Is external contamination with organic pollutants important for concentrations measured in bird feathers?
Although there is increasing evidence that bird feathers can be used as a non-destructive biomonitoring tool for organic pollutants [such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and p,p’-dichlorodiphenyl-trichloroethane and metabolites (DDTs)], the importance of external contamination of these organic pollutants onto the feathers has not been considered. Here we examine to which extent external contamination of organic pollutants occurs onto the feathers of a predatory bird. We have analysed primary wing feathers of 16 common buzzards (Buteo buteo) collected in Belgium. In order to study differences in external contamination within and among wing feathers, the vane and the shaft of each feather were separated and were analysed in parallel, pooled for the three inner and the three outer primary wing feathers. Most organic pollutants could be measured in these pooled samples of both the vane and the shaft. Concentrations of hexachlorobenzene (HCB), DDT
Related Questions
- Does/will the Interim Secretariat for the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants have the ability to employ staff in its own name?
- Can predatory bird feathers be used as a non-destructive biomonitoring tool of organic pollutants?
- Where can I get information about obtaining bird/eagle feathers/parts?
