Polychlorinated Biphenyls in the Plasma and Preen Oil of Black-Footed Albatross (Diomedea nigripes) Chicks and Adults on Midway Atoll, North Pacific Ocean.

Jun Wang,Lee Ann Woodward,Qing X Li,Sarah A L Caccamise

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0123041

Jun Wang, Lee Ann Woodward + Show 2 more

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https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0123041

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Abstract

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are ubiquitous in the environment. Midway Atoll, located in the North Pacific Ocean, was occupied by the military during and after World War II. However, Midway Atoll has become a national wildlife refuge and home to many different seabirds today, including the black-footed albatross (Diomedea nigripes) (BFAL). The profiles and toxic equivalents (TEQ) of PCB congeners in the plasma and preen oil of BFAL chicks and adults were determined in this study. The concentrations of the total PCBs in the plasma samples of chicks and adults collected in Midway Atoll ranged from 2.3 to 223.8 (mean 80.1) and 22.8 to 504.5 (mean 158.6) ng g-1 (wet weight, ww), respectively. The TEQs ranged from 0.2 to 0.6 (mean 0.4) and 0.4 to 1.6 (mean 0.9) pg g-1 ww, respectively, in the plasma samples of chicks and adults from Midway Atoll. The major congeners in the plasma samples of chicks and adults included PCBs 31, 87, 97, 99, 118, 138, 153, and 180, accounting for 70% of the total PCBs. The concentrations of the total PCBs in the adult preen oil samples ranged from 1693 to 39404 (mean 10122) ng g-1 (ww), of which 97% were PCBs 105, 118, 128, 138, 153, 161, 172, and 183.

Highlights

Midway Atoll is located in the North Pacific Ocean, approximately 1100 miles northwest of Oahu, Hawaii
polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) concentrations in the plasma of chicks and adults and toxicity assessment Fig 2A shows the concentrations of total PCBs in the plasma of chicks and adults
The concentrations of the total PCBs in the plasma of chick and adult samples collected in B8 and bulky dump sampling site ranged from 2.3 to 223.8 ng g-1 ww and 22.8 to 504.5 ng g-1 ww, respectively

Summary

Introduction

Midway Atoll is located in the North Pacific Ocean, approximately 1100 miles northwest of Oahu, Hawaii (approximately 177°W longitude, 28°N latitude). It is made up of two main islands (Sand Island and East Island) that are surrounded by a coral reef. Many industrial products including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were heavily used during military occupation. It is part of the Hawaiian Islands National Wildlife Refuge and since May 1996 has been managed by the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service.

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