Toxicity of Anacostia River, Washington, DC, USA, sediment fed to mute swans (Cygnus olor)

Journal Article · Wed Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 2000 · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1897/1551-5028(2000)019<0731:TOARWD>2.3.CO;2· OSTI ID:20075714

Beyer, W N; Day, D; Melancon, M J; Sileo, L

Sediment ingestion is sometimes the principal route by which waterfowl are exposed to environmental contaminants, and at severely contaminated sites waterfowl have been killed by ingesting sediment. Mute swans (Cygnus olor) were fed a diet for 6 weeks with a high but environmentally realistic concentration (24%) of sediment from the moderately polluted Anacostia River in the District of Columbia, USA, to estimate the sediment's toxicity. Control swans were fed the same diet without the sediment. Five organochlorine compounds were detected in the treated diets, but none of 22 organochlorine compounds included in the analyses was detected in livers of the treated swans. The concentrations of 24 polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons measured in the treated diet were as high as 0.80 mg/kg, and they were thought to have been responsible for the observed induction of hepatic microsomal monooxygenase activity in livers. A concentration of 85 mg/kg of lead in the diet was enough to decrease red blood cell ALAD activity but was not high enough to cause more serious effects of lead poisoning. The dietary concentrations of Al, Fe, V, and Ba were high compared to the concentrations of these elements known to be toxic in laboratory feeding studies. However, the lack of accumulation in the livers of the treated swans suggested that these elements were not readily available from the ingested sediment. The authors did not study all potential toxic effects, but, on the basis of those that they did consider, they concluded that the treated swans were basically healthy after a chronic exposure to the sediment.

• Research Organization: Geological Survey, Laurel, MD (US)
• OSTI ID: 20075714
• Journal Information: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry, Journal Name: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 19; ISSN 0730-7268; ISSN ETOCDK
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ALUMINIUM
BARIUM
BIOLOGICAL AVAILABILITY
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
BIRDS
FOOD CHAINS
IRON
LEAD
POLYCYCLIC AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
RIVERS
SEDIMENTS
VANADIUM
WASHINGTON DC
WATER POLLUTION