Concentrations of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in northern gannet, Morus bassanus, eggs: a Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme (PBMS) report

Walker, L.A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1471-7075; Pereira, M.G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3740-0019; Potter, E.D.; Lacorte, S.; Shore, R.F.. 2014 Concentrations of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in northern gannet, Morus bassanus, eggs: a Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme (PBMS) report. Lancaster, NERC/Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, 11pp. (CEH Project no. C04288)

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Abstract/Summary

The Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme (PBMS; http://pbms.ceh.ac.uk/) is the umbrella project that encompasses the Centre for Ecology & Hydrology’s National Capability contaminant monitoring and surveillance work on avian predators. By monitoring sentinel vertebrate species, the PBMS aims to detect and quantify current and emerging chemical threats to the environment and in particular to vertebrate wildlife. This report presents the results of a pilot study to quantify the concentrations of perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) in the eggs of the northern gannet, Morus bassanus, from the Ailsa Craig and Bass Rock colonies off the UK coast. The principle aim of this work determine the concentrations of PFCs that are accumulated in the eggs of gannets and whether there was any evidence of differences in accumulation between eggs from the two colonies studied. The egg contents were analysed by Liquid Chromatograph – Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS) techniques. Compounds from both the perfluorinated carboxylate and perfluorinated sulfonate groups of PFCs were quantified. PFCs were detected in all of the ten eggs analysed, with both carboxylate and sulfonate compounds present. Perfluorobutanoate (PFBA) and perfluorononanoate (PFNA) concentrations were both significantly higher in eggs from Ailsa Craig compared to those from Bass Rock but there was no difference between colonies in egg concentrations of sum PFC, sum carboxylate or sum sulphonate concengtrations. Overall data from this limited one year of sampling suggests that gannet eggs from both Ailsa Craig and Bass Rock contain relatively low concentrations compared to eggs from some other species that have been examined. Concentrations of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) were with an order of magnitude of residues associated with adverse effects [and for one egg from Bass Rock these levels were exceeded] but the majority of eggs from both colonies contained PFOS residues that exceeded a suggested predicted no effect concentration (PNEC) for this compound.

Item Type:	Publication - Report
Programmes:	CEH Topics & Objectives 2009 - 2012 > Biogeochemistry > BGC Topic 1 - Monitoring and Interpretation of Biogeochemical and Climate Changes > BGC - 1.1 - Monitor concentrations, fluxes, physico-chemical forms of current and emerging pollutants ...
UKCEH and CEH Sections/Science Areas:	Shore
Funders/Sponsors:	NERC/Centre for Ecology & Hydrology, Natural England, Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, Defra, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Scottish Natural Heritage
Additional Information. Not used in RCUK Gateway to Research.:	Freely available online - Official URL link provides full text
Additional Keywords:	PBMS, Predatory Bird Monitoring Scheme, annual report, environmental contamination, monitoring, perfluorinated compounds, PFC, persistent organic pollutants, Great Britain, northern gannet, eggs
NORA Subject Terms:	Ecology and Environment Zoology
Related URLs:	Project Website
Date made live:	28 Mar 2014 09:59 +0 (UTC)
URI:	https://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/506847

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