title: Stable nitrogen and carbon isotopes in sediments and biota from three tropical marine food webs: Application to chemical bioaccumulation assessment.
abstract: Studies of trophodynamics and contaminant bioaccumulation in tropical marine ecosystems are limited. The present study employed stable isotope and trace contaminant analysis to assess sources of primary productivity, trophic interactions, and chemical bioaccumulation behavior in 2 mangrove food webs and 1 offshore coastal marine food web in Singapore. Samples of sediment, phytoplankton, mangrove leaves, clams, snails, crabs, worms, prawns, and fishes were analyzed for stable carbon and nitrogen isotope values, as well as concentrations of persistent organic pollutants. In the mangrove food webs, consumers exhibited similar δ13C values, probably because of the well-mixed nature of these systems. However, the 2 primary consumers (common nerite and rodong snail) exhibited distinct δ13C values (-21.6‰ vs -17.7‰), indicating different carbon sources. Fish from Singapore Strait exhibited similar δ13C values, indicating common carbon sources in this offshore marine food web. The highest trophic level was found in glass perchlet (trophic level = 3.3) and tilapia (trophic level = 3.4) in the 2 mangrove food webs and grunter (trophic level = 3.7) in the Singapore Strait food web. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB 153) and p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE) concentrations ranged from 0.9 to 84.6 ng/g lipid weight and from <0.2 to 267.4 ng/g lipid weight, respectively. The trophic magnification factors of PCB 153 and p,p'-DDE ranged between 1.63 and 4.62, indicating biomagnification in these tropical marine food webs. The findings provide important information that will aid future chemical bioaccumulation assessment initiatives. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:2521-2532. © 2017 SETAC.
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Yun
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Teng
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Tra Thi Thanh
authors.initials: TTT
authors.lastname: Doan
authors.affiliation: Singapore Health Sciences Authority (HSA), Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Yun Wei
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Yat
authors.affiliation: Singapore Health Sciences Authority (HSA), Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Sheot Harn
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.affiliation: Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
authors.forename: Barry C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Kelly
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D058448:Biota; D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism*; D020387:Food Chain; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D002247:Carbon Isotopes; D009587:Nitrogen Isotopes; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D003633:Dichlorodiphenyl Dichloroethylene; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; C014024:2,4,5,2',4',5'-hexachlorobiphenyl
keywords: Marine; Stable isotopes; Trophic magnification factor; Trophodynamics; Tropical