Levels of persistent organic pollutants in larvae of the damselfly Ischnura elegans (Odonata, Coenagrionidae) from different ponds in Flanders, Belgium Nander Van Praet a, ⁎, Adrian Covaci b , Johannes Teuchies c , Luc De Bruyn d, e , Hans Van Gossum d , Robby Stoks f , Lieven Bervoets a a Department of Biology, Ecophysiology, Biochemistry and Toxicology Group, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium b Toxicological Center, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610 Wilrijk, Belgium c Department of Biology, Ecosystem Management Research Group, University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, 2610, Wilrijk, Belgium d Department of Biology, Evolutionary Ecology Group, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium e Research Institute of Nature and Forest (INBO), Kliniekstraat 25, 1070 Brussels, Belgium f Department of Biology, Laboratory of Aquatic Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Ch. Deberiotstraat 32, 3000 Leuven, Belgium abstract article info Article history: Received 23 December 2011 Received in revised form 20 February 2012 Accepted 21 February 2012 Available online 14 March 2012 Keywords: Damselfly larvae Biomonitoring Polychlorinated biphenyls Organochlorine pesticides Polybrominated diphenyl ethers Ponds We investigated the accumulation of persistent organic pollutants in damselfly larvae (Ischnura elegans) in sixteen ponds in Flanders (Belgium), widely differing in the surrounding land use. Concentrations of poly- chlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), p,p'-dichlorodiphenyldichloroethy- lene (p,p'-DDE) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB) were measured. From all targeted PBDE-congeners, only three congeners (IUPAC nos. 47, 99, 100) were above the limit of quantification (LOQ). The ∑PBDE con- centrations ranged from b LOQ up to 0.51 ng g -1 ww. From the targeted PCB-congeners, thirteen were de- tectable (IUPAC nos. 95, 99, 101, 105, 118, 138, 149, 153, 156, 170, 180, 183, and 187). A high variation in ∑PCB concentrations was observed between the ponds, ranging from b LOQ (0.67 ng g -1 ww) up to 9.91 ng g -1 ww in the damselflies from the pond at Sijsele. In all investigated Flemish ponds, p,p'-DDE con- centrations were > LOQ (0.20 ng g -1 ww) with values up to 3.30 ng g -1 ww in the pond at Hamme. In fif- teen ponds, the HCB concentrations were >LOQ (0.05 ng g -1 ww) with values up to 0.24 ng g -1 ww. For the available data in the literature a comparison with different species was done for some of the sampled ponds. The monitored ponds can be separated in three groups based on their contamination. The first group is characterised by a relative low POP content (∑PBDEs, ∑PCBs, HCB). Group 2 contained more HCB and p,p'-DDE than the overall mean while this was the case for PBDEs and PCBs in group 3. The vectors of both contaminated groups are situated nearly perpendicular which is suggesting a different pollution sources. © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction The ubiquitous use of plastics and textiles increased considerably since industrialisation. In order to improve their chemical and physi- cal properties, additives which might contain persistent pollutants, are added. Waste treatment or direct leaching results in increasing concentrations of persistent pollutants in the environment. Also other persistent pollutants, such as pesticides enter the environment mainly through non-point sources such as agriculture runoff (Wang et al., 2007). Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) are a group of con- taminants with comparable characteristics. Due to their persistence and lipophilic nature, these pollutants bio-accumulate in lipid tissue. Even in isolated alpine freshwater systems, POPs are present and ac- cumulate in invertebrate tissues (Bizzotto et al., 2009). Due to this bio-accumulation, the concentrations of POPs are higher in biota at the top of the food chain (Gustafsson et al., 1999; Li et al., 2008; Walters et al., 2011). The accumulation of POPs might cause various adverse effects in both, wildlife and humans, including disruption of the endocrine, re- productive, and immune systems, as well as behavioural problems, cancer, diabetes, and thyroid problems (Schwarzenbach et al., 2010). Rignell-Hydbom et al. (2004) for example, demonstrated a negative correlation between serum levels of CB-153 and p,p'-DDE with sperm mobility in humans. Biomonitoring has proven a precise and reliable tool to monitor the presence of POPs in natural systems (e.g. Bervoets et al., 2004; 2009). Using biota to monitor POPs has several advantages. Since or- ganisms accumulate these toxic substances during their entire life- time, their tissue concentration is a reflection of an accumulation over a longer period and not a measure at a given moment. Addition- ally, not all pollutants that are present in the aquatic environment are bioavailable. Contaminants can be unavailable by irreversible binding Science of the Total Environment 423 (2012) 162–167 ⁎ Corresponding author. Tel.: + 32 3 2653347; fax: + 32 3 2653497. E-mail address: nander.vanpraet@ua.ac.be (N. Van Praet). 0048-9697/$ – see front matter © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2012.02.045 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Science of the Total Environment journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/scitotenv