PARENT SESSION

1J - Bioaccumulation
Poster Hall
8:30 AM - Wednesday, 30 April 2003
Chair: Tarazona, J.¹, ¹
Co-chair: Gobas, F.², ²

(WEP/51) Contamination of the European otter (lutra lutra) by the organochlorinated pesticides and the polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs).

BUDZINSKI, HELENE¹, TAPIE, NATHALIE¹, ROSOUX, RENE², BUSTAMANTE, PACO³, ¹ UNIVERSITY BORDEAUX I, TALENCE, 33, FRANCE² MUSEUM DES SCIENCES NATURELLES, ORLEANS, 45, FRANCE³ UNIVERSITE DE LA ROCHELLE, LA ROCHELLE, 17, FRANCE

ABSTRACT- The decline of the European otter has started at the beginning of the XX century and has evolved with the industrial development of the European countries. Various reasons can explain this decline. The degradation of its habitat and the development of urban areas have reduced the vital living space of otters. The pollution of the environment could also have an influence on otter population because otter is located at the top of the food chain. The work presented here deals with the determination of organochlorinated pesticides and polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) in otters. These otters have been sampled in the South West of France. As the otters are protected by the Washington convention, we have only worked on animals that were found died (collision with cars, natural death). Various tissues have been analyzed (kidney, liver, brain, fat). The results have been interpreted in terms of sex, geographical origin, physiological conditions.

Key words: PESTICIDES, PCBs, OTTER