A review on contaminants of emerging concern in European raptors (2002-2020)

Soledad González-Rubio; Ana Ballesteros-Gómez; Alexandros G Asimakopoulos; Veerle L B Jaspers

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143337

A review on contaminants of emerging concern in European raptors (2002-2020)

Sci Total Environ. 2021 Mar 15:760:143337. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143337. Epub 2020 Nov 4.

Authors

Soledad González-Rubio¹, Ana Ballesteros-Gómez², Alexandros G Asimakopoulos³, Veerle L B Jaspers⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemistry and Nanochemistry, Marie Curie Annex Building, Campus of Rabanales, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain; Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway; Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway. Electronic address: q02gorus@uco.es.
² Department of Analytical Chemistry, Institute of Fine Chemistry and Nanochemistry, Marie Curie Annex Building, Campus of Rabanales, University of Córdoba, 14071 Córdoba, Spain.
³ Department of Chemistry, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway.
⁴ Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway. Electronic address: veerle.jaspers@ntnu.no.

PMID: 33190891
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143337

Abstract

Raptors (birds of prey and owls) have been widely used as suitable bioindicators of environmental pollution. They occupy the highest trophic positions in their food chains and are documented to bioaccumulate high concentrations of persistent pollutants such as toxic metals and legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs).Whereas raptors played a critical role in developing awareness of and policy for chemical pollution, they have thus far played a much smaller role in current research on contaminants of emerging concern (CECs). Given the critical knowledge obtained from monitoring 'legacy contaminants' in raptors, more information on the levels and effects of CECs on raptors is urgently needed. This study critically reviews studies on raptors from Europe reporting the occurrence of CECs with focus on the investigated species, the sampled matrices, and the bioanalytical methods applied. Based on this, we aimed to identify future needs for monitoring CECs in Europe. Perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), novel flame retardants (NFRs), and to a lesser extent UV-filters, neonicotinoids, chlorinated paraffins, parabens and bisphenols have been reported in European raptors. White-tailed Eagle (Haliaeetus albicilla), Peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) and Northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) were the most frequently studied raptor species. Among matrices, eggs, feathers and plasma were the most widely employed, although the potential role of the preen gland as an excretory organ for CECs has recently been proposed. This review highlights the following research priorities for pollution research on raptors in Europe: 1) studies covering all the main classes of CECs; 2) research in other European regions (mainly East Europe); 3) identification of the most suitable matrices and species for the analysis of different CECs; and 4) the application of alternative sample treatment strategies (e.g. QuEChERS or pressurized liquid extraction) is still limited and conventional solvent-extraction is the preferred choice.

Keywords: Birds of prey; Bisphenols; Emerging organic contaminants; Neonicotinoids; Novel flame retardants; Perfluoroalkyl substances.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Animals
Environmental Monitoring
Environmental Pollutants* / analysis
Europe
Flame Retardants* / analysis
Raptors*

Substances

Environmental Pollutants
Flame Retardants