Sources of persistent organic pollutants and their physiological effects on opportunistic urban gulls
Urbanization is associated with drastic shifts in biodiversity. While some species thrive in urban areas, the impact of inhabiting these human-altered environments on organism physiology remains understudied. We investigated how exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated dipheny...
| Autores: | , , , , , , , |
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| Tipo de recurso: | artículo |
| Estado: | Versión publicada |
| Fecha de publicación: | 2024 |
| País: | España |
| Institución: | Institut d’Investigació Biomèdica Sant Pau (IIB Sant Pau) |
| Repositorio: | r-IIB SANT PAU. Repositorio Institucional de Producción Científica del Instituto de Investigación Biomédica Sant Pau |
| OAI Identifier: | oai:iibsantpau.fundanetsuite.com:p17458 |
| Acceso en línea: | https://iibsantpau.fundanetsuite.com/Publicaciones/ProdCientif/PublicacionFrw.aspx?id=17458 http://ddd.uab.cat/record/305627 |
| Access Level: | acceso abierto |
| Palabra clave: | Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) Pollution biomarkers Gulls B-esterases Spatial movements |
| Sumario: | Urbanization is associated with drastic shifts in biodiversity. While some species thrive in urban areas, the impact of inhabiting these human-altered environments on organism physiology remains understudied. We investigated how exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) affects the physiology of yellow-legged gulls (Larus michahellis) inhabiting a densely populated, industrialized city. We analyzed blood samples from 50 gulls (20 immatures and 30 adults) and assessed 27 physiological parameters and biomarkers related to xenobiotic protection, health, and feeding habits in these same individuals. We also tracked the movements of 25 gulls (15 immatures and 10 adults) to identify potential sources of persistent organic pollutants (POPs). Both adult and immature gulls primarily inhabited urban areas, followed by marine habitats. Immature gulls spent more time in freshwater, landfills, and agricultural areas. Bioaccumulated sigma PCB (median = 92.7 ng g-1 ww, 1.86-592) and sigma PBDE (median = 1.44 ng g-1 ww, 0.022-9.58) showed no significant differences between age and sex groups. Notably, immature males exhibited the highest correlations with POP concentrations, particularly with the activity of carboxylesterases (CEs), suggesting a higher sensitivity than adults. These findings highlight the potential of plasmatic CEs in immature yellow-legged gulls as effective tracers of POPs exposure and effects, offering insights into the anthropogenic impacts on urban biodiversity. |
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