BiBioommaaggnniiffiicaticationon

Bioaccumulation vs Bioaccumulation vs BiomagnificationBiomagnification

Bioaccumulation: increase in Bioaccumulation: increase in concentration of a pollutant from the concentration of a pollutant from the environment to the first organism in environment to the first organism in a food chain a food chain

Biomagnification: increase in Biomagnification: increase in concentration of a pollutant from one concentration of a pollutant from one link in a food chain to another link in a food chain to another

Why use DDT?Why use DDT?

Not particularly harmful to humans- Not particularly harmful to humans- therefore could be handled with few therefore could be handled with few negative side effectsnegative side effects

Very effective at killing insects- used Very effective at killing insects- used extensively during World War I to kill extensively during World War I to kill lice and mosquitos- limited malaria lice and mosquitos- limited malaria and louse-born diseases among and louse-born diseases among refugeesrefugees

The Problem:The Problem:

Peregrine Peregrine FalconsFalcons

ExtirpatedExtirpatedlocally locally

extinct)extinct)

from much of from much of U.S.U.S.

http://www.iowaccess.org/main/news/newsimages/peregrine.jpg

Osprey andOsprey andBald Eagles Bald Eagles were were declining,declining,as well.as well.

http://www.state.tn.us/twra/graphics/OSPREY.jpg

http://www.state.tn.us/twra/graphics/BLDEAGLE.jpghttp://www.state.tn.us/twra/graphics/BLDEAGLE.jpg

Meanwhile, in Borneo:Meanwhile, in Borneo: Why were roofs falling Why were roofs falling

on people’s heads?on people’s heads? Gecko-eating cats had Gecko-eating cats had

begun to die, and begun to die, and thriving rats brought thriving rats brought plague and typhusplague and typhus

The World Health The World Health Organization began to Organization began to parachute cats into parachute cats into Borneo, but what was Borneo, but what was causing these causing these problems?problems?

http://www.herpafauna.com/pics/geckos/a-felinus.jpg

Finding the cause:Finding the cause:Roof collapse Roof collapse

traced to traced to disappearance disappearance of parasitic of parasitic wasp which wasp which had controlled had controlled thatch-eating thatch-eating caterpillars.caterpillars.

http://www.life.umd.edu/classroom/bsci124/img/parisitoid.jpg

It seemed to be a chain:It seemed to be a chain:

Wasps disappeared Wasps disappeared because DDT had because DDT had been sprayed to kill been sprayed to kill mosquitos, which mosquitos, which carried malaria - carried malaria - number one killer of number one killer of humans worldwidehumans worldwide

Cat Parachuted into BorneoCat Parachuted into Borneo

http://www.freewebs.com/an4rkia/DDT.jpg

The data suggested DDT:The data suggested DDT:

Measurements of DDT levels seemed to Measurements of DDT levels seemed to multiply as the compound moved up the multiply as the compound moved up the food chain:food chain:

Case study in Long Island Estuary:Case study in Long Island Estuary:• Water to zooplankton: 800x Water to zooplankton: 800x • Zooplankton  to fish #1 = 31x Zooplankton  to fish #1 = 31x • Fish #1 to fish #2 = 1.7x Fish #1 to fish #2 = 1.7x • Fish #2 to gull = 4.8x Fish #2 to gull = 4.8x • Overall = 202,368xOverall = 202,368x

More evidence against DDT:More evidence against DDT:Sub-Lethal Sub-Lethal Effects:Effects:

Eggshells from Eggshells from Peregrines Peregrines with high DDT with high DDT levels showed levels showed significant significant thinningthinning

http://www.kodak.com/US/images/en/corp/features/birdcam2000/gallery/04_03/13_32__2000_04_03_fullcam2.jpg

How does biomagnification work?How does biomagnification work?

DDT, a synthetic DDT, a synthetic molecule, cannot be molecule, cannot be broken down or broken down or excreted – Life excreted – Life doesn't have doesn't have enzymes that enzymes that "know" how."know" how.

Thus, it Thus, it concentrates as concentrates as animals higher on animals higher on the food chain eat the food chain eat more and more more and more food.food.

Solutions:Solutions:

Ban DDTBan DDT

"Hack out" captive-bred peregrine "Hack out" captive-bred peregrine chickschicks

Build nest platforms for OspreyBuild nest platforms for Osprey

How effective were these How effective were these solutions?solutions?

Peregrines, Osprey, and Bald Eagles Peregrines, Osprey, and Bald Eagles recoveredrecovered

However,However, Other countries still use DDTOther countries still use DDT

DDT isn't the only chemical that biomagnifies!DDT isn't the only chemical that biomagnifies!

