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Circumpolar contamination in eggs of the high‐arctic ivory gull Pagophila eburnea
Courtesy of John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The ivory gull Pagophila eburnea is a high‐Arctic species threatened by climate change and contaminants. The objective of this study was to assess spatial variation of contaminant levels (organochlorines ‘OCs’, brominated flame retardants ‘BFRs’, perfluorinated alkyl substances ‘PFASs’, and mercury ‘Hg’) in ivory gulls breeding in different areas across the Arctic region as a baseline for potential future changes associated with climate change. Contaminants were already determined in eggs from Canada (Seymour Island – except PFASs), Svalbard in Norway (Svenskøya), and 3 sites in Russia (Nagurskoe, Cape Klyuv, and Domashny). New data from Greenland allowed the investigation of a possible longitudinal gradient of contamination. The most quantitatively abundant OCs were p,p′‐DDE (dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene) and ΣPCB (polychlorobiphenyl). Mercury concentrations were higher in Canada compared to other colonies. Eggs from Nagurskoe were often characterized by higher OC and BFR concentrations. Concentrations gradually decreased in colonies situated east of Nagurskoe. In contrast, PFASs concentrations, especially PFOA (perfluorooctanoate) and PFNA (perfluorononanoate), were higher in Greenland. Some of the contaminants, especially Hg and p,p'‐DDE, exceeded published threshold levels known to disrupt the reproductive success of avian species. Overall, the levels of OCs, BFRs and PFASs did not suggest direct lethal exposure to these compounds but their potential synergetic/additive sublethal effects warrant monitoring. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
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