Diamondback terrapins as indicator species of persistent organic pollutants: Using Barnegat Bay, New Jersey as a case study

摘要: The diamondback terrapin's (Malaclemys terrapin) wide geographic distribution, long life span, occurrence in a variety of habitats within the saltmarsh ecosystem, predatory foraging behavior, and high site fidelity make it useful indicator species for contaminant monitoring estuarine ecosystems. In this study fat biopsies plasma samples were collected from males females two sites Barnegat Bay, New Jersey, as well tissues gravid female blue mussels (Mytilus edulis), which are terrapin prey. Samples analyzed persistent organic pollutants (POPs), including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), chlorinated pesticides, methyl-triclosan. Terrapins northern site, Spizzle Creek, closest to influences industrial areas, had higher POP concentrations both than terrapins less impacted Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. Sex differences observed with having plasma. PCB patterns comparable other wildlife. An atypical PBDE pattern was observed, dominated by PBDEs 153 100 instead 47 99, has been documented only few turtle species. typical measured mussels, prey, suggests that may efficiently biotransform or eliminate possibly 99. Plasma significantly positively correlated those fat. This addresses several aspects using an monitoring: sex differences, tissue sampling choices, maternal transfer, biomagnification.