Long-term trends in organochlorine and mercury residues in some predatory birds in Britain

Residue levels of organochlorine pesticides (HEOD, DDE), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and mercury (Hg) in the livers of five predatory bird species were monitored in Britain over a 28-year (1963-1990) period. Of two raptor species, sparrowhawks contained higher levels of most chemicals than did kestrels. Among three fish-eaters, herons and kingfishers contained the highest levels of DDE and HEOD, while herons and great-crested grebes contained the highest levels of PCBs and mercury. Species differences were related partly to diet and habitat. In sparrowhawks and kestrels, residues of HEOD and DDE were higher in eastern, arable districts than elsewhere, especially in the 1960s and 1970s. In the fish-eaters, similar regional differences in residue levels were apparent in herons, especially in the 1970s, but not in the other species, for which samples were smaller. Over the 28 years, most species showed significant downward trends in HEOD, DDE and Hg levels, but only two fish-eaters showed significant declines in PCB levels. The downward trends in DDE and HEOD followed successive restrictions in the use of organochlorine pesticides, and were accompanied by recoveries in the populations and breeding success of affected species. Downward trends in mercury were associated with reductions in both agricultural use and industrial emissions.     

Arsenic distribution in soils and plants of an arsenic impacted former mining area

A mining area affected by the abandoned exploitation of an arsenical tungsten deposit was studied in order to assess its arsenic pollution level and the feasibility of native plants for being used in phytoremediation approaches. Soil and plant samples were collected at different distances from the polluting sources and analysed for their As content and distribution. Critical soil total concentrations of As were found, with values in the range 70-5330 mg kg⁻¹ in the uppermost layer. The plant community develops As tolerance by exclusion strategies. Of the plant species growing in the most polluted site, the shrubs Salix atrocinerea Brot. and Genista scorpius (L.) DC. exhibit the lowest bioaccumulation factor (BF) values for their aerial parts, suggesting their suitability to be used with revegetation purposes. The species Scirpus holoschoenus L. highlights for its important potential to stabilise As at root level, accumulating As contents up to 3164 mg kg⁻¹.     

Lead and arsenic in bones of birds of prey from Spain

The bones (humerus and/or femur) of 229 birds of prey from 11 species were analyzed for Pb and As to evaluate their exposure to Pb shot. The species with the highest mean Pb levels were red kite (Milvus milvus) and Eurasian griffon (Gyps fulvus), and the species with the lowest levels were Eurasian buzzard (Buteo buteo) and booted eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus). Red kite also had the highest mean As level, an element present in small amounts in Pb shot. Elevated bone Pb concentrations (>10 microg/g dry weight) were found in 10 birds from six species. Clinical signs compatible with lethal Pb poisoning and/or excessive bone Pb concentrations (>20 microg/g) were observed in one Eurasian eagle-owl (Bubo bubo), one red kite, and one Eurasian griffon. Pb poisoning has been diagnosed in eight upland raptor species in Spain to date.     

Trends in arsenic levels in PM10 and PM2.5 aerosol fractions in an industrialized area

Arsenic is a toxic element that affects human health and is widely distributed in the environment. In the area of study, the main Spanish and second largest European industrial ceramic cluster, the main source of arsenic aerosol is related to the impurities in some boracic minerals used in the ceramic process. Epidemiological studies on cancer occurrence in Spain points out the study region as one with the greater risk of cancer. Concentrations of particulate matter and arsenic content in PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 were measured and characterized by ICP-MS in the area of study during the years 2005–2010. Concentrations of PM₁₀ and its arsenic content range from 27 to 46 μg/m³ and from 0.7 to 6 ng/m³ in the industrial area, respectively, and from 25 to 40 μg/m³ and from 0.7 to 2.8 ng/m³ in the urban area, respectively. Concentrations of PM_2.5 and its arsenic content range from 12 to 14 μg/m³ and from 0.5 to 1.4 ng/m³ in the urban background area, respectively. Most of the arsenic content is present in the fine fraction, with ratios of PM_2.5/PM₁₀ in the range of 0.65–0.87. PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and its arsenic content show a sharp decrease in recent years associated with the economic downturn, which severely hit the production of ceramic materials in the area under study. The sharp production decrease due to the economic crisis combined with several technological improvements in recent years such as substitution of boron, which contains As impurities as raw material, have reduced the concentrations of PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and As in air to an extent that currently meets the existing European regulations.     

Phosmet residues in an orchard and adjacent recreational area

Two cover sprays of phosmet were applied to an orchard adjoining a camping area and a bird sanctuary with a resident goose population. Insecticide residues were monitored on orchard leaves, orchard ground cover, ground cover in the camp-site and along the adjacent lakeshore. Despite attempts to minimize drift, significant spray residues were found outside the target area. Residues on ground cover and leaves were reduced by sprinkler irrigation subsequent to spray application.     

