Louise Champoux

European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) Suggest That Landfills Are an Important Source of Bioaccumulative Flame Retardants to Canadian Terrestrial Ecosystems

Landfills are used as the primary means for the disposal of municipal solid waste in Canada. In the present study, polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and other flame retardants (FRs) were determined in fresh European starling ( Sturnus vulgaris ) eggs collected in 2009, 2010, and 2011 from nest boxes established within, adjacent to, and 10 and 40 km distant to five major urban centers across Canada, i.e., Vancouver, British Columbia (BC); Calgary, Alberta (AB); Hamilton, Ontario (ON); Montréal, Québec (QC); and Halifax, Nova Scotia (NS). Nest boxes were located in several land use types: urban industrial areas (districts of industrial activity within city limits), landfill sites (adjacent to cities), and rural (agricultural) sites located 10 and 40 km distant from the major urban centers, as well as a national reference site. Of the 14 PBDE congeners and 16 non-PBDE FR substances determined in the starling eggs, BDE-17, -28, -47, -49, -66, -85, -99, -100, -138, -153, -154, -183, and -209, Dechlorane Plus isomers (anti and syn), and bis(2-ethylhexyl)-3,4,5,6-tetrabromophthalate (BEHTBP) were most frequently quantifiable. The data revealed orders of magnitude greater PBDE concentrations in eggs from starlings nesting in landfill sites (median: 28-280 ng/g wet weight) relative to those from urban industrial and rural environments. However, the percent fractional composition of the PBDE congener patterns did not vary significantly between the types of land uses or between years. Additionally, the median ∑PBDE concentration in eggs from landfill sites and the human population density of the metropolitan region that the landfill serves were highly correlated (r(2) = 0.998, p < 0.001). As the first transcontinental effort in assessing FR contamination in Canadian terrestrial ecosystems, the present study strongly suggest that landfills are an important FR source to starlings nesting nearby and that other terrestrial organisms could also be similarly exposed.

Assessment of Contamination and Biomarker Responses in Two Species of Herons on the St. Lawrence River

This study was undertaken to validate potential biomarkers of exposure and effects due to chemical contaminants in breedingcolonies of the Great Blue Heron and the Black-crowned Night-Heron on the St. Lawrence River. Eggs and fledglings from both species were collected from many colonies along theRiver. The fledglings from colonies in freshwater and brackishwater were more contaminated by mercury and PCBs than those from estuarine and gulf colonies. With respect to fledglings ofthe two heron species, some morphometric and blood biochemicalmeasurements, including plasma thyroid hormones and retinol, were significantly different among colonies. Significant differences were also observed in liver retinoids, EROD and porphyrins among colonies. The results of this study suggestthat plasma retinoids and thyroid hormones are good biomarkersof exposure and effects, and are sufficiently sensitive to reflect local and regional variations in contamination. Along with the measure of contaminants in egg and plasma, they constitute non-invasive biomarkers which represent an importantcriteria for long term monitoring of wildlife species. It is concluded that the Great Blue Heron is an appropriate sentinelspecies in the surveillance network for the St. Lawrence River.

Volatile Methylsiloxanes and Organophosphate Esters in the Eggs of European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and Congeneric Gull Species from Locations across Canada

Volatile methylsiloxanes (VMSs) and organophosphate esters (OPEs) are two suites of chemicals that are of environmental concern as organic contaminants, but little is known about the exposure of wildlife to these contaminants, particularly in birds, in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. The present study investigates the spatial distributions of nine cyclic and linear VMSs and 17 OPEs in the eggs of European starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) and three congeneric gull species (i.e., herring gull (Larus argentatus), glaucous-winged gull (L. glaucescens), and California gull (L. californicus)) from nesting sites across Canada. ∑VMS concentrations for all bird eggs were dominated by decamethylcyclopentasiloxane (D5), dodecamethylcyclohexasiloxane (D6), and octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4). With European starlings, birds breeding adjacent to landfill sites had eggs containing significantly greater ∑VMS concentrations (median: 178 ng g-1 wet weight (ww)) compared with those from the urban industrial (20 ng g-1 ww) and rural sites (1.3 ng g-1 ww), indicating that the landfills are important sources of VMSs to Canadian terrestrial environments. In gull eggs, the median ∑VMS concentrations were up to 254 ng g-1 ww and suggested greater detection frequencies and levels of VMSs in aquatic- versus terrestrial-feeding birds in Canada. In contrast, the detection frequency of OPEs in all European starling and gull eggs was lower than 16%. This suggested that low dietary exposure or rapid metabolism of accumulated OPEs occurs in aquatic feeding birds and may warrant further investigation for the elucidation of the reasons for these differences.

Spatiotemporal patterns and relationships among the diet, biochemistry, and exposure to flame retardants in an apex avian predator, the peregrine falcon

Abstract Flame retardants (FR) are industrial chemicals and some are proven environmental contaminants that accumulate in predatory birds. Few studies have examined the influence of diet on FR profiles in nestling raptors and the possible physiological implications of such FR exposure. The objectives of this research were (1) to determine spatial patterns of ≤ 48 polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) congeners and ≤ 26 non‐PBDE FRs, including organophosphate esters (OPEs), in nestling peregrine falcons (Falco peregrinus) across the Canadian Great Lakes‐St. Lawrence River Basin (GL‐SLR; 2010) and in the eastern Canadian Arctic (2007); (2) to identify temporal changes in FR concentrations from the mid‐2000s to 2010 in GL‐SLR peregrine nestlings; (3) to investigate the role of diet using stable isotopes on exposure patterns of quantifiable FRs; and (4) to assess possible associations between circulating FRs and total (T) thyroxine (TT4) and triiodothyronine (TT3), tocopherol, retinol and oxidative status (isoprostanes). The summed concentrations of the top 5 PBDEs (&Sgr;5) (BDE‐47, ‐99, ‐100, ‐154, ‐153) were significantly higher in rural nestlings than urban nestlings in the GL‐SLR, followed by the eastern Arctic nestlings. The PBDE congener profile of rural nestlings was dominated by BDE‐99 (34‰), whereas BDE‐209 (31‰) became dominant in the 2010 urban PBDE profile marking a shift since the mid‐2000s. Low (ppb) concentrations of 25 novel non‐PBDE FRs (e.g., 1,2‐bis‐(2,4,6‐tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), decabromodiphenylethane (DBDPE)) were measured in the nestlings in at least one region, with the first report in peregrines of 15 novel non‐PBDE FRs (e.g., 2‐ethyl‐1‐hyxyl 2,3,4,5‐tetrabromobenzoate (EHTBB), pentabromo allyl ether (PBPAE), tetrabromoethylcyclohexane (&agr;‐, &bgr;‐DBE‐DBCH)) as well as of tris (2‐butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP) (0–7.5 ng/g ww) > tris(2‐chloroisopropyl) phosphate (TCIPP) (0.1–5.5 ng/g ww) > tris(2‐chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP) (0.02–2.0 ng/g ww) > tris(1,3‐dichloro‐2‐propyl) phosphate (TDCIPP) (0–1.0 ng/g ww). Within the GL‐SLR, the urban nestlings’ diet had significantly more terrestrial sources (greater &dgr;13C values) than the broader, more aquatic‐based diet of rural peregrines. Dietary source (&dgr;13C) was significantly associated with concentrations of &Sgr;5PBDE, BDE‐209, EHTBB, and 2,2–4,4′,5,5′‐hexabromobiphenyl (BB‐153), with trophic level (&dgr;15N) also positively associated with BDE‐209 levels. Compared to urban nestlings, the rural nestlings had significantly lower circulating concentrations of thyroxine (TT4), triiodothyronine (TT3), a greater proportion of TT3 relative to TT4 (TT3:TT4), tocopherol and oxidative status (isoprostanes), but higher retinol levels; the most recalcitrant PBDE congener, BDE‐153, in combination with low concentrations of some novel FRs, particularly octabromotrimethylphenyllindane (OBIND), may influence circulating thyroid hormones, especially TT4, and retinol levels of peregrine falcon nestlings. These associations of FR‐endocrine‐biochemical measures suggest possible exposure‐related changes in these birds and further study is warranted. HighlightsPeregrines, global apex avian predators, were sampled in the Great Lakes & Arctic.PBDEs were highest in rural peregrines, then urban birds, then Arctic nestlings.This is the first report of 15 novel flame retardants (FRs) in peregrine falcons.Diet, thyroid hormones, biochemistry and oxidative status varied regionally.Correlations with FRs, diet, and thyroid hormones, warrant further research.

Perfluoroalkyl Acids in European Starling Eggs Indicate Landfill and Urban Influences in Canadian Terrestrial Environments

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) were determined in European starling ( Sturnus vulgaris) eggs collected between 2009 and 2014 from industrial, rural/agricultural, and landfill locations within five urban centers across Canada. Within each urban center, perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acid (PFSA) concentrations were generally greater in starling eggs collected from urban/industrial locations and PFSAs and perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) were generally greater at landfills compared to rural and remote locations. However, the relative importance of urban/industrial versus landfill locations as potential sources was chemical- and location-specific. PFSA concentrations in eggs collected from nonlandfills were positively correlated with human population. Despite the 2000 to 2002 phase-out of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS) and its C8 precursors, leaching from consumer products during use likely continues to be a major source to the environment. In comparison, the concentrations of most PFCAs in eggs were not related to population, which supports the hypothesis that atmospheric transport and degradation of precursor chemicals are influencing their spatial trends. PFAA concentrations in eggs from landfills were not correlated with the quantity of waste received by a given landfill. The variability in PFAAs between landfills may be due to the specific composition of waste items.