| Abstract
| - We report on the identity, characterization, and spatialtrends of several brominated flame retardants andhydroxylated (OH-) and methoxylated (MeO-) organohalogencontaminants in bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)nestling plasma collected from sites along the west coastof North America. Samples were from four southwesternBritish Columbia (BC) locations, a reference site in northernBC (Fort St. James; FSJ), and from Santa CatalinaIsland, CA (SCI), an area of high DDT and PCB contamination.Mean concentrations of Σpolybrominated diphenyl ether(ΣPBDE (8 congeners monitored); 1.78−8.49 ng/g), ΣOH-polychlorinated biphenyl (ΣOH-PCB (30 congenersmonitored); 0.44−0.87 ng/g), and ΣOH-PBDE (14 congenersmonitored; 0.31−0.92 ng/g) were similar in eaglets fromsouthwestern BC yet lower than for SCI and significantlyhigher than for FSJ. Dominant PBDE congeners were BDE47,BDE99, and BDE100, but SCI eaglets also contained lowlevels of higher brominated congeners. 4-OH-CB187 and 4‘-OH-CB202 accounted for 65−100% of ΣOH-PCB in all BCeaglets, with 4‘-OH-CB202 as well as 3‘-OH-CB138 and 4-OH-CB146 dominating in SCI eaglets. Ostensibly of biogenicorigin, 6‘-OH-BDE49 and 6-OH-BDE47 were found inBC nestlings. Only 4‘-OH-BDE49 (2.10 ng/g) was found inSCI eaglets. MeO-PBDEs and total hexabromocyclododecane(HBCD) were not found in any birds, but the polybrominatedbiphenyl BB101 was detected in southwestern BCsamples. This study demonstrates that west coast NorthAmerican bald eagles contain previously unreportedorganohalogens, which have the potential to impact thehealth and survival of these raptors.
|