Arsenic and other heavy metals in soils from an arsenic-affected area of West Bengal,India

Domkal is one of the 19, out of 26 blocks in Murshidabad district where groundwater contains arsenic above 0.05 mg/l. Many millions of cubic meters of groundwater along with arsenic and other heavy metals are coming out from both the hand tubewells, used by the villagers for their daily needs and shallow big diameter tubewells, installed for agricultural irrigation and depositing on soil throughout the year. So there is a possibility of soil contamination which can moreover affect the food chain, cultivated in this area. A somewhat detailed study was carried out, in both micro- and macrolevel, to get an idea about the magnitude of soil contamination in this area. The mean concentrations (mg/kg) of As (5.31), Fe (6740), Cu (18.3), Pb (10.4), Ni (18.8), Mn (342), Zn (44.3), Se (0.53), Mg (534), V (44.6), Cr (33.1), Cd (0.37), Sb (0.29) and Hg (0.54) in fallow land soils are within the normal range. The mean As (10.7), Fe (7860) and Mg (733) concentrations (mg/kg) are only in higher side whereas Hg (0.17 mg/kg) is in lower side in agricultural land soils, compared to the fallow land soils. Arsenic concentrations (11.5 and 28.0 mg/kg respectively) are high in those agricultural land soils where irrigated groundwater contains high arsenic (0.082 and 0.17 mg/l respectively). The total arsenic withdrawn and mean arsenic deposition per land by the 19 shallow tubewells per year are 43.9 kg (mean: 2.31 kg, range: 0.53-5.88 kg) and 8.04 kg ha(-1) (range: 1.66-16.8 kg ha(-1)) respectively. For the macrolevel study, soil arsenic concentration decreases with increase of distance from the source and higher the water arsenic concentration, higher the soil arsenic at any distance. A proper watershed management is urgently required to save the contamination.     

Organochlorine insecticide residues in birds and fish from the Transvaal, South Africa

Fatty extracts of wild birds and fishes were analysed for certain organochlorine insecticides. Nearly all samples contained residues of one or more of the insecticides.     

Phosmet residues in an orchard and adjacent recreational area 1

Abstract

Two cover sprays of phosmet were applied to an orchard adjoining a camping area and a bird sanctuary with a resident goose population. Insecticide residues were monitored on orchard leaves, orchard ground cover, ground cover in the camp‐site and along the adjacent lakeshore. Despite attempts to minimize drift, significant spray residues were found outside the target area. Residues on ground cover and leaves were reduced by sprinkler irrigation subsequent to spray application.     

Arsenic accumulation by two brake ferns growing on an arsenic mine and their potential in phytoremediation

In an area near an arsenic mine in Hunan Province of south China, soils were often found with elevated arsenic levels. A field survey was conducted to determine arsenic accumulation in 8 Cretan brake ferns (Pteris cretica) and 16 Chinese brake ferns (Pteris vittata) growing on these soils. Three factors were evaluated: arsenic concentration in above ground parts (fronds), arsenic bioaccumulation factor (BF; ratio of arsenic in fronds to soil) and arsenic translocation factor (TF; ratio of arsenic in fronds to roots). Arsenic concentrations in the fronds of Chinese brake fern were 3-704 mg kg-1, the BFs were 0.06-7.43 and the TFs were 0.17-3.98, while those in Cretan brake fern were 149-694 mg kg-1, 1.34-6.62 and 1.00-2.61, respectively. Our survey showed that both ferns were capable of arsenic accumulation under field conditions. With most of the arsenic being accumulated in the fronds, these ferns have potential for use in phytoremediation of arsenic contaminated soils.     

Brominated flame retardants and organochlorine pollutants in aquatic and terrestrial predatory birds of Belgium: levels, patterns, tissue distribution and condition factors

Liver and muscle samples from 7 species of aquatic and terrestrial predatory birds from Flanders (Belgium) were analysed for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). PCBs were the predominant compounds in our samples, which showed highest concentrations in the liver of barn owl (Tyto alba) and sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) (up to 1000 microg/g lipid weight). PBDEs could be determined in most samples at lower concentrations than PCBs (up to 64 microg/g lipid in sparrowhawk liver). Sparrowhawks had the highest levels of hexachlorobenzene, DDTs and PBDEs. In contrast, kestrels (Falco tinnunculus) had relatively low levels of most measured organochlorines. BDE 47 was the most abundant congener in heron (Ardea cinerea) and grebe (Podiceps cristatus), while BDE 47, 99 and 153 were equally important in the terrestrial species. BDE 183 and BDE 209 were only measured in the terrestrial birds. These results indicate that terrestrial birds may be more exposed to higher brominated BDE congeners than aquatic species.     

