Biomarkers of contaminant exposure in common terns and black-crowned night herons in the Great Lakes

Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1993 · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5620120615· OSTI ID:5814700

Hoffman, D J; Smith, G J; Rattner, B A ^[1]

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1. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Laurel, MD (United States). Patuzent Wildlife Research Center

Morphological and biochemical indexes of contaminant exposure were examined in hatching common terns (Sterna hirundo) and black-crowned night herons (Nycticorax nycticorax) from industrialized and nonindustrialized locations in the Great Lakes. In 1984, naturally incubated, pipping common tern and black-crowned night heron embryos collected from industrialized locations exhibited smaller femur-length-to-body-weight ratios, elevated hepatic microsomal aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (AHH) activities, and lower hepatic DNA concentrations. In addition, a high incidence of subcutaneous edema was noted in pipping herons. In 1985, reduced hatching success was observed for laboratory-incubated common tern eggs collected from the industrialized sites, compared to nonindustrialized sites. Day-old hatchlings exhibited reduced femur-length-to-body-weight ratio, developmental anomalies, and elevated hepatic AHH activity. For hatching common terns studied in 1984 and 1985, femur-length-to-body-weight ratio was inversely related to AHH activity and inversely related to log-transformed PCB concentrations of unincubated eggs from the same colony. The activity of AHH in hatching terns was also directly related to log-transformed PCB concentrations in unincubated eggs. Other examined contaminants, including DDE, other organochlorine pesticides, and mercury, were not directly related to these effects.

• OSTI ID: 5814700
• Journal Information: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States), Journal Name: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States) Vol. 12:6; ISSN 0730-7268; ISSN ETOCDK
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540320* -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
560300 -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AROMATICS
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
BIRDS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
ELEMENTS
GREAT LAKES
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
LAKES
MERCURY
METALS
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
POLLUTION
POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS
SENSITIVITY
SURFACE WATERS
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES
WATER POLLUTION