Bio Accumulation A Case Study 2112022 1 Bibliography

Bio. Accumulation: A Case Study 2/11/2022 1

Bibliography Fisheries and Oceans Canada. (June 7, 2007). Bioaccumulation: A Case Study of British Columbia’s Killer Whales. Retrieved on September 6, 2007 from: http: //www-heb. pac. dfo-mpo. gc. ca/community/education/lessonplans/orca-bioacc/orca_bioacc_e. htm 2/11/2022 2

What is bioaccumulation? n Many of the chemicals we use in our daily lives are toxic. Some of these toxins are persistant. u n 2/11/2022 This means that they do not break down in the body and are stored in the fat of an organism. This is because the chemicals are fat soluble. These toxins are called; Persistant Organic Pollutants (ie. DDT or PCBs) 3

n n The build up of these toxins in the food chain is known as bioaccumulation. This can cause: Reproductive failure u Birth defects u Immune system disorders u Death u n 2/11/2022 The more toxins in the organism, the greater the problem is. 4

Persistant Toxins in British Columbia’s Killer Whales n 2/11/2022 The amount of toxins have been tested in resident and transient killer whales 5

Resident Killer Whale Food Chain n n 2/11/2022 Phyto/ zooplankton n Herring n Salmon Resident Killer Whale 6

Transient Killer Whale Food Chain n Phyto/ zooplankton n Herring n Salmon n n 2/11/2022 Seal Transient Killer Whale 7

Killer Whale Food Chain Game n n 2/11/2022 The squares around the room represent plankton Students in lab coats represent salmon Students in safety glasses represent resident killer whales Herring will carry around a styrofoam cup (stomach) and are ONLY allowed to feed on plankton (by gathering markers). 8

n n n 2/11/2022 Salmon are ONLY allowed to feed on (tag) herring and resident killer whales are ONLY allowed to feed on (tag) salmon. When you get tagged hand over your cup(s) to your successful predator and go have a seat All move to their seats when I call the end of the game 9

Data Collection Organism # Surviving Amt of Food En Total # of marked food pieces Survived(s), died (d), or reproduction and immune system problems (RI) Resident killer whales Seals NA NA Salmon Herring 2/11/2022 10

How did we let this happen? n n n 2/11/2022 Chemicals such as DDT and PCBs were never tested for their longterm effects before they were put to use DDT – kills mosquitoes PCBs were used in everything from electrical lights to paint and printed ink because of their properties (conduct electricity, insulate, don’t burn and don’t corrode). 11

So, we have learned our lesson right? n WRONG u u u 2/11/2022 Many countries still use the chemicals that have been proven to bioaccumulate Canada and the US do not have laws that insist on the testing of new chemicals that are not used in food. In fact, of 85, 000 chemicals used in North American only 10% are tested for their environmental effects There is a new group of chemicals (PBDEs) that have already proven to accumulate. Europe has banned these, but North America has not. 12

The DDT Story – Pg. 30 2/11/2022 13