Trends of organochlorine residues in eggs of birds from Italy, 1977 to 1985

All the eggs, collected in Italy in 1982 and 1983, of two species of passerine birds, three gulls, four terns and the night heron, contained DDE and, with lower frequencies, other organochlorine contaminants. Organochlorines were more concentrated in the species of higher trophic level. DDE contamination showed a decreasing trend from 1978 to 1985 in one passerine, two terns and in the heron. After 1980-1982, the level of contamination was below the critical threshold beyond which reproduction is affected, eggshell thickness was only slightly or not reduced; therefore, the current impact of organochlorines on these birds is probably negligible. Detrimental effects may have occurred during the 1970s, when some of the eggs were contaminated beyond the critical threshold.     

Amendment of arsenic and chromium polluted soil from wood preservation by iron residues from water treatment

An iron-rich water treatment residue (WTR) consisting mainly of ferrihydrite was used for immobilization of arsenic and chromium in a soil contaminated by wood preservatives. A leaching batch experiment was conducted using two soils, a highly contaminated soil (1033 mg kg⁻¹ As and 371 mg kg⁻¹ Cr) and slightly contaminated soil (225 mg kg⁻¹ As and 27 mg kg⁻¹ Cr). Compared to an untreated reference soil, amendment with 5% WTR reduced leaching in the highly contaminated soil by 91% for Cr and 98% for As. No aging effect was observed after 103 d. In a small field experiment, soil was mixed with 2.5% WTR in situ. Pore water was extracted during 3 years from the amended soil and a control site. Pore water arsenic concentrations in the amended soil were more than two orders of magnitude lower than in the control for the upper samplers. An increased release of arsenic was observed during winter in both fields, mostly in the deepest samplers. This is likely due to the formation of a pseudo-gley because of precipitation surplus. Stabilization of arsenic and chromium contaminated soil using WTR is a promising method but the transformation of ferrihydrite in soil proves a concern in case of waterlogged soils. Still the amendment minimized the leaching of arsenic, even in cases of seasonal releases.     

Arsenic hyperaccumulation by Pteris vittata from arsenic contaminated soils and the effect of liming and phosphate fertilisation

Pot experiments were carried out to investigate the potential of phytoremediation with the arsenic hyperaccumulator Pteris vittata in a range of soils contaminated with As and other heavy metals, and the influence of phosphate and lime additions on As hyperaccumulation by P. vittata. The fern was grown in 5 soils collected from Cornwall (England) containing 67-4550 mg As kg(-1) and different levels of metals. All soils showed a similar distribution pattern of As in different fractions in a sequential extraction, with more than 60% of the total As being associated with the fraction thought to represent amorphous and poorly-crystalline hydrous oxides of Fe and Al. The concentration of As in the fronds ranged from 84 to 3600 mg kg(-1), with 0.9-3.1% of the total soil As being taken up by P. vittata. In one soil which contained 5500 mg Cu kg(-1) and 1242 mg Zn kg(-1), P. vittata suffered from phytotoxicity and accumulated little As (0.002% of total). In a separate experiment, neither phosphate addition (50mg P kg(-1) soil) nor liming (4.6 g CaCO3 kg(-1) soil) was found to affect the As concentration in the fronds of P. vittata, even though phosphate addition increased the As concentration in the soil pore water. Between 4 and 7% of the total soil As was taken up by P. vittata in 4 cuttings in this experiment. The results indicate that P. vittata can hyperaccumulate As from naturally contaminated soils, but may be suitable for phytoremediation only in the moderately contaminated soils.     

Causes of the elevated nitrate aerosol levels during episodic days in Taichung urban area,Taiwan

The purpose of this study is to explore the possible reasons accounting for elevated nitrate aerosol levels during high particulate days (HPD) in Taichung urban area of central Taiwan. To achieve this goal, simultaneous measurements of particulate and gaseous pollutants were carried out from September 2004 to April 2005 using an annular denuder system (ADS). The formation rate of NO₂ to nitrate aerosol, calculated using the relevant chemical reactions, was employed to interpret enhanced nitrate aerosol concentrations during HPD. The observations showed that nitrate concentration during HPD was 14 times higher than that during low particulate days (LPD). The average formation rate during HPD was 4.0% h^?1, which was 3.1 times higher than that during LPD. The quantitative analysis showed that the formation rate was mainly influenced by temperature and relative humidity. Lower temperature and higher relative humidity led much nitrate aerosol formation in HPD. Moreover, the residence time analysis of air masses staying over the studied area showed that the slow-motion air retained high nitrate concentrations due to more nitrate aerosol converted from the precursors in NOx-rich areas.     

