Seabird Tissue Archival and Monitoring Project (STAMP)

Summary

The Seabird Tissue Archival and Monitoring Project (STAMP) was first implemented in 1999 to monitor contaminants in Alaska's marine environments.  Seabird eggs (collected under permit) have been maintained in the NIST Biorepository at the Hollings Marine Laboratory to permit retrospective studies of environmental contaminants.

Credit: NIST

In 1999, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Alaska Maritime National Wildlife Refuge (USFWS-AMNWR), the U.S. Geological Survey Biological Resources Division (USGS-BRD), and NIST implemented the Seabird Tissue Archival and Monitoring Project (STAMP) to monitor contaminants in Alaska's marine environments. In 2010, the 111th Congress directed NIST to expand this and other programs into the U.S. Pacific Islands.

STAMP was designed as an ongoing long-term effort to track geographic and temporal trends in environmental quality by collecting seabird eggs using standardized protocols, processing and banking the contents under conditions that ensure chemical stability during long-term (decadal) storage, and analyzing subsamples of the stored material to determine baseline levels of persistent bioaccumulative contaminants (e.g., chlorinated pesticides, polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs], brominated flame retardants [polybrominated diphenyl ethers—PBDEs], butyltin compounds, and mercury). The seabird egg collection is maintained in the NIST Biorepository at the Hollings Marine Laboratory with aliquots available to other researchers through a tissue access policy.  See (attached PDF link) for tissue access requirements and contact NISTBiorepository [at] nist.gov (NISTBiorepository[at]nist[dot]gov) with any further inquiries.

Description

Seabirds are an important group of upper trophic-level marine organisms with potential for accumulating lipophilic contaminants. Analyses of seabird tissues, particularly eggs, have played important roles in temporal and spatial environmental monitoring of persistent organic pollutants (POPs—e.g., PCBs, chlorinated pesticides) and mercury in Canada and Europe. Through real-time analysis, specimen banking, and future retrospective analysis, the project will provide a means to monitor both legacy environmental contaminants and chemicals of emerging environmental concern and provides the capability to verify analytical results by accessing banked samples and reanalyzing them using more sensitive and accurate methods in the future.

Major Accomplishments

• Since 1999, STAMP has collected and banked eggs from 11 species of seabirds (common and thick-billed murre, glaucous and glaucous-winged gull, black-legged kittiwake, black-footed and Laysan albatross, brown booby, Hawaiian petrel, sooty tern, and wedge-tailed shearwater)

• Eggs are processed in Alaska by USFWS and in Hawaii by Hawaii Pacific University or by NIST Charleston staff at the Hollings Marine Laboratory; morphometric measurements are taken before cutting the shell in half and harvesting the entire contents into a Teflon bag which is homogenized in a bag mixer and then aliquoted into Teflon jars and polypropylene cryovials which are frozen and sent to the NIST Biorepository
• Aliquots of some of the eggs have been analyzed for organic contaminants and mercury (including stable isotopes) by the NIST environmental chemistry laboratories
• Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes have been analyzed by Keith Hobson at Environment  and Climate Change Canada to provide complementary information on foraging strategies
• Chemicals of emerging concern are being analyzed by Da Chen Southern Illinois University and Corey Clatterbuck in Rebecca Lewison's  laboratory at San Diego State University to complement the mostly past-use contaminants analysis by NIST
• As many of the albatross eggs at Midway Atoll were unidentified species, genetic analysis is being performed by Simon Yung Wa Sin in Scott V. Edwards laboratory at Harvard University
• Statistical comparisons have been made by Vrinda Kalia in Matthew Gribble's laboratory at Emory University

Contact

NISTBiorepository [at] nist.gov (NISTBiorepository[at]nist[dot]gov)

