Organochlorine contaminants in eggs of the yellow-legged gull (Larus cachinnans michahellis) in the North Eastern Mediterranean: is this gull a suitable biomonitor for the region?

• Published in: Environmental pollution (1987) Vol. 126; no. 2; pp. 245 - 255
• Main Authors: Albanis, T.A, Goutner, V, Konstantinou, I.K, Frigis, K
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Aegean Sea; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Aves; Biological and medical sciences; Birds - metabolism; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on vertebrates; Eggs; Eggs - analysis; Environmental Monitoring - methods; Environmental Pollution; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Insecticides - analysis; Larus Cachinnans; Larus cachinnans michahellis; Marine and brackish environment; Mediterranean Sea; Organochlorine pesticides; PCBs; Polychlorinated Biphenyls - analysis; Aegean Sea; Mediterranean Sea; Mediterranean Sea, Northeast; MED, Aegean Sea; MED, Eastern Mediterranean; PCBs; Larus Cachinnans; Aegean Sea; Eggs; Organochlorine pesticides; Insecticide; Egg; Pesticides; Polychlorobiphenyl; Biological monitoring; Marine environment; Vertebrata; DDT; Organochlorine compounds; Chlorocarbon; Colony; Water pollution; Aves; Biological accumulation; Contaminant; Larus cachinnans
• ISSN: 0269-7491; 1873-6424
• DOI: 10.1016/S0269-7491(03)00188-X

Levels of eight PCB congeners and thirteen organochlorine pesticides were measured in eggs sampled at four yellow-legged gull colonies from the Aegean Sea (NorthEastern Mediterranean) in 1997. There were no significant differences among colony areas in the median concentrations in any of the pollutants whereas cluster analyses did not generally reveal reasonable pollution patterns. The maximum concentrations of four congeners were found at Kinaros colony and of nine compounds were found at Lipsos colony. Fingerprints in both groups were similar in all areas. Of PCBs, congener 28, 118, 138, 180 and of pesticides β-BHC and 2,4′-DDD were prominently dominant suggesting a particular pollution pattern in this region. Statistically significant correlations were found between most of the higher PCBs in all areas studied. The DDT metabolites correlated mostly with other OCs. We suggest that regional pollution by both groups is not adequately reflected in the eggs of this gull probably due to its extensive scavenging habits and, though information is needed from more colonies, it seems to be a poor biomonitor for organochlorines in this region. The eggs of the yellow-legged gull are not good biomonitors for organochlorines