L. M. Hernández

Occurrence of organochlorine insecticides, PCBs and PCB congeners in waters and sediments of the Ebro River (Spain)

Organochlorine insecticides and poychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were measured in water and sediment samples taken from thirteen sites along the Ebro River (Spain), the most agricultural and industrial basin in the North of the Iberian Peninsula. Concentrations of 10 insecticides, PCBs and 13 PCB congeners were determined: grouping all chemicals by structural affinity, these can be arranged in descending order as follow: PCBs > total DDT > total cyclodiene insecticides > total HCH. Higher levels of organochlorine pollutants were detected in sediments from the middle and lower parts of the stream where are located the main important inputs in Ebro River.

Levels of PCDDs and PCDFs in farm cow's milk located near potential contaminant sources in Asturias (Spain). Comparison with levels found in control, rural farms and commercial pasteurized cow's milks

Cows milk samples from 12 dairy farms in Spain and 23 samples of pasteurised cows milk were analysed for PCDD/F. Farms located in rural areas without specific dioxin sources (background levels) ranged from 1.3 to 2.47 pg TEQ/g fat basis. These values were slightly lower than those found in milk from the vicinity of potential dioxin emission sources (waste incinerator, chemical and metallurgical industry) and similar to milk near paper industry. The waste incinerator seems to be the emission source with the highest influence on the cows milk gathered in its vicinity. Thus, milk near the waste incinerator exhibited the highest PCDD/F levels, the highest PCDF/PCDD ratio and its congener PCDD pattern showed the highest difference respect to its control point. The PCDD/F average concentrations found in pasteurised commercial milk were lower than those found in raw milk and were comparable to those found in retail milk from other countries.

Organochlorine and heavy metal residues in Falconiforme and Ciconiforme eggs (Spain)

Over the last three decades the biosphere has been contaminated almost universally by persistent pollutants of agricultural and industrial origin. Organochlorine pesticides and polychlorinated biphenyls have been documented to have adverse effects of the reproduction and survival of wild birds. Also, environmental contamination from heavy metals has been shown to be a threat to the survival and reproduction of certain birds. The hazard to Falconiforme and Ciconiforme birds is high because a) they are sensitive to eggshell thinning b) they are high in the food chain (Peakall 1975). The present paper reports the levels of organochlorine compounds and heavy metals in 69 eggs of five species of the avian Falconiforme order and two species of the avian Ciconiforme order collected at DoSana National Park and Castile Plateau (Spain). Objectives of this study are (i) to determine the levels of organochlorine pollutants and heavy metals in eggs of Falconiforme and Ciconiforme birds of Spain; (2) to evaluate the impact of the contaminants detected on reproductive potential; (3) to evaluate regional patterns of residues. MATERIALS AND NETHODS Sixty-nine infertile bird eggs were gathered at DoEana National Park and Castile Plateau in 1985 and 1986 breeding season. The Do~ana National Park, an area of 50,720 ha, is located in the south-southwest of the Iberian Peninsula. The Dofiana National Park, which is also a Scientific Reservation of the Biosphere of UNESCO, and area included in the International Agreement of Ramsar for the protection of wet areas, is of the utmost importance for sedentary birds living there. It is also important for birds migrating between Europe and Africa. The Castile Plateau, located in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula, constitute one important breeding habitat of birds in Spain (Figure i).

Distribution of Trace Metals in Sediments and the Relationship with their Accumulation in Earthworms

Abstract Concentrations of Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn and their speciation in river sediments (Guadalquivir River, Spain), were determined. Relationships between trace metal concentrations in sediments and earthworms were studied in order to estimate the rate at which metals accumulated in organisms living in sediments. The bioavailable fraction of Cd represented more than 50 % of the total Cd found in sediments, and this percentage was much greater than those of the other elements examined. Most of the Cu was present in the organic and residual fractions. Lead and Zn were mainly associated with the crystalline iron oxide fraction. The application of factorial analysis to the total heavy metal concentrations and some soil properties reduced the number of original variables to only three, namely factors, which explained the total variance of 94 %. Metals accumulated in earthworms were related by a second grade polynomial equation with fractions where the metals were mainly bound. Cd exhibited the highest accumulati...