Effect of pesticide residues on health and different enzyme levels in the blood of farm workers from Gadap (rural area) Karachi-Pakistan

Persons from 14 different fruit and vegetable farm stations from Gadap (rural area), Karachi-Pakistan were examined for the presence of pesticide (cypermethrin, deltamethrin, polytrin-C, diazinon, monocrotophos, DDT and DDE) residues in their blood samples. The present study is concerned with effects of residue on the enzyme levels (GPT, GOT and ALP) as well as the health hazards of pesticide exposed persons. There is a significant increased in the enzyme levels at different stations. Exposed persons complained about liver and kidney dysfunctions and RTI. It may be concluded that exposure of multiple pesticides for prolonged period has affected the normal functioning of different organ systems and possibly produced characteristics clinical effects such as hepatitis, dyspnea and burning sensation in urine.     

Organochlorine residue levels in livers of birds of prey from Spain: inter-species comparison in relation with diet and migratory patterns

Livers from 130 specimens corresponding to 18 species of raptors from Spain were analysed for persistent organochlorine (OC) residues. In all species, p,p'-DDE was the most abundant individual OC compound detected, with geometric means ranging from 61 to 40,086 ng/g ww. The geometric mean for summation operator PCB ranged from 225 to 9184 ng/g ww. Migration to Africa, south of Sahara, where p,p'-DDT is still in use, was not associated with higher liver concentrations of its metabolite, p,p'-DDE. The presence of birds in the diet of the species was an important species-specific factor determining the mean liver concentrations of p,p'-DDE and summation operator PCB. The effect of the diet on OC concentrations in liver is explained by the lower metabolising capacity of OC compounds in birds, especially for p,p'-DDE.     

Distribution and availability of arsenic in soils from the industrialized urban area of Beijing, China

Concentrations of arsenic (As) were determined in soils of 5 industrial sites in an urban area of Beijing, China. Fifty seven typical surface soils were sampled to determine total concentrations of metals, pH and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). One hundred and eight deep soils were submitted to a four-step, sequential extraction to assess the relative mobility and bioavailability of As in the soil profiles. Total concentrations of As in surface soils ranged from 5.7 to 2.3 x 10(1) mg kg(-1), dw with greater concentrations inside the perimeter of the chemical plant which had greater concentrations than did other plants. 75.4% of surface soil samples in the industrial area contained concentrations of As that were greater than was considered to be the background concentration of 7.8 mg kg(-1), dw for the region. The mean concentration (9.9 mg kg(-1), dw) in the industrial soils was greater than that soils from other type of land use. Concentrations of As were significantly and negatively correlated with soil pH and DOC in industrial soils. Although mean concentration of total As in the soils from all sites were less at greater depths, the entire range from 0 to 180 cm (especially 0-80 cm) contained concentrations of As that were greater than background. Sequential extractions of soil indicated that only some surface soils had relatively great amount of extractable fraction of As. Most soils had relatively great amount of residual As. This result suggests that most arsenic in Beijing industrial soils should be immobile and of limited bioavailability.     

Contribution to the understanding of biologic concentrations of arsenic in children living in an urban area from Rio de Janeiro,Brazil

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - There are few studies about children’s environmental exposure to arsenic (As) in Brazil, most of them being in mining regions. The objective of...     

Arsenic methylation, GSTO1 polymorphisms, and metabolic syndrome in an arseniasis endemic area of southwestern Taiwan

Previous studies have shown that hair arsenic (As) levels are associated with an increased prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS), which is a strong predictor for type 2 diabetes. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether urinary arsenic methylation is related to MetS in an arseniasis endemic area of southwestern Taiwan, taking genetic factors into account. Subjects were from a community-based cohort recruited in 1990 from three villages in Putai Township. In 2002-2003, we successfully followed 247 subjects and measured their urinary arsenic species including inorganic arsenic, monomethylarsonic acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), as well as the coding region polymorphisms of three genes known to involve in arsenic methylation. Results showed that subjects of MetS had a history of consuming well water of higher arsenic concentration as compared to those without MetS. We also found a significant association between urinary arsenic species and risk for MetS, where the odds ratio of MetS was increased with decreasing proportion of MMA and low rate of primary methylation (defined as MMA/inorganic As). The increased risk associated with low primary methylation rate was further modified by the GSTO1 A140D polymorphism, with the D allele carriers showing a slightly higher risk for MetS. Our results suggest that a low MMA% is associated with increased risk for MetS among As-exposed subjects and the genetic polymorphism of GSTO1, an enzyme responsible for the reduction of pentavalent arsenic species, may also play a modest modification role.