MP12 Organic, Metallic, Organometallic Pollutants
Monday, 14 November 2005: 8:00 AM - 6:30 PM in Exhibit Hall

(AAA-1117-221242) PCB accumulation in osprey and snapping turtles exposed to point sources.

de Solla, S¹, Martin, P¹, Fernie, K¹, ¹ Canadian Wildlife Service, Burlington, Ontario, Canada

ABSTRACT- We examined the accumulation of PCBs in osprey (Pandion haleaetus) eggs and plasma at Sturgeon Lake, which were collected over a range of 14 km (0.2 - 14.2 km) from a point source. Similarly, eggs of snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) were collected from Lyons Creek, over a range of 7.5 km (3.2 - 10.8 km) from the Welland Canal (Niagara River AOC). Although there was a weak relationship between the distance to the point source and sum PCBs in osprey eggs, sum PCB concentrations declined in osprey chick plasma with the distance from the point source. The PCB congener profile in osprey plasma varied both with distance to the point source and with sum PCBs. Both eggs and plasma indicated a local Aroclor 1254/1248 source, which contrasts with the relatively small contribution of these Aroclors in other Great Lake colonies of osprey. Sum PCBs in turtle eggs declined with increasing distance between the nest and the Welland Canal. Similarly, the relative contribution of Aroclor 1254/1248 declined with sum PCBs, and with the distance from the nest to the canal. Compared to turtle eggs from most other sites in Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, eggs from Lyons Creek had a strong contribution of Aroclor 1254/1248.

Key words: osprey, snapping turtle, PCB, point source