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Aldo Pacheco Ferreira (National School of Public Health, Center for the Study of Workers Health and Human Ecology, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) has a paper in press in the Journal of Integrated Coastal Zone Management that shows that Manx Shearwaters Puffinus puffinus off the coast of Brazil are contaminated by polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs).

The paper's abstract follows:

"Polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) concentrations were measured in seabirds from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Species, Great Egret and Manx Shearwater, were collected in 2008-2010 on Ilha Grande bay. Detectable hepatic concentrations of PCDD/Fs and PCBs were found in all samples analyzed. The concentrations were below the range of concern established by WHO. This is the first measurements of PCDD/Fs and PCBs congeners in seabirds from this area, and suggests that future studies should take note of the results in order to test for greater range of compounds and species and to determine levels of environmental contamination."

Reference:

Ferreira, A.F.2012. Measurement of chlorinated dioxins, furans and PCBs in Ardea alba Great Egret, and Puffinus puffinus Manx Shearwater: Ilha Grande Bay, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.  Journal of Integrated Coastal Zone Management. In press.

John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 20 April 2012