Spatial trends in a biomagnifying contaminant: Application of amino acid compound–specific stable nitrogen isotope analysis to the interpretation of bird mercury levels

Spatial trends in a biomagnifying contaminant: Application of amino acid compound–specific stable nitrogen isotope analysis to the interpretation of bird mercury levels

Levels of biomagnifying contaminants are greatest in high–trophic level biota (e.g., predatory birds such as gulls). Gull eggs have been used to assess contaminant spatial patterns and sources, but such assessments must consider how organism trophic position may influence spatial inferences. Stable...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental toxicology and chemistry Vol. 37; no. 5; pp. 1466 - 1475
Main Authors: Dolgova, Svetlana, Popp, Brian N., Courtoreille, Kevin, Espie, Richard H.M., Maclean, Bruce, McMaster, Mark, Straka, Jason R., Tetreault, Gerald R., Wilkie, Steve, Hebert, Craig E.
Format: Journal Article
Language:English
Published: United States Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01-05-2018
Subjects:
Amino acids
Amino Acids - analysis
Animals
Bioaccumulation
Biomagnification
Biomonitoring
Biota
Birds
California
Canada
Charadriiformes - metabolism
Contaminants
Eggs
Environmental Monitoring
Food Chain
Geography
Isotopes
Lakes
Mercury
Mercury (metal)
Mercury - analysis
Methylation
Nitrogen
Nitrogen - analysis
Nitrogen isotopes
Nitrogen Isotopes - analysis
Ovum - metabolism
Receiving waters
River basins
Rivers
Stable isotopes
Trophic levels
Trophic magnification
Wildlife toxicology
Canada
California
Athabasca River
Trophic magnification
Biomonitoring
Mercury
Biomagnification
Wildlife toxicology
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Summary:Levels of biomagnifying contaminants are greatest in high–trophic level biota (e.g., predatory birds such as gulls). Gull eggs have been used to assess contaminant spatial patterns and sources, but such assessments must consider how organism trophic position may influence spatial inferences. Stable nitrogen isotopes (δ15N) in bulk tissue are routinely used in this context. However, bulk δ15N values are only useful if spatial differences in baseline δ15N values are considered. Amino acid compound–specific stable nitrogen isotope analysis can generate estimates of baseline δ15N values and trophic position from the same sample. In the present study, eggs (n = 428) of California (Larus californicus), herring (Larus argentatus smithsonianus), and ring‐billed (Larus delawarensis) gulls were used to assess spatial patterns in mercury (Hg) availability in 12 western Canadian lakes located over 14 degrees of latitude, with amino acid compound–specific stable isotope analysis adjustment of egg Hg levels for trophic position. Mean trophic position–adjusted egg Hg levels (micrograms per gram, dry wt) were greatest at sites in receiving waters of the Athabasca River (X¯ = 0.70) compared to southern (X¯ = 0.39) and northern (X¯ = 0.50) regions. Research is required to investigate factors (e.g., local Hg released as a result of human activities, processes influencing Hg methylation) which may be responsible for greater Hg availability in the lower Athabasca River basin. However, it is clear that amino acid compound–specific stable isotope analysis is a valuable tool for assessing contaminant spatial patterns. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1466–1475. © 2018 SETAC
ISSN:0730-7268
1552-8618
DOI:10.1002/etc.4113