Endocrine dysfunction in seabirds caused by ingested oil

Journal Article · Sun Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1981 · Environ. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0013-9351(81)90126-2· OSTI ID:6537264

Peakall, D B ^[1]; Tremblay, J; Kinter, W B; Miller, D S

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1. Canadian Wildlife Service, Ottawa, Ontario

In laboratory and field experiments, a single oral dose (0.1 to 1.0 ml) of certain crude oils or aromatic fractions caused elevated plasma corticosterone and thyroxine levels in nestling herring gulls and black guillemots. In gulls, plasma corticosterone levels were elevated within 1 day after dosing; the maximal effect was observed after 4 days and levels returned to control values after 2 weeks. Thyroxine levels did not increase until 6 days after dosing and they remained elevated after 2 weeks. Since only those oils which reduced seabird growth rates affected hormone levels, the data suggest that disruption of endocrine balance is one underlying cause of depressed growth in oil-dosed birds.

• OSTI ID: 6537264
• Journal Information: Environ. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: Environ. Res.; (United States) Vol. 24:1; ISSN ENVRA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550900 -- Pathology
560305* -- Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology-- Vertebrates-- (-1987)
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ADRENAL HORMONES
AMINO ACIDS
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOCHEMISTRY
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIRDS
BODY
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHEMISTRY
CORTICOSTEROIDS
CORTICOSTERONE
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DISEASES
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
ENDOCRINE DISEASES
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GLANDS
GLUCOCORTICOIDS
GROWTH
HORMONES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INGESTION
INTAKE
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
IODINE 125
IODINE ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
KETONES
LABELLED COMPOUNDS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC IODINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PEPTIDE HORMONES
PETROLEUM
PREGNANES
RADIOISOTOPES
SENSITIVITY
STEROID HORMONES
STEROIDS
THYROID HORMONES
THYROXINE
TIME DEPENDENCE
TOXICITY
VERTEBRATES