Levels of organochlorine chemicals in tissues of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from the St. Lawrence Estuary, Qu�bec, Canada

Martineau, Daniel; Béland, Pierre; Desjardins, Claude; Lagacé, A.

doi:10.1007/bf01055795

Cited by 185 publications

(111 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…This is as expected because the St Lawrence River and Estuary were heavily polluted from regional and local industry and agriculture during the 1970s, especially with PCBs, DDTs and Mirex Ž . Martineau et al, 1987;Muir et al, 1996c . Svalbard is much further north and its remote location means that there have been few local sources.…”

Section: ( )mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some of the most conspicuous effects of OCs on wildlife have been reported in white whales. High concentrations of OCs in white whales from the St Lawrence Estuary are believed to be a factor in the unusually high incidences of tumours, cancers, lesions, immune dysfunction, reduced reproductive rates, abnormal sexual development, and high mortality in Ž this population Martineau et al, 1987Martineau et al, , 1994. Beland et al, 1993;De Guise et al, 1995 .…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Concentrations and patterns of organochlorine contaminants in white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from Svalbard, Norway

Andersen

Kovacs

Lydersen

et al. 2001

Science of The Total Environment

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Ž. Blubber was collected from live-captured, adult male white whales Delphinapterus leucas from Svalbard, Norway, Ž . and analysed for levels and patterns of organochlorine OC contaminants. The OC compounds analysed were HCB, Ž . Ž dieldrin, ⌺HCH ␣-HCH, ␤-HCH and ␥-HCH , ⌺Chl heptachlor epoxide, oxychlordane, cis-chlordane, trans-non-. Ž . Ž . achlor, and cis-nonachlor , ⌺DDT ppЈ-DDT, ppЈ-DDE and ppЈ-DDD and ⌺PCB 27 PCB congeners . The major Ž . Ž . OC compounds detected in the blubber were ⌺PCB 5103 " 1874 ngrg l.w. and ⌺DDT 5108 " 1089 ngrg l.w. , Ž . which made up 70% of the ⌺OC. These compounds were followed in prevalence by ⌺Chl 2872 " 1177 ngrg l.w. , which contributed 20% of the ⌺OC burden. ⌺HCH, HCB and dieldrin were present, but at low concentrations. This OC pattern is typical of top predators in Arctic marine food chains. OC levels in white whales from Svalbard are lower than white whales from the St Lawrence River in Canada and are generally similar to values reported previously for other Arctic white whale stocks. Some geographic patterns in relative prevalence of various OC compounds appear to be quite consistent among various marine mammal species in the Arctic. PCB and DDT concentrations in Svalbard's white whales are below the levels that are thought to have negative effects on reproduction or the immune system. ᮊ

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Section: ( )mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Concentrations and patterns of organochlorine contaminants in white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from Svalbard, Norway

Andersen

Kovacs

Lydersen

et al. 2001

Science of The Total Environment

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“…High concentrations of organochlorines, as well as benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) exposure, have been demonstrated in the tissues of these animals (4,5); the concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorophenyl trichloroethane (DDT), Mirex, mercury, and lead were much higher than those found in Arctic belugas (6,7).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In St. Lawrence beluga whales, a reduced reproductive rate, possibly associated with contamination, is suspected because the unexploited population has not increased in the last 10 years (4,19 (21,22). An adult hermaphrodite beluga was found with two ovaries, two testes, and complete genital tracts of both sexes with the exception of cervix, vagina, and vulva (23).…”

Section: Reproductive Systemmentioning

confidence: 99%

Possible mechanisms of action of environmental contaminants on St. Lawrence beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas).

Guise

Martineau

Béland

et al. 1995

Environ Health Perspect

153

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A small isolated population of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) that are highly contaminated by pollutants, mostly of industrial origin, resides in the St. Lawrence estuary, Qu6bec, Canada. Overhunting in the first half of the century was the probable cause for this population to dwindle from several thousand animals to the current estimate of 500. The failure of the population to recover might be due to contamination by organochlorine compounds, which are known to lead to reproductive failure and immunosuppression in domestic and laboratory animals and seals. Functional and morphological changes have been demonstrated in thyroid gland and adrenal cortex in many species exposed to organochlorinated compounds, including seals. Morphological lesions, although different, were also found in belugas. Functional evaluation of thyroid and adrenal glands of contaminated (St. Lawrence) versus much less contaminated (Arctic) belugas is currently under way. Necropsy of St. Lawrence belugas showed numerous severe and disseminated infections with rather mildly pathogenic bacteria, which suggests immunosuppression. Organochlorine compounds and other contaminants found in beluga whales cause immunosuppression in a variety of animal species including seals. Thirty-seven percent of all the tumors reported in cetaceans were observed in St. Lawrence beluga whales. This could be explained by two different mechanisms: high exposure to environmental carcinogens and suppression of immunosurveillance against tumors. Overall, St. Lawrence belugas might well represent the risk associated with long-term exposure to pollutants present in their environment and might be a good model to predict health problems that could emerge in highly exposed human populations over time. -Environ Health Perspect 1 03(Suppl 4): 73-77 (1995)

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“…24 Although tissue OC levels are not available in the individuals from this report, OC levels are known to be high in beluga from the St. Lawrence estuary. 16,18 Further studies are needed to compare the prevalence of FTG and the lesions of the female genitalia between age-matched populations of beluga with different exposures to OCs.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Fibroleiomyomas of the Tubular Genitalia in Female Beluga Whales

Mikaelian¹,

Labelle²,

Doré

et al. 2000

J VET Diagn Invest

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Levels of organochlorine chemicals in tissues of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from the St. Lawrence Estuary, Qu�bec, Canada

Cited by 185 publications

References 32 publications

Concentrations and patterns of organochlorine contaminants in white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from Svalbard, Norway

Concentrations and patterns of organochlorine contaminants in white whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from Svalbard, Norway

Possible mechanisms of action of environmental contaminants on St. Lawrence beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas).

Fibroleiomyomas of the Tubular Genitalia in Female Beluga Whales

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