Biomonitoring organochlorine compounds using bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) in Voyageur's National Park 2011-2017 and developing new biomonitoring techniques

Abstract

Wildlife are used to monitor the presence and persistence of legacy organochlorine contaminants in the environment. In this study, bald eagles (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) were utilized as an indicator of exposure to organochlorine compounds at Voyageur’s National Park, Minnesota from 2011-2017. This demonstrated decreasing concentration trends and a lack of recent inputs of organochlorine compounds. However, the use of organochlorine compounds continues in other parts of the world. Therefore, a technique for using solid phase extraction to quantify organochlorine analytes in avian plasma was developed in order to facilitate international biomonitoring of these compounds. Using this method, organochlorine compounds are extracted from plasma and stored within extraction cartridges during transport from collection site to analysis site. This has important implications for international wildlife biomonitoring. If organochlorine analytes are separated from their matrix at the site of collection, sensitive or hazardous biological materials do not need to be transported or stored.