Tissue concentrations of pesticides, PCBs and metals among ospreys, Pandion haliaetus, collected in France.

ABSTRACT

In this study, osprey (Pandion haliaetus) tissues collected in France were used for contaminants analyses by a non-invasive approach. 53 pesticides (organochlorine, organophosphate, carbamate, pyrethroids, herbicides, anticoagulant rodenticides), 13 PCBs, and 5 metals (mercury, lead, cadmium, copper and arsenic) were quantified in liver of 14 individual samples. PCBs and mercury were frequent (mean 0.5 mg/kg, range < d.l.-2.6 mg/kg and mean 3.4 mg/kg, range < d.l.-16.3 mg/kg wet weight, respectively). Inter-individual variations in contaminant diversity and amounts were noticed. Immediate conservation of the species in the country does not seem to be threatened by global contamination.