Tracking the transformation of persistent organic pollutants in food webs using multi element isotope and enantiomer fractionation

Abstract

In order to track the transformation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in food webs, field experiments were conducted at two sites using stable isotope and enantiomer fractionation concepts. The enantiomers of α-hexachlorocyclohexane (α-HCH) were selected as representative compounds for POPs. Isotope and enantiomer fractionation allowed the characterization of α-HCH enantiomer biotransformation processes along trophic levels of the food web - from soil and plants to animal livers, fat tissues and milk. The enrichment of heavy isotopes in soils, plants and sediments as well as the changes of enantiomer fractionation indicate that the biotransformation of α-HCH occurred in these compartments. Moreover, the increase of carbon and chlorine isotopic compositions as well as the changes of enantiomer fractionation of liver, fat tissues and milk demonstrated that the overall HCH exposure was much higher than estimates based on concentration levels, while the isotope and enantiomer fractionation revealed the enantiomer specific enantiomer uptake across the blood-brain barriers. Dual element isotope analysis suggested that complex transformation processes have occurred along the potential food web from the HCH sources over different environmental compartments to animal livers, fat tissues and milk. The results imply that the analyses of stable isotope compositions and concentrations has potential to reconstruct the exposure of higher organisms to POPs.