Journal
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
Volume 770, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
ELSEVIER
DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144672
Keywords
Snakes; Biomonitors; Organic pollutants; Environmental pollution
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The concentrations and patterns of organic pollutants in snakes are influenced by various factors, which may have negative effects on snakes and their predators. Studies indicate that snakes can serve as biomonitors of environmental pollution caused by organic contaminants, monitoring organic pollutants effectively.
Monitoring data on organic pollutants published between the late 1960s and 2020 are reviewed to provide comprehensive and updated insights into their bioaccumulation characteristics, sources, and fate in snakes. Multiple organic pollutant classes including pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls, chlorinated paraffins, dioxin-related compounds, alkanes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, flame retardants, plasticizers, etc., were detected in various aquatic and terrestrial snake species with concentrations and patterns varying between species and locations. In general, higher concentrations of organic pollutants were found in snakes collected from contaminated sites (e.g., densely populated, pesticide-treated, and waste processing areas), suggesting that snakes can serve as good biomonitors of environmental pollution caused by organic contaminants. Factors influencing concentrations and patterns of organic pollutants in snakes are discussed, providing an overview of current understanding about their accumulation, transformation, and elimination processes. Potential negative effects associatedwith organic pollutants in snakes and their predators are also considered. Based on such discussions, research gaps and future perspectives on the utilization of snake biomonitoring studies are addressed, heading towards an effective monitoring and assessment scheme for a variety of legacy and emerging organic pollutants in the environment. (C) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
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