The problem magnifies:The problem magnifies:

MethylMercury MethylMercury concentrates just like concentrates just like DDT and damages DDT and damages humanhuman

Nervous SystemsNervous Systems A person who eats one A person who eats one

meal of lake trout from meal of lake trout from Lake Michigan will be Lake Michigan will be exposed to more exposed to more

PCBsPCBs in one meal in one meal than in a lifetime of than in a lifetime of drinking water from the drinking water from the lake!lake!

The Problem is ongoing:The Problem is ongoing:

PCBs (polychlorinated PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) biphenyls)

PAHs (polynuclear aromatic PAHs (polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons) hydrocarbons)

Heavy metals: Heavy metals: • mercury mercury • copper copper • cadmium cadmium • chromium chromium • lead lead • nickel nickel • zinc zinc • tintin

TBT (tributyltin) TBT (tributyltin) mercury from gold mining mercury from gold mining cyanide cyanide selenium selenium

The number of The number of new molecules new molecules we introduce we introduce into our into our environment environment continues to continues to increase.increase.

The Ultimate Solution?The Ultimate Solution?

Models are being developed to predict Models are being developed to predict toxicity of new chemicalstoxicity of new chemicals

Pollution control must be intensified:Pollution control must be intensified:

Zero Tolerance in the Great Lakes?Zero Tolerance in the Great Lakes?

Education: Increase awareness soEducation: Increase awareness so

everyone will decrease use and dispose everyone will decrease use and dispose of chemicals properly.of chemicals properly.

Laws and RegulationsLaws and Regulations Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act

(FIFRA) • 1972 requires registration of pesticides for specific uses 1972 requires registration of pesticides for specific uses

London Dumping Convention • 1972 ratified by 64 countries 1972 ratified by 64 countries • bans deliberate discharge of various toxic or other wastes bans deliberate discharge of various toxic or other wastes

International Convention for the Prevention International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) ) • 1988 1988 prohibits dumping of plastics at sea prohibits dumping of plastics at sea • ratified by 40 countries ratified by 40 countries

"This we know: The earth does not "This we know: The earth does not belong to man; man belongs to the belong to man; man belongs to the earth. Whatever befalls the earth earth. Whatever befalls the earth befalls the sons of the earth. Man did befalls the sons of the earth. Man did not weave the web of life; he is not weave the web of life; he is merely a strand in it. Whatever he merely a strand in it. Whatever he does to the web he does to himself."does to the web he does to himself."

- Chief Seattle - Chief Seattle

Bibliography…Bibliography… "ToxFAQsTM for DDT, DDE, and DDD," ATSDRIC Information Center Division of Toxicology, Agency for "ToxFAQsTM for DDT, DDE, and DDD," ATSDRIC Information Center Division of Toxicology, Agency for

Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Atlanta, GA, June 11, 2001. <Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Atlanta, GA, June 11, 2001. <http://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/tfacts35.html> 2/21/02> 2/21/02

Mader, Sylvia S. 1996. Mader, Sylvia S. 1996. Biology Biology - 5th Ed. WCB and Cox, G.W. 1997. - 5th Ed. WCB and Cox, G.W. 1997. Conservation BiologyConservation Biology - 2nd ed. WCB - 2nd ed. WCB < < http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/102/2bioma95.html> 2/21/02> 2/21/02

"Chapter 4: The Great Lakes Today – Concerns" Government of Canada (Toronto, Ontario) "Chapter 4: The Great Lakes Today – Concerns" Government of Canada (Toronto, Ontario) and and United United States Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes National Program Office (Chicago, Illinois) The States Environmental Protection Agency, Great Lakes National Program Office (Chicago, Illinois) The Great Lakes: An Environmental Atlas and Resource Book, Third Edition, 1994, Great Lakes: An Environmental Atlas and Resource Book, Third Edition, 1994, http://www.epa.gov/glnpo/atlas/glat-ch4.html> 2/20/02> 2/20/02

"Mercury: In Your Community and the Environment." PUB-CE-239 98 Wisconsin Department of Natural "Mercury: In Your Community and the Environment." PUB-CE-239 98 Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Pollution Prevention Partnership; Last Modified: November 29, 1999 Environment Resources and the Pollution Prevention Partnership; Last Modified: November 29, 1999 Environment Canada : Canada : http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/glimr/classroom/millennium/mercury/mystery-e.html

"Great Lakes Initiatie," Wisconsin Sea Grant, 2001"Great Lakes Initiatie," Wisconsin Sea Grant, 2001http://seagrant.wisc.edu/Communications/Publications/One-pagers/CriticalPollutants.html 2/20/02 2/20/02

Mader, Sylvia S. 1996. Mader, Sylvia S. 1996. Biology Biology - 5th Ed. WCB and Cox, G.W. 1997. - 5th Ed. WCB and Cox, G.W. 1997. Conservation BiologyConservation Biology - 2nd ed. WCB - 2nd ed. WCB retrieved from 1/29/13 http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/102/2bioma95.htmlretrieved from 1/29/13 http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/102/2bioma95.html