Presence of toxic organic substances in antarctic wildlife as an indicator of human impact in the South Shetland Islands area (Western Antarctic)

Details

• Journal Title:
  Journal of Hazardous Materials
• Personal Author:
  Hoszek-Mandera, Kinga ; Staniszewska, Marta ; Bełdowska, Magdalena ; Fudala, Katarzyna ; Bialik, Robert ; Hinke, Jefferson ; Pouch, Anna ; Panasiuk, Anna
• NOAA Program & Office:
  NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) ; SWFSC (Southwest Fisheries Science Center)
• Description:
  Endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), including bisphenol A (BPA), 4-nonylphenol (4-NP), 4-tert-octylphenol (4-t-OP), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), pose a significant risk to wildlife due to their ability to bioaccumulate through trophic webs, affecting reproduction, development, and survival. While their presence in Antarctic waters has been documented, data on their accumulation in penguin-derived materials such as feathers, guano, and eggshells remain limited. This study aimed to assess the presence of phenolic compounds (BPA, 4-NP, 4-t-OP) in Pygoscelis penguin derivatives as indicators of anthropogenic influence, and to examine the presence of PAHs, PCBs, and HCB to evaluate the effectiveness of regulatory measures. Non-invasive samples from Pygoscelis penguins on King George Island were collected during the austral summer of 2023/2024 and analyzed using HPLC-FLD and GC-ECD/FID. BPA was detected in 82 % of samples at the highest concentrations, followed by 4-NP (76 %) and 4-t-OP (41 %), with the highest levels found in chicks. PCBs and HCB were largely undetected, suggesting regulatory success, while PAHs were consistently found in guano, indicating ongoing local pollution. These findings highlight the ecological risks of anthropogenic contaminants and support continued non-invasive monitoring to inform conservation efforts in the Antarctic.
• Keywords:
  • EDCs
  • Phenolic compounds
  • Organic pollutants
• Source:
  Journal of Hazardous Materials 500 (2025) 140567
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhazmat.2025.140567
• Format:
  PDF
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Place as Subject:
  South Shetland Islands (Antarctica) ; King George Island (Antarctica)
• Rights Information:
  Accepted Manuscript
• Compliance:
  Submitted
• Download URL:
  https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/76627/noaa_76627_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 2.17 MB]
• Collection(s):
  National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS)
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:e546741e6822678a2b4e2b1bb335622aa19e711f1dabfbec90456c964f7fb552772888208bde15886130ce224781cd1a61788760b76131b0b29b3a909ccf8daf