US EPA

2200196 

Technical Report 

Chlorinated hydrocarbons in gulls from the Baltic south coast 

Falandysz, J 

1980 

PESTAB/80/1914 

Pollut 

3 

PESTAB. The determination of polychlorinated terphenyls (PCT), PCB, DDT and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) in tissues of gulls from the Baltic south coast is described. The species studied were little gull (Larus minutus Pall.), black-headed gull (Larus ridibundus L.), common gull (Larus canus L.), and herring gull (Larus argentatus Pont.). The gulls, all of which were found dead and without signs of tissue decay, were collected at the beaches of the Gdansk Bay in 1975-1976. Liver, pectoral muscle and adipose tissue were extracted with petroleum ether, cleaned up with concentrated sulfuric acid, and analyzed by gas liquid chromatography for chlorinated hydrocarbons. All samples analyzed were found to contain substantial quantities of HCB, DDT and PCB-substances, with the adult herring gulls being the most affected with chlorinated hydrocarbons. The livers of adult herring gulls contained (on a fresh wt basis) 0.36-2.2 ppm HCB, 50-320 ppm SIGMADDT, and 140-530 ppm PCB. For the other gulls, the residue levels in the liver ranged from 0.005 to 0.17 ppm HCB, 0.15-8.3 ppm SIGMA-DDT, and 0.14-8.4 ppm PCB. PCT substances in measurable quantities were found in only 2 birds, both black-headed gulls. Organochlorine residue levels found in gulls by other workers in various locations worldwide are also given.