Non-invasive Monitoring of Organohalogen Compounds in Eggshells and Feathers of Birds from the Lower Prut Floodplain Natural Park in Romania

Abstract

The aim of this paper is to quantify the levels of DDT and its main metabolites (DDE, DDD) and also of the HCH congeners in biological samples collected from birds living in the Lower Prut Floodplain Natural Park, Romania. In order to limit the stress on the bird species, a non-invasive approach was performed using chorioallantoic membrane of the eggs and feathers as representative samples. DDTs are the main organohalogen compounds in both categories of samples. Differences appear between species and categories of samples; for Anas sp., the concentration is up to 10 times higher in eggshells than feathers.