Phil Emnet
Do endocrine disrupting chemicals have an effect on Antarctic and New Zealand ecosystems? An investigation into the use of non-invasive sampling to monitor endocrine disrupting chemicals in seals and penguins
Supervisors:
Prof. Ian Shaw, UoC, Chemistry
Dr. Sally Gaw, UoC, Chemistry
Dr. Grant Northcott, Plant & Food Research
Prof. Bill Davison, UoC, Biology
Prof. Bryan Storey, Gateway Antarctica
Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are a hot topic in environmental science. EDCs have the ability to mimic natural hormones, and can influence the endocrine systems of animals. EDCs have a myriad uses – in plastics as plasticisers (e.g. phthalates, bisphenol-A), as detergents (e.g. nonylphenol) and as pesticides (e.g. breakdown products of pyrethroid insecticides); all of these uses lead to environmental contamination. EDCs. Limited analytical studies have shown that some EDCs are present in samples from Antarctica. Their effects range from reduced penis length in alligators in the Florida Everglades [1] to the production of egg protein in male fish [2] – no one knows what their impact on fragile Antarctic ecosystems might be. Limited analytical studies have shown that some EDCs are present in samples from Antarctica [3].
The proposed study aims to quantify selected EDCs in sewage, ocean sediments and waters, and in the food chain, including invertebrates, fish, birds, and seal, firstly to determine whether EDCs are present at biologically active levels in Antarctic ecosystems, then to model the potential effects upon key members of ecosystems. The sampling work will be carried out in the 09/10 Antarctic season, with future field work possible if results show promise.
The species for study have been chosen because they are representatives of different trophic levels in the Antarctic ecosystem; particular attention will be paid to top predators (seals and penguins) because they are likely to contain higher doses of EDCs due to biomagnification. Contamination in seals and birds will be assessed using non-invasive methods (faeces, urine, feathers, and egg shells).
Two sites will be studied in Antarctica. The first, Winter Quarters Bay, will give data on pollution levels in a highly contaminated area as most sewage is released into WQB, and sewage is thought to be the main source of EDCs in Antarctica. The second, Cape Evans, will provide base line values of these chemicals.
Preliminary studies will be carried out on similar samples collected in NZ. To be able to correlate in vivo levels of EDCs to those in the non-invasive samples we plan to use fat, livers, bile, and blood from seals and penguins mainly caught as by-catch from the fishery industry and compare these levels to the ones in urine and faeces collected from the same animals.
A comparison between the New Zealand and Antarctic sites will give an indication of the impact of human activities on the levels of EDCs, a very useful finding for Antarctica NZ. Once EDC levels have been quantified, established modelling studies can be adapted to model the physiological effects of these concentrations on the endocrine systems of seals and penguins.
1. Guillette, L.J.J., et al., Developmental abnormalities of the gonad and abnormal sex hormone concentrations in juvenile alligators from contaminated and control lakes in Florida. Environ. Health Perspect., 1994. 102(8): p. 680-688.
2. Sumpter, J.P. and S. Jobling, Vitellogenesis as a biomarker for estrogenic contamination of the aquatic environment. Environ. Health Perspect., 1995. 103 (Suppl 7): p. 173-178.
3. Roosens, L., N.V.D. Brink, and M. Riddle, Penguin colonies as secondary sources of contamination with persistent organic pollutants. Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 2007. 9: p. 822-825.