Eggs of the Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) were collected from a breeding area on Lake Maggiore (Northern Italy) from 2001 to 2005 in the vicinity of a p,p'-DDT manufacturer, whose production was stopped in 1996. DDT homologue and PCB congener levels were determined and compared to levels in eggs collected from other breeding areas on Lake Maggiore and in a presumably less contaminated area on Lake Garda. Although Lake Garda eggs on average possessed a lower level of p,p'-DDE than Lake Maggiore eggs, they had significantly higher levels of PCBs and could not be used as a reference population for the measurement of eggshell thickness. Nevertheless, a negative linear relationship was found between p,p'-DDE concentration and eggshell thickness for eggs collected from both lakes, indicating a possible Causal relationship. Testosterone and 17 beta-estradiol concentrations were also determined for eggs collected from both lakes in 2004. Average concentrations of both hormones were the lowest in eggs from Lake Maggiore; however, the very high variability within broods did not result in any significant difference between the lakes.

Organochlorine contamination in the Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus): effects on eggshell thickness and egg steroid levels

BETTINETTI, ROBERTA
2008-01-01

Abstract

Eggs of the Great Crested Grebe (Podiceps cristatus) were collected from a breeding area on Lake Maggiore (Northern Italy) from 2001 to 2005 in the vicinity of a p,p'-DDT manufacturer, whose production was stopped in 1996. DDT homologue and PCB congener levels were determined and compared to levels in eggs collected from other breeding areas on Lake Maggiore and in a presumably less contaminated area on Lake Garda. Although Lake Garda eggs on average possessed a lower level of p,p'-DDE than Lake Maggiore eggs, they had significantly higher levels of PCBs and could not be used as a reference population for the measurement of eggshell thickness. Nevertheless, a negative linear relationship was found between p,p'-DDE concentration and eggshell thickness for eggs collected from both lakes, indicating a possible Causal relationship. Testosterone and 17 beta-estradiol concentrations were also determined for eggs collected from both lakes in 2004. Average concentrations of both hormones were the lowest in eggs from Lake Maggiore; however, the very high variability within broods did not result in any significant difference between the lakes.
2008
DDTs, PCBs, Testosterone, beta-Estradiol, Podiceps cristatus
Cortinovis, S.; Galassi, S.; Melone, G.; Saino, N.; Porte, C.; Bettinetti, Roberta
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
Chemosphere_Bettinetti_2008.pdf

non disponibili

Tipologia: Documento in Post-print
Licenza: DRM non definito
Dimensione 356.41 kB
Formato Adobe PDF
356.41 kB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/11383/6105
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? ND
  • Scopus 12
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 12
social impact