Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether (PBDE) Levels in Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) Eggs from California Correlate with Diet and Human Population Density

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• 作者：Seth D. Newsome ; June-Soo Park ; Bill W. Henry ; Arthur Holden ; Marilyn L. Fogel ; Janet Linthicum ; Vivian Chu ; Kim Hooper
• 刊名：Environmental Science & Technology
• 出版年：2010
• 出版时间：July 1, 2010
• 年：2010
• 卷：44
• 期：13
• 页码：5248-5255
• 全文大小：265K
• 年卷期：v.44,no.13(July 1, 2010)
• ISSN：1520-5851

文摘

Peregrine falcons are now considered a conservation success story due in part to the phasing out of harmful contaminants that adversely affected reproduction. Recent studies have shown that peregrine eggs collected from California cities, however, have high levels of the higher-brominated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (ΣPBDE_183−209), a class of industrial flame retardants, in comparison to published data for other wildlife. Sources of these high PBDE levels and unusual PBDE profiles are unknown. Here we analyzed the stable carbon (δ¹³C), hydrogen (δD), and nitrogen (δ¹⁵N) isotope composition of peregrine eggs collected from urban and nonurban habitats. We found that δ¹³C values were significantly higher in urban versus nonurban eggs, suggesting that urban peregrines indirectly receive anthropogenic subsidies via their consumption of prey reliant on corn-based anthropogenic foods. δ¹⁵N and δD values were significantly lower in urban versus nonurban eggs, reflecting differences in dietary diversity and food/water sources available to peregrines in each habitat. These patterns suggest a link between an anthropogenic diet and high levels of ΣPBDE_183−209 in California peregrines, and identify anthropogenic food as a potentially important PBDE exposure pathway for urban wildlife. If diet is an important PBDE exposure pathway for peregrines, continued high body burdens of ΣPBDE_183−209 may be a potential risk to ongoing peregrine conservation efforts in California.