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Factors Influencing the Bioaccumulation of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Food Webs of the Scheldt Estuary

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    Factors Influencing the Bioaccumulation of Persistent Organic Pollutants in Food Webs of the Scheldt Estuary
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    † Laboratory of Systemic Physiological and Ecotoxicological Research, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
    ‡ Toxicological Center, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
    § MARE Centre, Laboratory of Oceanology, Liège University, 4000 Sart Tilman, Belgium
    *(E.V.A.) Fax: +32-(0)3-265.34.97; e-mail: [email protected]
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    Environmental Science & Technology

    Cite this: Environ. Sci. Technol. 2013, 47, 19, 11221–11231
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    https://doi.org/10.1021/es400307s
    Published September 5, 2013
    Copyright © 2013 American Chemical Society
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    Abstract

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    Concentrations of several persistent organic pollutants (POPs: PCBs, PBDEs, OCPs) in aquatic species from the Scheldt estuary were related with factors (body size, lipids, trophic position) possibly influencing their bioaccumulation. Stable nitrogen isotope ratios (δ15N) were used as a measure for trophic position. A decreasing trend in POP levels toward the sea was observed. For POP concentrations in sediments, this trend could be attributed to a dilution effect from mixing with seawater. However, concentrations in biota more downstream were higher than expected after taking into account the dilution effect, possibly due to differences in bioavailability. Tissue concentrations were correlated with the lipid content in biota, but not with body size. Biomagnification was only significant for some PCB congeners and p,p′-DDE at the most marine sampling location (Terneuzen, L1) and for p,p′-DDD and BDE 100 at the second sampling location (Bath, L2). A significant decreasing relationship was found for γ-HCH concentrations with increasing δ15N at Terneuzen. For Antwerpen (L3), no significant relationships were detected. TMFs ranged from 0.64 for γ-HCH up to 1.60 for PCB 194. These results suggest that biomagnification was more important in the marine part of the estuary, although the presence of multiple carbon sources at the freshwater side might have led to an underestimation of the influence of trophic position.

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    Supporting Information

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    The first paragraph in the Supporting Information gives a detailed description of the methods and quality control used for POP analysis. Table SI-1 presents mean lipid content, weight and total length of the collected species, together with median concentrations, separated per location. Table SI-2 lists all significant correlations between tissue concentrations (ww) of several POPs in the aquatic biota and their lipid content. Table SI-3 presents the mean δ13C and δ15N values (‰) of all samples per location. This material is available free of charge via the Internet at http://pubs.acs.org.

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    Cite this: Environ. Sci. Technol. 2013, 47, 19, 11221–11231
    Click to copy citationCitation copied!
    https://doi.org/10.1021/es400307s
    Published September 5, 2013
    Copyright © 2013 American Chemical Society
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