Yvonne A. Greichus

Insecticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, and metals in African lake ecosystems. III. Lake Nakuru, Kenya

In an effort to examine biological accumulation of pollutants in an African lake ecosystem samples of water, bottom sediment, oligochaetes, benthic insects, three species of fish, and a fish eating bird were analysed for several insecticides, PCBs, and metals. Actual concentrations as well as the expected increase in the food chain are discussed.

Insecticides, polychlorinated biphenyls and metals in African lake ecosystems. I. Hartbeespoort Dam, Transvaal and Voëlvlei Dam, Cape Province, Republic of South Africa.

Concentrations and distribution of chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and some metals were determined in two South African lakes, Hartbeespoort Dam and Voëlvlei Dam. Water, bottom sediments, aquatic plants, aquatic insects, fish, fish-eating birds and their eggs were collected.Insecticides and PCBs were analyzed by thin layer and gas chromatography and mass-spectrometry. Analysis of metals was accomplished with atomic absorption spectrophotometry. Metals included arsenic, cadmium, copper, manganese, lead, zinc, and mercury.The insecticide residues most commonly found in both dams were DDE, DDD, DDT, and dieldrin. Hartbeespoort had higher levels than Voëlvlei of insecticides and PCBs in all types of samples common to both lakes. Concentrations of PCBs having six or more chlorines increased with an increase in the trophic level. Concentrations of PCBs in the brains of the African birds were greater than the average total concentration of insecticides while the opposite was true for carcasses. Biological magnification of insecticides and PCBs occurred in both lakes.Hartbeespoort Dam had higher levels than Voëlvlei for all metals examined in bottom sediments and birds, except for copper in bird carcasses. Mercury levels in bird carcasses ranged from 2- to 5-fold greater than in fish while lead concentrations ranged from 2- to 10-fold greater.

Insecticides, polychlorinated biphenyls and metals in african lake ecosystems. II. Lake Mcllwaine, Rhodesia

In an effort to examine biological accumulation of pollutants in an African lake ecosystem samples of water, bottom sediment, oligochaetes, benthic insects, three species of fish, and a fish eating bird were analysed for several insecticides, PCBs, and metals. Actual concentrations as well as the expected increase in the food chain are discussed.

Chemical composition and volatile fatty acid production of male Ascaris lumbricoides before and after starvation

Abstract Chemical composition and volatile fatty acid production of male Ascaris lumbricoides before and after starvation were studied by proximate analysis and gas-liquid chromatography. The amount of glucose in the perienteric fluid and glycogen in the entire body of the nematode was also determined. The starved worms contained somewhat smaller percentages of fat and protein, but the greatest losses appeared in the nitrogen-free extract. There was a 71.3% glycogen loss in the starved worms. One gram of the starved ascarids produced an average of 0.041 gm of volatile fatty acids during a 7-day period in a salt solution containing no organic nutrients. The major volatile fatty acids produced by the starved nematodes were α-methylbutyric (50.0%) and α-methylvaleric (27.1%). The minor acids were: valeric (6.5%), propionic (5.5%), tiglic (2.4%), acetic (2.2%), n-butyric (2.2%), iso-butyric (trace), caproic (trace). An unknown acid with more than six carbons in its chain comprised 4.1% of the total volatile fatty acid production.

Analyses of polychlorinated biphenyls in bird tissues and aroclor standards with gas chromatography and mass spectrometry

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) consist of complex mixtures of isomeric biphenyls with various numbers of chlorine atoms substituted on the biphenyl rings. There are some 210 theoretically possible isomers of PCBs with 102 probable combinations (WIDMARK, 1968). Aroclor 1254 produced by Monsanto Chemical Company has been shown to have more than 50 components when analyzed by capillary gas chromatography columns (SESSONS and WELTI, 1971). In order to observe changes due to metabolism, it is desirable to relate peaks seen on gas-liquid chromatography (GLC) chromatograms to the I~B isomers composing the peaks. Also, HUTZINGER et al. (1972) has shown that in environmental samples, the pattern of PCB peaks change with trophic levels. WEBB and McCALL (1972) have related the relative retention times of the peaks seen on GLC chromatograms to the number of chlorines in the isomers which compose each peak for six different Aroclors. BAGLEY et al. (1970) demonstrated that most of the PCB peaks occuring in bald eagle carcasses were identical to components of Aroclor 1254 using combined GLC-mass spectrometry.

Identification and quantification of some elements in the hog roundworm, Ascaris lumbricoides suum, and certain tissues of its host.

Abstract Atomic absorption spectrophotometric and fluorometric analyses were utilized for the determination of several elements in the whole bodies of both male and female Ascaris lumbricoides suum and from the muscle and kidney of the swine host. Concentrations of cadmium, calcium, copper, lead, magnesium, manganese, iron, selenium, potassium, and zinc in these tissues are reported. Statistical analysis (Tukeys procedure) of the data indicated no differences in metal concentrations between male and female ascarids. There were three instances in which the metal concentrations were statistically different in worm tissues and both hog tissues.