Levels of chlorinated insecticides, total PCBs and PCB congeners in Spanish Gull eggs

Eggs from Herring Gulls, Audouin Gulls and Gull Billed Terns were collected at three different locations in Spain during the breeding season of 1988. Organochlorine pesticides, total polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and seven selected individual chlorobiphenyl congeners were determined in each of the thirty infertile eggs.The levels of DDE and total PCBs in eggs from the Delta Ebro River are greater than those gathered at Chafarinas Island and Cuenca. Among the species investigated, the Gull Billed Tern eggs showed the lowest level followed by the Herring Gull and the Audouin Gull eggs.The levels of the seven congeners of PCBs showed that 138 was the most prominent, followed by, in decreasing order, 153, 180, 170, 101, 151, and 194. Congener 138 constituted 10.5% ± 2.7 (S.D) of the total PCBs concentration, the 153 8.7% ± 4.2, the 180 7.5% ± 1.9, the 170 3.2% ±1.0, the 101 1.9% ± 3.06, the 151 1.1% ± 1.5 and the 194 0.9% ± 0.5.Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) residues (48 congeners) from gull eggs gathered at Ebro Delta and Chafarinas Islands were analyzed with SIMCA (Soft Independent Modeling of Class Analogy), a principal components analysis technique. A series of technical Aroclors® were also analyzed to provide a reference data set for pattern recognition. Environmental PCB residue profiles differed according to the samples origin. This analysis discriminated between the two regions sampled.

Organochlorine and metal pollution in aquatic organisms sampled in the Doñana National Park during the period 1983–1986

The study area, Donana National Park, is located in the South South-West of Spain, and this is one of the most important reservation of Europe. Samples of aquatic organism were obtained from the principal waterway of Donana National Park to determine the degree of organochlorine and metal contamination of this environment. The sampling was carried out during the period 1983-1986 in order to collect six aquatic species in four sites along the Brazo de la Torre. An agricultural area in the North-West side of the Park and a working mine at about 40 km from its northern boundary were considered as the likely main polluting sources of organochlorine pesticides, PCBs, and heavy metals respectively. The aquatic organism species chosen for analysis were: American crayfish (Procambarus clarckii), carp (Cyprinus carpio), barbel (Barbus barbus), grey mullet (Mugil capito), eel (Anguilla anguilla), and frog (Rana perezi).

A chemotaxonomic study of free flavone aglycones from some Iberian Thymus species

Abstract Sixteen free flavone aglycones exuded onto the leaf surfaces have been analysed in twenty-three taxa of genus Thymus growing in the Iberian Peninsula. A chemotaxonomic study of these compounds has been carried out. Correlations with morphological classifications and the usefulness of excreted flavonoids as taxonomic markers are discussed.

Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans in soils near a clinical waste incinerator in Madrid, Spain. Chemometric comparison with other pollution sources and soils

Abstract Surface soils samples (0–5 cm) collected in the surroundings of a Clinical Waste Incinerator (CWI) were analysed for Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and dibenzofurans (PCDFs). PCDDs and PCDFs were found at ppt levels at the 16 points sampled. The analytical data obtained reflect a slight contamination by PCDD/Fs in the area studied, but do not clarify whether the CWI plant is the only PCDD/F source responsible for that contamination. The PCDD/F patterns and profiles from the investigated soils were compared chemometricly with those reported in the available literature, and indicated that the investigated soils have a typical combustion profile and pattern. They were similar to typical emission combustion sources such as traffic, clinical waste incinerators, and combustion of materials containing polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) such as electrical wires and illegal scrap materials.

Simultaneous separation of coplanar and chiral polychlorinated biphenyls by off-line pyrenyl-silica liquid chromatography and gas chromatography. Enantiomeric ratios of chiral congeners

A method for the unambiguous determination of 41 key polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) (including coplanar and chiral congeners) and the enantiomeric ratio of chiral congeners is described. The method includes a fractionation step using a 2-(1-pyrenyl) ethyldimethylsilylated silica column for separating the polychlorinated biphenyls according to the number of chlorine atoms in the ortho positions. High-resolution gas chromatography with an electron capture detector and an achiral column was used to determine the PCB congener content in each fraction. The enantiomeric ratio of chiral congeners was calculated by high-resolution gas chromatography with a mass spectrometry detector using a chiral column. The method was found to be inexpensive, rapid, effective, and reliable under the operational conditions proposed. It eliminates the main coelution problems among the polychlorinated biphenyl congeners. It also makes it possible to determine the enantiomeric ratio of nine chiral congeners using monodimensional gas chromatography. The method was applied successfully to the analysis of the coplanar and atropisomeric polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in dolphin liver samples. The enantiomeric ratio of nine chiral congeners is also reported for the first time.

Organochlorinated compounds and selected metals in waters and soils from Doñana National Park (Spain)

A study on contamination levels by organochlorinated compounds (pesticides and PCBs) and heavy metals (Hg, Cd, Pb, Cu and Zn) in Doñana National Park (Spain) area and its surrounding region has been carried out. Residue levels of xenobiotics were determined in water and soils samples from seventeen sites selected through the park and nearest surrounding farm lands affecting to the inner Park. Also we analyzed some stations along the Guadiamar Basin in the north of Doñana region to determined the movement and influence of one mine situated over 40 km away, in Aznalcóllar, where the commercial expoitation of pyrites ores rich in Zn, Pb and Cu is being operated.