Pesticide Residues in the Eggs of Peregrine Falcons and Other Wild Bird Species in Baden-Württemberg

Present State and Time Trend

Dr. K. Theo von der Trenck, Referat 23 – Biomonitoring

The German State of Baden-Wuerttemberg

Ecological Effect Ecological Effect Survey ProgramSurvey Program

Media-EmbracingBiological Monitoring Network

State-wide measuring and assessment of

• Pollutant concentrations• Adverse effects• Species diversity• Climatic change

Pollutants(DDT, HCB, HCEP, HCH, PBDE, PCB, PCDD/F)

Accumulation in Biota

Dangerous Effects Toxicity, Mutagenicity, Carcinogenicity, Teratogenicity, Endocrine DisruptionPersistence in the Environment

Necessity to monitor and control

Pollutants and their Origin (e.g. DDT, HCB, HCEP, HCH, PBDE, PCB, PCDD/F)

Organochlorine Pesticidesagriculture, forestry, veterinary medicine, human medicine

PCBsinsulating materials in electrical capacitors and transformers,

plasticizers in waxes, paper manufacturing, hydraulic fluids and heat exchange fluids, components of flame retardants, sealants, and lacquers

PCDD/Fscombustion of organic materials (+ chlorine)HCBcombustion of organic materials (+ chlorine)

Physical / Chemical Properties of POPs

• Low Water Solubility

• High Lipid Solubility

• High Resistence to Degradation

• Low Vapor Pressure

evaporation from aqueous solution

long range atmospheric transport

Global DistributionUbiquitous occurrence with marked bioaccumulation especially in

lipophilic compartments

Global Distillation of POPs

Stepwise Ban on Organochlorine Compounds in Germany

Dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) 1972

Aldrin, Dieldrin 1974

Hexachlorobenzene 1977

Technical Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH) 1978

Endrin 1982

Heptachlor / Heptachloroepoxide 1982

Polychlorinated Biphenyls 1983

Organochlorine Pollution of Eggs (2001): Peregrine Falcon > Eagle Owl > Barn Owl > Little Owl ≈ Jackdaw

> Great Tit ≈ Blue-Bonnet > Coal Tit

Terrestrial (Avian) Food Chain

The peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) is the most highly polluted bird species within the project (Photo: B. Zoller).

DDE in Peregrine Eggs - Time Trend

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

1,5

1,6

1,7

1,8

1,9

DDE [µg/g d. m. with std. dev., left scale] in eggs of peregrine falcons from Baden-Württemberg. The egg shell index (∆ right scale) is related to shell thickness.

HCB in P. Falcon Eggs from Baden-Württemberg

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

2003

mg

/kg

TS

HCB in P. Falcon Eggs from Baden-Württemberg (inset)

0,0

0,1

0,2

0,3

0,4

0,5

0,6

0,7

0,8

0,9

1,0

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

mg

/kg

TS

---RHmV: 0.05 mg/kg

HCB in Peregrine Eggs - Time Trend

Lindane in Peregrine Eggs - Time Trend

Lindan in Wanderfalkeneiern aus Baden-Württemberg

0,0

0,2

0,4

0,6

0,8

1,0

1967

1969

1971

1973

1975

1977

1979

1981

1983

1985

1987

1989

1991

1993

1995

1997

1999

2001

mg/

kg T

S

---RHmV: 0.3 mg/kg

Heptachloroepoxide in Peregrine EggsTime Trend

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

µg

/g d

ry m

atte

r

0,0

0,1

0,2

0,3

0,4

0,5

0,6

0,7

0,8

19

85

19

86

19

87

19

88

19

89

19

90

19

91

19

92

19

93

19

94

19

95

19

96

19

97

19

98

19

99

20

00

20

01

20

02

20

03

---RHMV: 0.05 mg/kg

PCB in Peregrine Eggs – Time Trend

PCB in Peregrine Falcon Eggs from Baden-Württemberg

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

1970

1972

1974

1976

1978

1980

1982

1984

1986

1988

1990

1992

1994

1996

1998

2000

2002

mg/

kg T

S

Dioxin Equivalents in Selected Peregrine Eggs from Four Years

DDE in Peregrine Eggs - Time Trend

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

1,5

1,6

1,7

1,8

1,9

DDE [µg/g d. m. with std. dev., left scale] in eggs of peregrine falcons from Baden-Württemberg. The egg shell index (∆ right scale) is related to shell thickness.

Average Organochlorine Pollution of Peregrine Eggs from Six Ecoregions (2001 – 2003)

Long term effects of DDT

DDT first synthesized in Germany 1874

65 years latency period

Discovery of DDT‘s insecticidal action (P. Müller) 1939

33 years action period

Peregrine falcons extinct in most German states

German ban on DDT 1972

33 years recovery period

Germany still troubled by DDT from remote continents 2005

DDT problem solved ????

Pesticide Residues in the Eggs of Peregrine Falcons and Other Wild Bird Species in Baden-Württemberg

Present State and Time Trend

Friedrich Schilling (Nürtingen)Dr. Frank Baum, Dr. Rainer Malisch (Freiburg)Heiner Hartwig, Professor Dr. Ralf-D. Zimmermann (Bingen)Ruth Baumann, Dr. Hans-Peter Straub, Kurt Wildenmann (LfU)Dr. K. Theo von der Trenck, Referat 23 – Biomonitoring

Substances Measured

Aldrin and its epoxide (dieldrin)ChlordanDichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and its metabolitesEndosulfanEndrinHexachlorobenzene (HCB)Heptachlor and its epoxide (HCEP) Different conformers of Hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)21 congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs)

Started in 2003: 9 congeners of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs)