William L. Reichel

Organochlorine concentrations in bald eagles: Brain/body lipid relations and hazard evaluation

Residue levels of 12 organochlorine compounds found in the brains of bald eagles can be predicted from the corresponding concentrations in the carcass when expressed on a hexane-extractable lipid basis. The compounds varied by a factor of about 3 in the degree to which they accumulated in the brain. An understanding of these relations enhances our ability to assess the toxic hazards of environmental contamination.

Endrin in birds: Lethal residues and secondary poisoning

Endrin residues in brains that are diagnostic of death were determined for several species of birds. Residues of 0.8 ppm or more of endrin in brain meant death; 0.6 ppm or less meant survival; between was a zone of overlap. These criteria indicate that some wild birds of the U.S., particularly white pelicans in the Northwest and two bald eagles, have been killed by endrin. Signs of endrin poisoning in experimental birds are described. The important and highly toxic metabolite in rodents, 12-ketoendrin, was sought but not found.

Analysis of tissues of mallard ducks fed two phthalate esters

Phthalic ester plasticizers are widely used and have become environmental contaminants. About I billion pounds were produced in 1972 alone, usually as plasticizers in polyvinyl chloride plastics (GRAHAM 1973). Dibutyl phthalate (DBP) also is used as an insect repellent and diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) as a pesticide (FARM CHEMICALS 1971). These latter compounds have been found in soil (OGNER AND SCHNITZER 1970) and in aquatic organisms and water (ANONYMOUS 1971, MAYER et al 1972, HITES 1973). NAZIR et al (1973) isolated and identified DEHP in beef heart muscle mitochondria and in much smaller amounts from the heart muscle of the rat, rabbit, and dog.

The effect of putrefaction of eggs upon residue analysis of DDT and metabolites

In conjunction with environmental pollution studies, it often is necessary to analyze field-collected eggs that are partially decomposed. The effect of putrefaction upon residue analysis, however, is not known and the experiment reported here was designed to determine if recoveries of DDT, DDE, and DDD differed between fresh and addled eggs and also if putrefaction causes appreciable degradation of DDT.