatebirds compared to non-contaminated seabird populations, while other trace elements showed lower values within the expected range in other seabird species. Finally, POP exposure was found generally lower than that previously measured in other seabird species.
Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium. Electronic address: Manrico.Sebastiano@uantwerpen.be.
Manrico
M
Sebastiano
Littoral Environnement et Sociétés, UMR 7266, CNRS-Université La Rochelle, 17000 La Rochelle, France.
Paco
P
Bustamante
Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium; Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, School of Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Graham Kerr Building, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK.
David
D
Costantini
Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium; Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgsvej 399, PO Box 358, 4000, Roskilde, Denmark.
Igor
I
Eulaers
Toxicological Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
Govindan
G
Malarvannan
Littoral Environnement et Sociétés, UMR 7266, CNRS-Université La Rochelle, 17000 La Rochelle, France.
Paula
P
Mendez-Fernandez
Littoral Environnement et Sociétés, UMR 7266, CNRS-Université La Rochelle, 17000 La Rochelle, France.
Carine
C
Churlaud
Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR7372, CNRS/Univ. La Rochelle, F-79360, France.
Pierre
P
Blévin
Association GEPOG, 15 Av Louis Pasteur, 97300 Cayenne, French Guiana.
Antoine
A
Hauselmann
Ornis italica, Piazza Crati 15, I-00199 Roma, Italy.
Giacomo
G
Dell'Omo
Toxicological Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
Adrian
A
Covaci
Behavioural Ecology & Ecophysiology Group, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
Marcel
M
Eens
Centre d'Etudes Biologiques de Chizé (CEBC), UMR7372, CNRS/Univ. La Rochelle, F-79360, France.
Olivier
O
Chastel
D000818:Animals; D001070:Appetitive Behavior; D001717:Birds / Q000097:blood*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005616:French Guiana; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000097:blood*; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated / Q000097:blood*; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood*; D010575:Pesticides / Q000097:blood; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood*
D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D006843:Hydrocarbons, Chlorinated; D010575:Pesticides; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; D008628:Mercury
Contaminants; French Guiana; Persistent organic pollutants; Seabirds; Trace elements