Levels of linear alkylbenzene sulfonates and nonylphenol in wild bat guano samples

Slawomir Gonkowski¹Julia Martín²Irene Aparicio²Juan Luis Santos²Esteban Alonso²Wioleta Sowinska³Liliana Rytel^1*

• ¹University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn, Olsztyn, Poland
• ²Universidad de Sevilla, Escuela Politécnica Superior, Sevilla, Spain
• ³Veterinary Inspectorate in Nowe Miasto Lubawskie., Nowe Miasto Lubawskie, Poland

Introduction: Surfactants are substances commonly used in the industry, polluting the environment and negatively affecting living organisms. This article describes for the first time the exposure of wild bats to selected surfactants: nonylphenol (NP) and linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS), including LAS C10, LAS C11, LAS C12, LAS C13 (where "C" with a number indicates the length of the alkyl carbon chain). Methods: The levels of the abovementioned compounds were evaluated in guano samples collected from various colonies of the greater mouse-eared bat (Myotis myotis) using liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Results: All surfactants studied were found in guano samples.The mean levels of LAS (±SD) ranged from 87±28.5 ng/g (median 75.1 ng/g) in the case of LAS C10 to 662±227.2 ng/g (median 560.5 ng/g) in the case of LAS C12. The mean concentration of NP was 65.2±74.9 ng/g (median 23.5 ng/g). Moreover, significant differences in surfactant levels were noted between particular bat colonies. Discussion: The results have shown that wild bats are highly exposed to LAS and NP, and the degree of this exposure shows clear intraregional differences. Moreover, the study demonstrated that guano samples serve as a valuable tool to assess bat exposure to these surfactants.