Gentes Marie-Line, McNabb Anne, Waldner Cheryl, Smits Judit E G
Department of Veterinary Pathology, University of Saskatchewan, 52 Campus Dr., Saskatoon, Canada.
Arch Environ Contam Toxicol. 2007 Aug;53(2):287-92. doi: 10.1007/s00244-006-0070-y. Epub 2007 Jun 1.
The oil sands of Alberta, Canada are one of the world's largest reserves of crude oil. Oil sands mining companies are now investigating the ecological impacts of reclamation strategies in which wetlands are used for the bioremediation of waste materials. To examine the endocrine disrupting potential of chemicals in Oil Sands Process Materials (OSPM), thyroid hormone concentrations were measured in plasma and thyroid glands of nestling tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor) from wetlands partly filled with mine tailings. Plasma triiodothyronine (T(3)) concentrations and thyroxine (T(4)) content within thyroid glands were elevated in nestlings from OSPM sites compared to those from the reference site. Results suggested enhanced hormone synthesis by the thyroid glands independently of activation of the pituitary-thyroid axis, as well as increased deiodination of T(4) into T(3) in peripheral tissues. This might have resulted from exposure to oil sands associated chemicals such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and from environmental factors such as food availability. Modulation of thyroid function might have negative effects on metabolism, behavior, feather development, and molt, which could compromise postfledging survival.
加拿大艾伯塔省的油砂是世界上最大的原油储备之一。油砂开采公司目前正在研究开垦策略的生态影响，即在这些策略中利用湿地对废料进行生物修复。为了检测油砂加工材料（OSPM）中化学物质的内分泌干扰潜力，对部分填充有矿尾砂的湿地中雏鸟树燕（双色树燕）的血浆和甲状腺中的甲状腺激素浓度进行了测量。与参考地点的雏鸟相比，来自OSPM地点的雏鸟血浆中的三碘甲状腺原氨酸（T(3)）浓度和甲状腺中的甲状腺素（T(4)）含量有所升高。结果表明，甲状腺激素合成增强，这与垂体-甲状腺轴的激活无关，同时外周组织中T(4)向T(3)的脱碘作用增强。这可能是由于接触了与油砂相关的化学物质，如多环芳烃，以及食物供应等环境因素所致。甲状腺功能的调节可能会对新陈代谢、行为、羽毛发育和换羽产生负面影响，这可能会危及雏鸟出飞后的生存。
