Assessing the trophic ecology and migration on the exposure of cape petrels and Wilson's storm petrels from Antarctica to perfluoroalkylated substances, trace and major elements

J A G Padilha; S Santos; T Willems; J Souza-Kasprzyk; A Leite; L S T Cunha; E S Costa; A R Pessôa; M Eens; Prinsen E; J P M Torres; K Das; G Lepoint; P R Dorneles; Lieven Bervoets; T Groffen

doi:10.1016/j.envres.2023.117827

Assessing the trophic ecology and migration on the exposure of cape petrels and Wilson's storm petrels from Antarctica to perfluoroalkylated substances, trace and major elements

Environ Res. 2024 Mar 1:244:117827. doi: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117827. Epub 2023 Dec 10.

Authors

J A G Padilha¹, S Santos², T Willems³, J Souza-Kasprzyk⁴, A Leite², L S T Cunha⁵, E S Costa⁶, A R Pessôa⁵, M Eens⁷, Prinsen E⁸, J P M Torres⁵, K Das⁹, G Lepoint¹⁰, P R Dorneles¹¹, Lieven Bervoets¹², T Groffen¹³

Affiliations

¹ Biophysics Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; CBMA - Centre for Molecular and Environmental Biology/ARNET-Aquatic Research Network, Portugal; IB-S, Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal. Electronic address: janeide.padilha@bio.uminho.pt.
² CBMA - Centre for Molecular and Environmental Biology/ARNET-Aquatic Research Network, Portugal; IB-S, Institute of Science and Innovation for Bio-Sustainability, Department of Biology, University of Minho, Campus Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal.
³ ECOSPHERE, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium; Integrated Molecular Plant Physiology Research (IMPRES), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium.
⁴ Biophysics Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Ul. Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614, Poznan, Poland.
⁵ Biophysics Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
⁶ Environment and Sustainability, State University of Rio Grande do Sul, Assis Brasil Street, 842, Downtown, São Francisco de Paula, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
⁷ Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group (BECO), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.
⁸ Integrated Molecular Plant Physiology Research (IMPRES), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium.
⁹ Freshwater and Oceanic ScienCes Unit of ReSearch (FOCUS), Laboratory of Oceanology, University of Liège, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
¹⁰ Freshwater and Oceanic ScienCes Unit of ReSearch (FOCUS), Laboratory of Trophic and Isotope Ecology, University of Liège, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
¹¹ Biophysics Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Freshwater and Oceanic ScienCes Unit of ReSearch (FOCUS), Laboratory of Oceanology, University of Liège, 4000, Liège, Belgium.
¹² ECOSPHERE, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium.
¹³ ECOSPHERE, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020, Antwerp, Belgium; Behavioural Ecology and Ecophysiology Group (BECO), Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium.

PMID: 38072112
DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2023.117827

Abstract

Chemical pollution is a global concern as contaminants are transported and reach even the remote regions of Antarctica. Seabirds serve as important sentinels of pollution due to their high trophic position and wide distribution. This study examines the influence of migration and trophic ecology on the exposure of two Antarctic seabirds, Wilson's storm petrel (Oceanites oceanicus - Ooc), and Cape petrel (Daption capense - Dca), to chemical elements and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). Our methodology involved assessing the concentration of these pollutants in feather samples obtained from carcasses, offering a practical means for monitoring contamination. Trace and major element concentrations were comparable in both species, suggesting that migratory patterns have a minimal impact on exposure levels. However, Ooc had higher concentration of PFAS compared to Dca (mean, ng g^-1dry weight, PFOA: Ooc:0.710, Dca:0.170; PFTrDA: Ooc:0.550, Dca:0.360, and PFTeDA: Ooc:1.01, Dca:0.190), indicating that migration to the more polluted Northern Hemisphere significantly affects PFAS exposure. Furthermore, while no strong associations were found between either trace elements or PFAS and the three stable isotopes (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, and δ³⁴S), a negative association was observed between PFUnDA and δ¹⁵N, hinting at potential biodilution. The research concludes that the migratory patterns of these seabird species affect their PFAS exposure, underscoring the critical need for further exploration and understanding of these relationships to better inform conservation strategies.

Keywords: Feathers; Metals; PFAS; Polar environment; Seabirds.

MeSH terms

Animals
Antarctic Regions
Birds
Ecology
Environmental Monitoring
Fluorocarbons* / toxicity
Nutritional Status
Trace Elements*

Substances

Fluorocarbons
Trace Elements