Publication
Title
Organochlorine pesticide and polychlorinated biphenyl residues in feathers of birds from different trophic levels of South-West Iran
Author
Abstract
Persistent organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), such as dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolites, hexachlorobenzene (HCB), ¦Á, ¦Â and ¦Ã-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) isomers, together with polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners (IUPAC Nos. 28, 52, 101, 138, 153 and 180), were determined in tail feathers from 37 birds belonging to 18 species, all originating from the South-West of Iran (Khuzestan, coast of the Persian Gulf). This is the first report on organochlorine contaminants in feathers from museum collections and it is an indication of the concentrations of OCPs and PCBs in the past (1991¨C1996). Median concentrations of HCHs, DDTs, PCBs and HCB were 22, 14, 11 and 10 ng/g feather, respectively. Significant correlations (p < 0.05) were calculated between OCPs (except HCB) and PCBs in the bird feathers. p,p¡ä-DDE and ¦Ã-HCH were the most abundant OCPs, while CB 180, CB 138 and CB 101 were the predominant PCB congeners in almost all species. Significant differences (p < 0.05) in the mean concentrations of DDTs and PCBs were detected among species grouped according to their feeding habits. Levels of DDTs and PCBs were highest in the carnivorous species and lowest in the herbivorous species. Levels of OCPs and PCBs in feathers of bids in the 1990s were generally below the thresholds reported to affect reproduction.
Language
English
Source (journal)
Environment international. - Oxford
Publication
Oxford : 2009
ISSN
0160-4120
DOI
10.1016/J.ENVINT.2008.07.001
Volume/pages
35 :2009 (2009) , p. 285-290
ISI
000263628200009
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 13.05.2009
Last edited 23.08.2022
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