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Boyles, E.; Nielsen, C.K.
Bioaccumulation of PCBs in a wild North American felid
2017 Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology (98): 71-75
Organohalogenated compounds (OHCs) such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are of global concern due to their environmental persistence, bioaccumulative potential, and adverse effects on humans and wildlife. We investigated the concentrations of PCBs in the liver tissues of bobcats (_Lynx rufus_) sampled in Illinois during 2013. Concentrations of àPCBs ranged from 76.4 to 3782 ng/g lw (median 562.97 ng/g lw). Male bobcats had significantly greater concentrations of PCBs than females (p = 0.04). Ours is one of the first studies to report PCBs in a wild North American felid. We suggest that bobcats can be used as a suitable bioindicator species to monitor organohalogen contamination in terrestrial ecosystems.
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