Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, aliphatic hydrocarbons, trace elements, and monooxygenase activity in birds nesting on the North Platte River, Casper, Wyoming, USA

• Published in: Environmental toxicology and chemistry Vol. 20; no. 3; pp. 624 - 631
• Main Authors: Custer, Thomas W., Custer, Christine M., Dickerson, Kimberly, Allen, Kenneth, Melancon, Mark J., Schmidt, Larry J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Periodicals, Inc 01-03-2001; SETAC
• Subjects: Aliphatic hydrocarbons; Alkanes - analysis; Alkanes - metabolism; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Animals; Applied ecology; Aves; Biological and medical sciences; Cytochrome P-450 CYP1A1 - metabolism; Cytochrome P-450 CYP2B1 - metabolism; Diterpenes - analysis; Diterpenes - metabolism; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on vertebrates; Ethoxyresorufin-O-dealkylase activity; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Geologic Sediments - chemistry; Industrial Waste; Liver - enzymology; Metals; Petroleum - toxicity; Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - analysis; Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons - metabolism; Soil Pollutants - analysis; Soil Pollutants - metabolism; Songbirds - metabolism; Terpenes - analysis; Terpenes - metabolism; Trace Elements - analysis; Trace Elements - metabolism; Tree swallows; Wyoming; United States; Wyoming; North America; America; Platte River; Enzyme inducer; Troglodytes aedon; Hydrocarbon; Aliphatic compound; Toxicity; Biological marker; Metal; Refinery; Polycyclic aromatic compound; Sediments; Spatial variation; Petroleum; Freshwater environment; Trophic chain; Vertebrata; Enzymatic activity; Tachycineta bicolor; Stream; Water pollution; Aves; Biological accumulation; Food; Chemical contamination
• ISSN: 0730-7268; 1552-8618
• DOI: 10.1002/etc.5620200323

Tree swallow (Tachycineta bicolor) and house wren (Troglodytes aedon) eggs and chicks were collected near a refinery site on the North Platte River, Casper, Wyoming, USA and at a reference site 10 km upstream. Total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in swallow and wren chicks were higher at the refinery site than at the reference site. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon concentrations in sediment and chick dietary samples were consistent with these findings. The general lack of methylated PAHs in sediment, diet, and bird carcasses suggested that the PAHs were derived from combustion and not from petroleum. The predominance of odd‐numbered aliphatic hydrocarbons and the low ratios (≤0.25) of pristane:n‐C17 and phytane:n‐C18 in chick and diet samples also suggested that swallow and wren chicks were not being chronically exposed to petroleum. Mean ethoxyresorufin‐O‐dealkylase and benzyloxyresorufin‐O‐dealkylase activities in tree swallow livers averaged nine times higher at the refinery site than at the reference site and were probably induced by exposure to PAHs. Trace element concentrations in eggs and livers of swallows and wrens were similar or greater at the reference site than at the refinery site. Selenium, strontium, and boron concentrations were elevated in eggs and livers of swallows and wrens at both the refinery and reference sites.