TY - JOUR
T1 - Health effects from contaminant exposure in Baltic Sea birds and marine mammals
T2 - A review
AU - Sonne, Christian
AU - Siebert, Ursula
AU - Gonnsen, Katharina
AU - Desforges, Jean Pierre
AU - Eulaers, Igor
AU - Persson, Sara
AU - Roos, Anna
AU - Bäcklin, Britt Marie
AU - Kauhala, Kaarina
AU - Tange Olsen, Morten
AU - Harding, Karin C.
AU - Treu, Gabriele
AU - Galatius, Anders
AU - Andersen-Ranberg, Emilie
AU - Gross, Stephanie
AU - Lakemeyer, Jan
AU - Lehnert, Kristina
AU - Lam, Su Shiung
AU - Peng, Wanxi
AU - Dietz, Rune
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Here we review contaminant exposure and related health effects in six selected Baltic key species. Sentinel species included are common eider, white-tailed eagle, harbour porpoise, harbour seal, ringed seal and grey seal. The review represents the first attempt of summarizing available information and baseline data for these biomonitoring key species exposed to industrial hazardous substances focusing on anthropogenic persistent organic pollutants (POPs). There was only limited information available for white-tailed eagles and common eider while extensive information exist on POP exposure and health effects in the four marine mammal species. Here we report organ-tissue endpoints (pathologies) and multiple biomarkers used to evaluate health and exposure of key species to POPs, respectively, over the past several decades during which episodes of significant population declines have been reported. Our review shows that POP exposure affects the reproductive system and survival through immune suppression and endocrine disruption, which have led to population-level effects on seals and white-tailed eagles in the Baltic. It is notable that many legacy contaminants, which have been banned for decades, still appear to affect Baltic wildlife. With respect to common eiders, changes in food composition, quality and contaminant exposure seem to have population effects which need to be investigated further, especially during the incubation period where the birds fast. Since new industrial contaminants continuously leak into the environment, we recommend continued monitoring of them in sentinel species in the Baltic, identifying possible effects linked to climate change, and modelling of population level effects of contaminants and climate change.
AB - Here we review contaminant exposure and related health effects in six selected Baltic key species. Sentinel species included are common eider, white-tailed eagle, harbour porpoise, harbour seal, ringed seal and grey seal. The review represents the first attempt of summarizing available information and baseline data for these biomonitoring key species exposed to industrial hazardous substances focusing on anthropogenic persistent organic pollutants (POPs). There was only limited information available for white-tailed eagles and common eider while extensive information exist on POP exposure and health effects in the four marine mammal species. Here we report organ-tissue endpoints (pathologies) and multiple biomarkers used to evaluate health and exposure of key species to POPs, respectively, over the past several decades during which episodes of significant population declines have been reported. Our review shows that POP exposure affects the reproductive system and survival through immune suppression and endocrine disruption, which have led to population-level effects on seals and white-tailed eagles in the Baltic. It is notable that many legacy contaminants, which have been banned for decades, still appear to affect Baltic wildlife. With respect to common eiders, changes in food composition, quality and contaminant exposure seem to have population effects which need to be investigated further, especially during the incubation period where the birds fast. Since new industrial contaminants continuously leak into the environment, we recommend continued monitoring of them in sentinel species in the Baltic, identifying possible effects linked to climate change, and modelling of population level effects of contaminants and climate change.
KW - Baltic Sea
KW - Biological effects
KW - Contaminants
KW - Exposure
KW - OCP
KW - Organochlorine pesticides
KW - PCBs
KW - Persistent organic pollutants
KW - Polychlorinated biphenyls
KW - POPs
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85083297123&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105725
DO - 10.1016/j.envint.2020.105725
M3 - Review
C2 - 32311628
AN - SCOPUS:85083297123
SN - 0160-4120
VL - 139
JO - Environment International
JF - Environment International
M1 - 105725
ER -