Persistent Organic Pollutants in black-tailed gull eggs from South Korea

Abstract

Eggs have been used successfully as a non-destructive monitoring tool for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and heavy metals. Seabird eggs have long been used as biomonitors for long-term monitoring of environmental contaminants in the Europe and North America. In South Korea, national monitoring program on environmental contaminants has been run primarily for coastal sediment and bivalves, while biomonitoring program for high-tropic marine species such as marine mammals and seabirds has not been established yet. This study was performed to find out the best approach and strategy for seabird monitoring, and to identify the levels and profiles of contaminants in seabird eggs inhabiting along the Korean coasts. Black-tailed gull eggs were collected from breeding places located in the southern (Hong-do), eastern (Dok-do), and western (Seoman-do) coasts and egg content was used for chemical analysis. Among the target analytes, PCBs and DDTs showed highest levels at all sites, indicating their great bioaccumulation and biomagnification potential. The overall level of contaminants was highest in eggs from the eastern coast, which might be related to foraging range and food quality of seabird. However, PBDEs showed high levels in western coast. The relatively persistent isomers or congeners of each compound such as p,p’-DDE, &#61538 -HCH, BDE-47, &#61537 -HBCD were dominantly accumulated in seabird eggs.urope and North America. In South Korea, national monitoring program on environmental contaminants has been run primarily for coastal sediment and bivalves, while biomonitoring program for high-tropic marine species such as marine mammals and seabirds has not been established yet. This study was performed to find out the best approach and strategy for seabird monitoring, and to identify the levels and profiles of contaminants in seabird eggs inhabiting along the Korean coasts. Black-tailed gull eggs were collected from breeding places located in the southern (Hong-do), eastern (Dok-do), and western (Seoman-do) coasts and egg content was used for chemical analysis. Among the target analytes, PCBs and DDTs showed highest levels at all sites, indicating their great bioaccumulation and biomagnification potential. The overall level of contaminants was highest in eggs from the eastern coast, which might be related to foraging range and food quality of seabird. However, PBDEs showed high levels in western coast. The relatively persistent isomers or congeners of each compound such as p,p’-DDE, &#61538 -HCH, BDE-47, &#61537 -HBCD were dominantly accumulated in seabird eggs.