Whole-bird models for the magnetic cleansing of oiled feathers John D. Orbell a, * , Lawrence N. Ngeh a , Stephen W. Bigger a , Manfred Zabinskas a , Meris Zheng a , Margaret Healy b , Rosalind Jessop b , Peter Dann b a School of Molecular Sciences, Victoria University, P.O. Box 14428, Melbourne City MC, Vic. 8001, Australia b Phillip Island Nature Park, P.O. Box 97, Phillip Island, Vic. 3922, Australia Abstract Iron powder, a promising dry-cleansing agent for oiled feathers where both the contaminant and the cleansing agent may be harvested magnetically, has been tested on the plumage of whole-bird models. The breast and back plumage of Mallard Duck (Anas platyrhynchos) and Little Penguin (Eudyptula minor) carcasses were patch-contaminated with commercial-grade engine oil, three different crude oils, and an oil/seawater emulsion. The plumage was then subjected to a magnetic cleansing protocol. The con- taminant removal was assessed gravimetrically and was found to reflect the outcomes for a previously reported in vitro study using feather clusters. Between 92–98% of the contaminants, and effectively all of the cleansing agent, were removed from the feathers. Ó 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Anas platyrhynchos; Eudyptula minor; Oil contamination; Iron powder; Magnetic 1. Introduction Upon encountering a contaminated bird, various first-aid steps are usually taken such as the cleaning of eyes and nostrils, re-hydration and treatment for ingested substances (Schmidt, 1997; Stocker, 2000). Sometimes, the bird may even be cloaked to prevent heat loss and further ingestion of contaminants by preening (Smail, 1978). Invariably, as a first-aid mea- sure, it is not practical to employ conventional surfac- tant-based methods to immediately remove the bulk of thecontaminantandtheanimalsareusuallytransported to a treatment facility where all the necessary equipment is in place (Stocker, 2000; WHC, 2000). The time lag involved in this step can sometimes be critical for the survival of the victim, especially when the contaminant is toxic or corrosive. This problem has even resulted in suggestions to routinely cull contaminated birds rather than attempt the tortuous process of rescue and reha- bilitation. Culling may indeed be considered a more humane option in these circumstances, although this couldbeofparticularconcerniftheaffectedbirdisfrom an endangered species. In this context it is worth exploring alternative tech- nologies and methods for cleansing contaminated wild- life, including those which could lead to a portable field apparatus and which would enable a much more effec- tive initial stabilization of the animal to be made, es- pecially with respect to removing the bulk of the contamination on-site. To this end, by exploiting the oil-adsorbing and mag- netic properties of iron powder, we have recently re- ported a method for the magnetic removal of various contaminant oils from clusters of duck feathers, (Orbell et al., 1999). The next stage in our investigations has involvedextendingthesestudiestotheplumageofwhole birds. Two models have been examined. Firstly, commer- cially available Mallard Duck (Anas platyrhynchos) carcasses were chosen for study since these are directly comparable to our previous feather cluster studies. Secondly, a large colony of the Little (so-called ‘‘Fairy’’) Penguin (Eudyptula minor), situated locally on Phillip Island, Australia (Dann, 1992), provides a convenient supply of birds that have been killed by cars or preda- tors (Harrigan, 1992). These are ideal models for ‘‘worst case scenario’’ testing of oil removal protocols since their body feathers are smaller and denser than those of * Corresponding author. Tel.: +61-3-9216-8066; fax: +61-3-9216- 8284. E-mail address: John.Orbell@vu.edu.au (J.D. Orbell). 0025-326X/$ - see front matter Ó 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2003.08.012 www.elsevier.com/locate/marpolbul Marine Pollution Bulletin 48 (2004) 336–340