Biomedical subjects
Katrine Borgå
Publications and source records attributed to Katrine Borgå.
Comparison of organochlorine concentrations and patterns between free-ranging zooplankton and zooplankton sampled from seabirds' stomachs.
To investigate the use of predators' stomach contents to measure the organochlorine load in free-ranging prey, the two zooplankton species Thysanoessa inermis (euphausiids) and Themisto libellula (amphipods) were collected simultaneously from the water column and from the seabird Brünnich's guillemot (Uria lomvia)'s stomach (from crop to proventriculus). The organochlorine compounds' concentrations and relative proportion of PCB-153 generally did not differ between the two sampling methods (least square mean of Sigma organochlorines=5.9 and 6.8 ng g(-1) wet weight for water column and stomach-sampled prey, respectively), indicating that the organochlorines in stomach-sampled prey were not yet affected by mechanical, chemical and bacterial degradation. Although the sample size is restricted, similar organochlorine concentrations and pattern in free-ranging and stomach-sampled prey may suggest that Brünnich's guillemots feed randomly on the zooplankton population rather than at more (or less) contaminated individuals. Alternatively or in addition, the similar concentrations and pattern suggest that the contaminant levels in Barents Sea zooplankton do not influence their behaviour to change the vulnerability to predation. In conclusion, the organochlorine concentrations and pattern in zooplankton collected from seabirds' stomach correspond with levels in free-ranging prey.
Size-related bioaccumulation and between-year variation of organochlorines in ice-associated amphipods from the Arctic Ocean.
Organochlorines are found even in organisms living in remote areas such as the Arctic marginal ice zone. Organochlorine concentrations in ice-associated (sympagic) amphipods are related to their diet. Therefore, the size-dependent diet shift of Gamunarus wilkitzkii may influence its organochlorine content. In this preliminary study, the organochlorine concentrations in two size classes (small < or = 29 mm and large >29 mm) of G. wilkitzkii were analysed. The concentrations of more lipophilic compounds [e.g. polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)] were lower in the small than the large size class, whereas concentrations of less lipophilic compounds [e.g. hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs)] did not differ by size class. Since contamination transport by the atmosphere, ocean currents and sea ice may vary, the organochlorine burden in sympagic organisms may also vary. There are no data available on temporal variation of organochlorine burden in Arctic sympagic fauna. Therefore, we compared organochlorine concentrations in sympagic amphipods (G. wilkitzkii, Apherusa glacialis and Onisimus spp.) between 1998 and 1999. Organochlorine concentrations in all amphipods were low in both years, with sum organochlorines from 50.7 to 621.9 ngg(-1) lipid weight. The concentrations of hexachlorobenzene (HCB), chlordanes, DDTs and PCBs were higher in 1999 than 1998, whereas the HCH concentrations were lower in 1999 than 1998. The organochlorine concentrations differed between the taxa in both years in a similar increasing manner from A. glacialis to both G. wilkitzkii and Onisimus spp In studies of bioaccumulation relative to body size and temporal variation, a thorough interpretation requires samples from several size classes and years. Nevertheless, the present data provide new knowledge on contaminants in Arctic invertebrates where data are scarce.