Assessment of long-term trends in PCB and PBDE residue concentrations in the common buzzard Buteo buteo in the Netherlands 1994-2020 in relation to regulatory restrictions

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Abstract
To address the threat posed by chemicals to biodiversity and human health, the EU has introduced restrictions on certain substance groups over recent decades, notably polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Evidence of effectiveness of such restrictions in reducing exposure in terrestrial wildlife is limited. The common buzzard Buteo buteo has been identified as a suitable species for contaminant monitoring at pan-European scale. Here, we examine whether numbers and concentrations of PCBs and PBDEs show any sign of declining in the common buzzard in The Netherlands over the period 1994-2020. We used livers from 64 buzzards found dead in 10 Dutch provinces. Liver extracts were analysed by GC-MS for 31 PCBs and 23 PBDEs. We measured number of PCB and PBDE congeners, sum of PCB residues (ΣPCB) and of BDE residues (ΣBDE). Results for PCBs and PBDEs were separately analysed by Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and linear regression modelling supplemented by ANOVA. PCA indicated that ΣPCB and ΣBDE highly correlated with selected congeners. Linear regression revealed a declining trend over time in ΣPCB concentrations but not in number of PCB congeners, number of PBDE congeners, or ΣPBDEs. However, the decline in ΣPCB concentrations may be an artefact as year and province are not independent variables; the apparent time trend may be explained by spatial differences (between provinces). Indeed, province significantly influenced ΣPCB concentrations. Age and sex had no apparent influence on ΣPCB or ΣPBDEs. Our findings suggest that the effectiveness of regulatory restrictions on PCBs and PBDEs may vary with location.

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