Publication
Title
Within- and Among-Clutch Variation of Yolk Perfluoroalkyl Acids in a Seabird from the Northern Adriatic Sea
Author
Abstract
Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are surface-active agents used in diverse industrial and commercial applications. They contaminate both freshwater and marine ecosystems, are highly persistent, and accumulate through trophic transfer. Seabirds are exposed to environmental contaminants due to their high trophic position in food webs and relatively long lifespan. We measured levels of 10 perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in egg yolks of yellow-legged gulls (Larus michahellis) breeding in the northern Adriatic Sea (Northeast Italy). We examined variations in PFAAs within clutches (between eggs of different laying order) and among clutches. Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) was the most abundant yolk PFAA (mean = 42.0 ng/g wet wt), followed by perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA; 3.8 ng/g wet wt) and perfluorododecanoic acid (PFDoDa; 2.8 ng/g wet wt). The n-ary sumation PFAAs averaged 57.4 ng/g wet weight, ranging between 26.5 and 115.0 ng/g wet weight. The PFAA levels varied substantially among clutches (0.29-0.79 of the total variation), whereas the effects of laying order were considerably weaker (0.01-0.13). Egg-laying order effects were detected for n-ary sumation PFAAs, PFOS, perfluorononanoic acid (PFNA), perfluorodecanoic acid (PFDA), perfluoroundecanoic acid (PFUnA), and PFDoDa, whereby the last-laid eggs exhibited lower PFAA concentrations than early-laid eggs. Our results indicate that seagulls from the northern Adriatic basin deposit measurable amounts of PFAAs in their eggs. The large among-clutches differences in PFAAs suggest that exposure of yellow-legged gull females to these compounds is highly variable.Environ Toxicol Chem2020;00:1-10. (c) 2020 SETAC
Language
English
Source (journal)
Environmental toxicology and chemistry. - New York, N.Y., 1982, currens
Publication
New York, N.Y. : 2021
ISSN
0730-7268 [print]
1552-8618 [online]
DOI
10.1002/ETC.4833
Volume/pages
40 :3 (2021) , p. 744-753
ISI
000566822900001
Pubmed ID
32833265
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Publication type
Subject
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 27.11.2023
Last edited 29.11.2023
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