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title: "POPs in Black-browed Albatrosses on the Patagonian Shelf"
---

# POPs in Black-browed Albatrosses on the Patagonian Shelf

Agustina Quadri Adrogué ([Laboratorio de Ecotoxicología y Contaminación Ambiental](http://www.iimyc.gob.ar/iimyc/es/grupos-de-investigacion/grupo-ecoa/), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Argentina) and colleagues have published in the [Marine Pollution Bulletin](https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/marine-pollution-bulletin)on levels of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) in Black-browed Albatrosses *Thalassarche melanophris*and Pintado or Cape Petrels *Daption capense*.

 The paper’s abstract follows:

 “Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are accumulated through time and can exert different effect on ecosystems.  POPs and Chlorpyrifos, a current use pesticide, were assessed in body feathers of males and females of Blackbrowed albatross (*Thalassarche melanophris*, BBA) and Cape petrels (*Daption capense*, CAP) during their nonbreeding seasons at the Patagonian Shelf, Argentina.  Chlorpyrifos showed the highest values among all pollutants in both species (49.56–84.88 ng g−1), resulting from current agricultural practices.  The pattern OCPs>PCBs>PBDEs was observed in both species, and CAP showed higher concentrations than BBA probably as a consequence of higher lipid mobilization and pollutants availability during dispersion.  Non-significant differences between sexes about POPs levels were found; however a slight tendency was observed, females> males in CAP, and males>females in BBA.  More attention and further studies are needed to understand seabirds' physiology and its relationship with the pollutants distribution in their tissues and considering breeding season.”

 ![](https://www.acap.aq/images/stories/acap/Birds/Albatrosses/B/Black_browed/Black_browed_Albatrosses_Graham_Robertson.jpg) 

 Black-browed Albatrosses, photograph by Graham Robertson

 **Reference:**

 Quadri Adrogué, A., Miglioranza, K.S.B., Copello, S., Favero, M. & Seco Pon, J.P. 2019.  Pelagic seabirds as biomonitors of persistent organic pollutants in the Southwestern Atlantic.  [*Marine Pollution Bulletin* doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110516](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0025326X1930654X?via%3Dihub).

 *John Cooper, ACAP Information Officer, 03 September 2019*