Spatial and individual factors mediate the tissue burden of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in adult and chick brown pelicans in the northern Gulf of Mexico

The northern Gulf of Mexico supports a substantial level oil and gas extraction in marine waters experiences acute chronic exposure to pollution events. region also diverse array breeding migratory seabirds that are exposed these pollutants during foraging other activities. Among the highest concern within polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which tend be toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, or teratogenic. We assessed PAH loads blood from adult brown pelicans feathers adults chicks relation individual (e.g., body condition, sex) spatial location Gulf, home range size, migration distance) factors. Of 24 PAHs assessed, 17 occurred at least once among all samples. There were no found not adults. Alkylated more commonly measured higher summed concentrations compared parent samples, indicating and/or byproducts may have been source contamination for this study. Within adults, likely occur, increase concentration, samples females males, although difference was feather occurrence concentration increased migrated longer distances. In chicks, background levels development colony consistent predictor presence PAHs. correlations with hematological biochemical biomarkers suggested compromised health. Our results indicate both short- long-term (i.e., feathers, respectively) occurring species even nest-bound can accumulate high Long-term tracking PAHs, as well an assessment sublethal effects on pelicans, could enhance our understanding persistence contaminant increasing breadth studied.