IP09 Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs)
B113 & B114
1:20 PM - 4:40 PM, Wednesday
(IP071) Polychlorinated biphenyl accumulation in amphibians of Arnold Air Force Base, Franklin and Coffee Counties, Tennessee.
Koczaja, C L1, Miller, B1, Leblond, J1, Bailey, F1, 1 Middle Tennessee State University, Murfreesboro, TN, USA
ABSTRACT- Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a ubiquitous contaminant in ecosystems worldwide and can be persistent contaminants of wildlife. PCBs are nonpolar organochlorine chemicals that are relatively stable in the environment and are reported to cause endocrine disruption, cancer, and reproductive effects in humans and wildlife. The purpose of this study was (1) to examine the level of PCB contamination in amphibian populations from an area of historically high environmental PCB concentrations in central Tennessee; (2) to address the human and wildlife risk from consumption of PCBs in frogs and other amphibians from the area. This is especially important since bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) legs are a food source for local residents and there is a consumption advisory for catfish from the site due to high concentrations of PCBs. Frogs and tadpoles (genus Rana), and salamanders (Eurycea cirrigera) were collected from three areas on Arnold Air Force Base in Franklin and Coffee counties, Tennessee. Animal tissues were extracted with hexane and acetone and cleaned with Florisil. Extracts were analyzed via GC-ECD and GC-MS. Surprisingly, no PCBs were detected in the tissues of amphibians from the study site; however, the DDT metabolites p-p′DDE and DDMU were identified in amphibian tissues but were not quantifiable within the scope of this study. PCB contamination in amphibian communities at these sites does not appear to be a problem and does not appear to pose a consumption risk, but DDT metabolites present in amphibian tissue should be further investigated to determine the potential for human and wildlife consumption risk.
Key words: amphibians, PCB, DDT, Arnold Air Force Base