Industrial, agricultural, and petroleum contaminants in cormorants wintering near the Houston Ship Channel, Texas, USA

Date

1987

Authors

King KA
Stafford CJ
Cain BW
Mueller AJ
Hall HD

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Abstract

Double-crested cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus ) collected in the Houston Ship Channel, Texas, USA, in November shortly after their fall migration contained residues of several industrial, agricultural, and petroleum contaminants including polychlorinated styrenes (PCS's), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's), DDE, and petroleum hydrocarbons. PCS concentrations in over-wintering birds collected in late February were three times higher than those in birds collected in November. PCB and petroleum concentrations remained at about the same level throughout the 3-month winter period. Petroleum hydrocarbons were present in all cormorants and residues in some individuals exceeded 25 ppm (wet weight). Mean DDE residues in samples collected in November and February were less than 1 ppm. Low concentrations of five other organochlorine compounds, not detected in cormorants collected in November, were recovered in birds collected in February

Description

pp-99

Keywords

agricultural wastes, ASW,Galveston Bay, bioaccumulation, chemicals, contaminants, D 04801 Pollution monitoring and detection, H SE1.21 WILDLIFE, Hydrocarbons, Industrial wastes, O 4020 POLLUTION - ORGANISMS, oil pollution, P 6000 TOXICOLOGY AND HEALTH, pesticides, petroleum, Phalacrocorax auritus, Q1 01504 Effects on organisms, Texas,Galveston Bay, USA, USA,Texas, winter, X 24136 Environmental impact, X 24156 Environmental impact

Citation