PARENT SESSION

2F - Site Specific Testing
Poster Hall
8:30 AM - Monday, 28 April 2003

(MOP/101) European starling: avian model and monitor of site specific contaminant exposure.

Halbrook, Richard ¹, Arenal, Christine², Gray, Shelley¹, ¹ Cooperative Wildlife Research Lab. Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, Illinois, USA² CH2M, Sacramento, California, USA

ABSTRACT- Our laboratory used the European starling to monitor accumulation and affects of PCBs in avian species at Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, Marion, Illinois, USA prior to and following remediation. Nest boxes were placed at contaminated and reference sites and starling reproduction and adult behavior were monitored. Fifteen-day-old chicks were collected for PCB analysis along with eggs that did not hatch and chicks that did not survive. Liver ethoxyresorufin 0-deethylase activity (EROD) also was measured in 15-day-old chicks as a biomarker of contaminant exposure. Prior to remediation, mean Aroclor 1254 concentrations in carcasses of 15-day-old starling chicks, eggs that did not hatch, and chicks that did not survive were significantly greater at PCB sites (range 5.0 - 52.5 mg/kg) compared to concentrations in chicks carcasses and eggs collected from reference sites (range 0.03 - 0.6 mg/kg). Following remediation, mean chick carcass concentrations from remediated sites (2.48 mg/kg) continued to be significantly greater than concentrations measured in chicks collected from reference sites (0.35 mg/kg). Toxic equivalents (TEQs) were used to evaluate potential toxicity of selected individual PCB congeners and indicated an order of magnitude decrease in toxicity at the PCB sites following remediation. A significant difference in adult provisioning behavior, liver EROD activity, and fledging success was observed between PCB and reference sites prior to remediation but not after remediation. Results indicate that remedial action successfully reduced PCB concentrations in starling chicks collected from PCB sites on the refuge; however, concentrations continued to be significantly greater than those measured in chicks collected from reference sites. PCB concentrations in individual nests were correlated with soil PCB concentrations where nests were located. This study demonstrates the usefulness of the starling as an avian model and field monitor for evaluating potential effects of contaminants on avian species and supports their use in evaluating site specific contaminant exposure.

Key words: sturnus vulgaris, starling, pcbs, monitoring