Associated Publications 

1. Mahynski, N. A., Ragland, J. M., Schuur, S. S., Pugh, R., and Shen, V. K., "Seabird Tissue Archival and Monitoring Project (STAMP) Data from 1999-2010," Journal of Research of the National Institute of Standards and Technology, 126, 1-7 (2021) https://doi.org/10.6028/jres.126.028
2. Dietz, R., Letcher, R. J., Desforges, J. P., Eulaers, I., Sonne, C., Wilson, S., Andersen-Ranberg, E., Basu, N., Barst, B. D., Bustnes, J. O., Bytingsvik, J., Ciesielski, T. M., Drevnick, P. E., Gabrielsen, G. W., Haarr, A., Hylland, K., Jenssen, B. M., Levin, M., McKinney, M. A., N++rregaard, R. D., Pedersen, K. E., Provencher, J., Styrishave, B., Tartu, S., Aars, J., Ackerman, J. T., Rosing-Asvid, A., Barrett, R., Bignert, A., Born, E. W., Branigan, M., Braune, B., Bryan, C. E., Dam, M., Eagles-Smith, C. A., Evans, M., Evans, T. J., Fisk, A. T., Gamberg, M., Gustavson, K., Hartman, C. A., Helander, B. r., Herzog, M. P., Hoekstra, P. F., Houde, M., Hoydal, K., Jackson, A. K., Kucklick, J., Lie, E., Loseto, L., Mallory, M. L., Miljeteig, C., Mosbech, A., Muir, D. C. G., Nielsen, S. T. n., Peacock, E., Pedro, S., Peterson, S. H., Polder, A., Rig+¬t, F. F., Roach, P., Saunes, H., Sinding, M. H., Skaare, J. U., S++ndergaard, J., Stenson, G., Stern, G., Treu, G., Schuur, S. S., and V+¡kingsson, G. +., "Current state of knowledge on biological effects from contaminants on arctic wildlife and fish," Science of the Total Environment, 696, 133792 (2019) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.133792
3. Riget, F., Bignert, A., Braune, B., Dam, M., Dietz, R., Evans, M., Green, N., Gunnlaugsd+¦ttir, H., Hoydal, K. S., Kucklick, J., Letcher, R., Muir, D., Schuur, S., Sonne, C., Stern, G., Tomy, G., Vorkamp, K., and Wilson, S., "Temporal trends of persistent organic pollutants in Arctic marine and freshwater biota," Science of the Total Environment, 649, 99-110 (2019) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0048969718332406
4. Schuur, S. S., Becker, P. R., Sallee, C. E. B., Pugh, R. S., and Roseneau, D. G. "Annex 4. Description and interpretation of results from national trend studies: US-Alaska Seabirds," https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=917290, NIST, (2017).
5. Ackerman, J. T., Eagles-Smith, C. A., Herzog, M. P., Hartman, C. A., Peterson, S. H., Evers, D. C., Jackson, A. K., Elliott, J. E., Vander Pol, S. S., and Bryan, C. E., "Avian mercury exposure and toxicological risk across western North America: a synthesis," Science of the Total Environment, 568, 749-769 (2016) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.03.071
6. Jackson, A., Evers, D. C., Eagles-Smith, C. A., Ackerman, J. T., Willacker, J. J., Elliott, J. E., Lepak, J. M., Vander Pol, S. S., and Bryan, C. E., "Mercury risk to avian piscivores across western United States and Canada," Science of the Total Environment, 568, 685-696 (2016) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.02.197
7. Vander Pol, S. S., Kucklick, J. R., Lynch, J. M., Pugh, R. S., Ragland, J. M., Reiner, J. L., Trevillian, J., Schantz, M. M., "Lessons Learned from Monitoring Organic Contaminants in Three Decades of Marine Samples from the Pacific Basin Archived at the USAGÇÖs Marine Environmental Specimen Bank,". In: Persistent Organic Chemicals in the Environment: Status and Trends in the Pacific Basin Countries II Temporal Trends. American Chemical Society, pp. 1-19 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1021/bk-2016-1244.ch001
8. Day, R. D., Roseneau, D. G., Vander Pol, S. S., Hobson, K. A., Donard, O. F., Pugh, R. S., Moors, A. J., and Becker, P. R., "Regional, temporal, and species patterns of mercury in Alaskan seabird eggs: Mercury sources and cycling or food web effects?," Environmental pollution, 166, 226-232 (2012) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2012.03.004
9. Day, R. D., Roseneau, D. G., Berail, S., Hobson, K. A., Donard, O. F., Vander Pol, S. S., Pugh, R. S., Moors, A. J., Long, S. E., and Becker, P. R., "Mercury stable isotopes in seabird eggs reflect a gradient from terrestrial geogenic to oceanic mercury reservoirs,"  Environmental science & technology, 46, 5327-5335 (2012) https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/es2047156
10. Vander Pol, S. S., Becker, P. R., Berail, S., Day, R. D., Donard, O. F., Hobson, K. A., Moors, A. J., Pugh, R. S., Rust, L. B., and Roseneau, D. G., "Seabird Tissue Archival and Monitoring Project: Egg Collections and Analytical Results for 2006-2009," NISTIR, 7872, (2012) https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.7872
