Van den Steen Evi, Pinxten Rianne, Jaspers Veerle L B, Covaci Adrian, Barba Emilio, Carere Claudio, Cichoń Mariusz, Dubiec Anna, Eeva Tapio, Heeb Philipp, Kempenaers Bart, Lifjeld Jan T, Lubjuhn Thomas, Mänd Raivo, Massa Bruno, Nilsson Jan-Ake, Norte Ana Cláudia, Orell Markku, Podzemny Petr, Sanz Juan José, Senar Juan Carlos, Soler Juan José, Sorace Alberto, Török János, Visser Marcel E, Winkel Wolfgang, Eens Marcel
Laboratory of Ethology, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium.
Environ Int. 2009 Feb;35(2):310-7. doi: 10.1016/j.envint.2008.08.002. Epub 2008 Sep 19.
Large-scale studies are essential to assess the emission patterns and spatial distribution of organohalogenated pollutants (OHPs) in the environment. Bird eggs have several advantages compared to other environmental media which have previously been used to map the distribution of OHPs. In this study, large-scale geographical variation in the occurrence of OHPs, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), was investigated throughout Europe using eggs of a terrestrial residential passerine species, the great tit (Parus major). Great tit eggs from 22 sampling sites, involving urban, rural and remote areas, in 14 European countries were collected and analysed (5-8 eggs per sampling site). The environmentally most important congeners/compounds of the analysed pollutants were detectable in all sampling locations. For PCBs, PBDEs and OCPs, no clear geographical contamination pattern was found. Sum PCB levels ranged from 143 ng/g lipid weight (lw) to 3660 ng/g lw. As expected, PCB concentrations were significantly higher in the sampled urban compared to the remote locations. However, the urban locations did not show significantly higher concentrations compared to the rural locations. Sum PBDEs ranged from 4.0 ng/g lw to 136 ng/g lw. PBDEs were significantly higher in the urbanized sampling locations compared to the other locations. The significant, positive correlation between PCB and PBDE concentrations suggests similar spatial exposure and/or mechanisms of accumulation. Significantly higher levels of OCPs (sum OCPs ranging from 191 ng/g lw to 7830 ng/g lw) were detected in rural sampling locations. Contamination profiles of PCBs, PBDEs and OCPs differed also among the sampling locations, which may be due to local usage and contamination sources. The higher variance among sampling locations for the PCBs and OCPs, suggests that local contamination sources are more important for the PCBs and OCPs compared to the PBDEs. To our knowledge, this is the first study in which bird eggs were used as a monitoring tool for OHPs on such a large geographical scale.
大规模研究对于评估环境中有机卤代污染物（OHPs）的排放模式和空间分布至关重要。与先前用于绘制OHPs分布的其他环境介质相比，鸟蛋具有若干优势。在本研究中，利用一种陆生栖息雀形目鸟类——大山雀（Parus major）的鸟蛋，对整个欧洲OHPs（如多氯联苯（PCBs）、多溴二苯醚（PBDEs）和有机氯农药（OCPs））出现情况的大规模地理差异进行了调查。收集并分析了来自欧洲14个国家22个采样点（包括城市、农村和偏远地区）的大山雀鸟蛋（每个采样点5 - 8枚鸟蛋）。在所分析污染物中，对环境最重要的同系物/化合物在所有采样地点均能检测到。对于PCBs、PBDEs和OCPs，未发现明显的地理污染模式。PCBs总量范围为143纳克/克脂重（lw）至3660纳克/克lw。正如预期的那样，与偏远地区相比，采样的城市地区PCBs浓度显著更高。然而，与农村地区相比，城市地区的浓度并未显著更高。PBDEs总量范围为4.0纳克/克lw至136纳克/克lw。与其他地点相比，城市化采样地点的PBDEs含量显著更高。PCBs和PBDEs浓度之间显著的正相关表明存在相似的空间暴露和/或积累机制。在农村采样地点检测到显著更高水平的OCPs（OCPs总量范围为191纳克/克lw至7830纳克/克lw）。PCBs、PBDEs和OCPs的污染特征在各采样地点之间也存在差异，这可能是由于当地使用情况和污染源所致。PCBs和OCPs在采样地点之间的差异更大，这表明与PBDEs相比，当地污染源对PCBs和OCPs更为重要。据我们所知，这是首次在如此大的地理范围内将鸟蛋用作OHPs监测工具的研究。