Distribution and biochemical effects of DDT, DDD and DDE in penned double-crested cormorants☆

Concentrations, distribution and chronic effects of DDT, DDD and DDE were determined in penned cormorants (Phalacrocorax a. auritus) treated with 2, 5 and 10 mg of a combination of these compounds daily in their diet. Birds stressed by a one-half decrease in food after the cessation of 9 weeks of treatment and birds that died of DDT toxicity showed a marked increase in brain and liver residues and a decrease in carcass residues. Higher brain residue levels were significantly correlated with decreased body weight (p < 0.01) and carcass lipid content (p < 0.05). DDD concentrations in the brain were found to be the best indicator of DDT toxicity. Brain concentrations ranged from 24 to 85 ppm in birds that died of toxic effects and from 0.4 to 29 ppm in survivors, indicating that 30 ppm was diagnostic of toxicity. Brain concentrations of DDT and metabolites in wild cormorants indicated no immediate danger of toxicity. Average residue levels in the carcass of wild adult cormorants was 1.00 ppm for DDD and 10.6 ppm for the total of DDT, DDD and DDE. This represents a total body burden of 2.2 mg of DDD and 23.3 mg of the DDT complex as adult cormorants averaged 2200 g in body weight. Analysis of total liver vitamin A indicated a significant decrease of vitamin A due to treatment. An analysis of variance showed a significant decrease in liver (p < 0.05) and heart weights (p < 0.05) due to treatment but not brain or spleen weights when analyzed as percentage of body weight. A significant negative correlation was found between liver weight and brain concentrations of DDE + DDD + DDT (p < 0.05). No significant effects due to treatment were found on blood chemistry values.

Insecticide residues in pronghorn antelope of South Dakota

Widesoread use of insecticides in recent years has caused increasing concern that insecticide residues may be building up in the natural environment and in wild animals used as food by humans. There is little information on insecticlae residues in pronghorn antelope, Antilocaora americana. Pesticide residue surveys of big game mammals have been made in Montana, Idaho, Washington and So~th Dakota, but few pronghorn antelope ~r included (I, 2, 3, h).

Physiological effects of polychlorinated biphenyls or a combination of DDT, DDD, and DDE in penned white pelicans

The effects of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) or a combination of DDT (1,1,1-trichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl) ethane), DDD (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl) ethane) and DDE (1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl ethylene) on organ weights, liver storage of vitamin A and carotene, selected blood chemistry parameters, and serum protein fractions were determined in penned white pelicans (Pelecanus erythrorhynchos) receiving a daily dosage of these compounds. Birds received 100 mg of PCBs or a combination of DDT (20 mg), DDD (15 mg), and DDE (15 mg) injected into the first fish fed each day for ten weeks. A greater percentage of PCB treatment was retained in brain, liver, carcass and feathers than the percentage of DDT + DDD + DDE treatment. Liver weight as percent of body weight decreased (p<0.01) in DDT + DDD + DDE-treated birds and increased (p<0.01) as a total weight in PCB-treated birds. Spleen weight as percent of body weight was greater (p<0.05) in PCB-treated birds. Neither treatment had a significant effect on the weight of the brain, heart, or kidney. Liver vitamin A levels were greater (p<0.01) on a μg/g of liver basis in the DDT-treated birds than in controls. Significant lowering of serum potassium and protein values was noted in both the PCB- and the combination of DDT, DDD, DDE-treated birds, while serum calcium values were lowered (p<0.01) only in PCB-treated birds. Values of serum inorganic phosphorus, uric acid and magnesium were not significantly changed by either treatment. Globulin fractions were unaltered by either treatment, but albumin fractions were lowered (p<0.01) in the PCB-treated pelicans.

Body-fat composition of male Ascaris lumbricoides before and after starvation

Abstract The body-fat composition of male Ascaris lumbricoides before and after starvation was studied by gas-liquid chromatography, thin-layer chromatography, and mass spectrometry. Identification of long-chain fatty acids from the total lipid of male ascarids revealed the following 14 acids: 14:0, 14:1, 15:0, 16:0, 16:1, 17:0, 17:1, 18:0, 18:1, 18:2, 20:0, 18:3, 20:2, and 20:4. Occasional samples had traces of 15:1 and 20:1 acids. Quantitative analysis of the thin-layer lipid fractions from unstarved male ascarids indicated that cholesteryl esters, triglycerides, cholesterol, free fatty acids, and phospholipids represented 7.4%, 19.2%, 4.6%, 0.5%, and 52.5% of the total lipid, respectively. The mono- and diglycerides were estimated at less than 1%. The fat from starved and unstarved ascarids was separated into five fractions and the fatty acids from each fraction were analyzed by gas chromatography. Statistical analysis revealed no significant difference between starved and unstarved worms in any of the long-chain fatty acids except the 16:1 acid. This acid was found in greater amounts in the free-fatty-acid fraction of unstarved worms.