11. Point, D., Sonke, J. E., Day, R. D., Roseneau, D. G., Hobson, K. A., Vander Pol, S. S., Moors, A. J., Pugh, R. S., Donard, O. F. X., and Becker, P. R., "Methylmercury photodegradation influenced by sea-ice cover in Arctic marine ecosystems," Nature Geoscience, 4, 188-194 (2011) https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=907404
12. Vander Pol, S. S., Hobson, K. A., Becker, P. R., Day, R. D., Ellisor, M. B., Pugh, R. S., and Roseneau, D. G., "Geographic differences in organic contaminants and stable isotopes (+¦ 13 C, +¦ 15 N) in thick-billed murre (Uria lomvia) eggs from Alaska," Journal of Environmental Monitoring, 13, 699-705 (2011) https://doi.org/10.1039/C0EM00347F
13. Rust, L. B., Pugh, R. S., Moors, A. J., Schuur, S. S., Roseneau, D. G., and Becker, P. R., "Seabird Tissue Archival and Monitoring Project: Project overview, and updated protocols for collecting and banking seabird eggs," NISTIR, 7678, (2010) https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/Legacy/IR/nistir7678.pdf
14. Vander Pol, S. S., Becker, P. R., Day, R. D., Ellisor, M. B., Guichard, A., Moors, A. J., Point, D., Pugh, R. S., Roseneau, D. G., and Vander Pol, S. S., "Seabird tissue archival and monitoring project: egg collections and analytical results for 2002-2005," NISTIR, 7576, (2009) https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.7562
15. Vander Pol, S. S., Becker, P. R., Ellisor, M. B., Moors, A. J., Pugh, R. S., and Roseneau, D. G., "Monitoring organic contaminants in eggs of glaucous and glaucous-winged gulls (Larus hyperboreus and Larus glaucescens) from Alaska," Environmental pollution, 157, 755-762 (2009) https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0269749108006398
16. Point, D., Davis, W. C., Garcia Alonso, J. I., Monperrus, M., Christopher, S. J., Donard, O. F., Becker, P. R., and Wise, S. A., "Simultaneous determination of inorganic mercury, methylmercury, and total mercury concentrations in cryogenic fresh-frozen and freeze-dried biological reference materials," Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry, 389, 787-798 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-007-1516-4
17. Vander Pol, S. S. and Becker, P. R., "Monitoring Contaminants In Seabirds:
18. The Importance Of Specimen Banking" Marine Ornithology, 35, 113-118 (2007) http://www.marineornithology.org/PDF/35_2/35_2_113-118.pdf
19. Vander Pol, S. S., Ellisor, M. B., Pugh, R. S., Becker, P. R., Poster, D. L., Schantz, M. M., Leigh, S. D., Wakeford, B. J., Roseneau, D. G., and Simac, K. S., "Development of a murre (Uria spp.) egg control material," Analytical and bioanalytical chemistry, 387, 2357-2363 (2007) https://doi.org/10.1007/s00216-006-0887-2
20. Day, R. D., Vander Pol, S. S., Christopher, S. J., Davis, W. C., Pugh, R. S., Simac, K. S., Roseneau, D. G., and Becker, P. R., "Murre eggs (Uria aalge and Uria lomvia) as indicators of mercury contamination in the Alaskan marine environment," Environmental science & technology, 40, 659-665 (2006) https://doi.org/10.1021/es051064i
21. Vander Pol, S. S., Becker, P. R., Kucklick, J. R., Pugh, R. S., Roseneau, D. G., and Simac, K. S., "Persistent organic pollutants in Alaskan murre (Uria spp.) eggs: Geographical, species, and temporal comparisons," Environmental science & technology, 38, 1305-1312 (2004) https://doi.org/10.1021/es034987r
22. Vander Pol, S. S., Christopher, S. J., Roseneau, D. G., Becker, P. R., Day, R. D., Kucklick, J. R., Pugh, R. S., Simac, K. S., and York, G. W., "Seabird Tissue Archival and Monitoring Project: egg collections and analytical results for 1999 - 2002," NISTIR, 7029, (2003) https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=902473
23. Christopher, S. J., Vander Pol, S. S., Pugh, R. S., Day, R. D., and Becker, P. R., "Determination of mercury in the eggs of common murres (Uria aalge) for the seabird tissue archival and monitoring project," Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry, 17, 780-785 (2002) https://doi.org/10.1039/b205018h
24. York, G. W., Porter, B. J., Pugh, R. S., Roseneau, D. G., Simac, K., Becker, P. R., Thorsteinson, L. K., and Wise, S. A., "Seabird Tissue Archival and Monitoring Project: protocol for collecting and banking seabird eggs," NISTIR, 6735, 1-23 (2001) https://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/Legacy/IR/nistir6735.pdf