Homing pigeons as a biomonitor for atmospheric PAHs and PCBs in Guangzhou, a megacity in South China.
The occurrence of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyl (PCBs) in urban atmosphere in Guangzhou, China were assessed using homing pigeons as a biomonitor. Contaminant concentrations in lung were significantly higher than those in liver and fat, indicating chemical uptake was mainly through respiratory route. Tricyclic PAHs and low chlorinated PCBs dominated composition of PAHs and PCBs in homing pigeons, similar as their composition in local atmosphere. Different age-dependent bioaccumulation patterns were noted for PAHs and PCBs. For 1-year old homing pigeons, higher levels of PAHs and PCBs in lung and liver tissues were probably ascribed to more intense flying than 5- and 10-year groups. Fat concentrations of PCBs were greater in aged pigeons than 1-year old pigeons, but PAH concentrations in fat slightly decreased in aged pigeons because of relatively fast biotransformation. Overall, homing pigeons could serve as a suitable biomonitor for urban atmospheric contaminants in coastal cities.
Homing pigeons could serve as a good biomonitor for PAHs and PCBs in urban atmosphere, yet different biotransformation potential of the chemicals caused different bioaccumulation patterns in pigeon fat.
State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640, China; School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
Yuanyuan
Y
Pei
Cooperative Wildlife Research Laboratory, Southern Illinois University (Emeritus), Carbondale, IL 62091, USA.
Richard S
RS
Halbrook
School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China.
Huizhen
H
Li
School of Environment, Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Environmental Exposure and Health, Guangdong Key Laboratory of Environmental Pollution and Health, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China. Electronic address: youjing@jnu.edu.cn.
Jing
J
You
D000393:Air Pollutants / Q000032:analysis*; D000818:Animals; D001272:Atmosphere; D002681:China; D002947:Cities; D010856:Columbidae; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis*; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons / Q000032:analysis*
D000393:Air Pollutants; D011084:Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
Biomonitor; Biotransformation; Homing pigeons; PAHs; PCBs; Urban atmosphere