Fish-eating birds bioaccumulation

In the 1960s, organic residues (e.g. DDT, PCBs, methyl mercury) began to be detected in several species of shellfish, fish and fish-eating birds [1,2]. Since then, assessment of the bioaccumulation of chemicals has been considered decisive for determining the potential hazard and environmental risk it is regulated by various official organisations such as the OECD [3], EPA [4,5] and ASTM [6],... 

Like many fish, several species of fish-eating birds have shown the ability for preferential bioaccumulation of 2,3,7,8-TCDD and other 2,3,7,8-substituted CDDs and TCDFs. Jones et al. (1994) monitored TEQ values for 2,3,7,8-TCDD in double-crested cormorants from three of the Great Lakes ... 

II. The accumulation and concentration of chemicals in the environment via the food chain. This is known as bioaccumulation and biomagnification, and applies especially to chemicals which are soluble in fat such as the organochlorine pesticides. The animals (e.g. fish-eating birds) at the top of the food chain acquire the highest concentration of chemical. 

Humans, fish, and wildlife are exposed to PCBs from a number of different exposure routes, including respiration, water consumption, food consumption, and dermal contact with contaminated water, soil, etc. However, the dominant exposure route is food consumption, and especially the consumption of fish. This is because PCBs bioaccumulate effectively in fats and lipids [35]. As a result, most PCB congeners (including the most toxic ones) biomagnify in the food web, which means that the higher levels of the food web will have greater concentrations than lower ones (see full discussion in the section on food web dynamics). As a result, adverse effects have been observed in fish-eating animals and birds, and in humans that have consumed fish (occupationally exposed workers are not considered in this discussion). 

Walker, C.H., 1990. Persistent pollutants in fish-eating sea birds Bioaccumulation, metabolism and effects. Aquat. Toxicol. 17, 293-324. 

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