Cadmium, Copper, Lead, and Zinc in Five Toothed Whale Species of the Mediterranean Sea

Abstract

The cadmium, lead, copper, and zinc levels were measured in six organs (lung, liver, kidney, skin, muscle, and bone) from 18 specimens of toothed whales, belonging to five species, found stranded along the Corsican coast between November 1993 and December 1998. The five species examined were the bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus, the common dolphin Delphinus delphis, the striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba, the pilot whale Globicephala melas, and the Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus. The values obtained demonstrate that there is a great variability in the accumulation of toxic metals. A comparison of the values with those obtained in other geographical regions also demonstrates an extensive variability in metal levels. The presence of metals in the stomach contents of three of the individuals studied shows that the food source is responsible for a significant input of pollutants to the whales. Measured pollutant levels in whales are thus the result of an accumulation occurring throughout the animal's life.

Distribution of trace elements in organs of six species of cetaceans from the Ligurian Sea (Mediterranean), and the relationship with stable carbon and nitrogen ratios

“…Several variability factors, though, are to be taken into account even within the same species: age and sex of the specimens, particular conditions of the individual, site of sampling, method of analysis. Moreover, very few studies are conducted to measure trace elements in cetaceans brain, spleen, heart, lung and milk (Leonzio et al, 1992;Augier et al, 1993;Monaci et al, 1998;Capelli et al, 2000;Cardellicchio et al, 2000Cardellicchio et al, , 2002Frodello and Marchand, 2001;Frodello et al, 2000 and2002;Roditi-Elasar et al, 2003). The data in the present work are generally in good agreement with those published in literature.…”

Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus in the Mediterranean Sea

“…There is evidence to suggest a causal link between organochlorine exposure and reproductive, endocrine and immunological disorders in cetaceans (Aguilar and Borrell, 1994;Lahvis et al, 1995;Jepson et al, 1999;Schwacke et al, 2002;Hall et al, 2006). Levels of organochlorine compounds in Risso's dolphins from the Mediterranean Sea have been described as 'high' (Corsolini et al, 1995;Marsili and Focardi, 1997;Storelli and Marcotrigiano, 2000), as have levels of trace metals (Storelli et al, 1999;Frodello et al, 2000;Frodello and Marchand, 2001;Shoham-Frider et al, 2002;Capelli et al, 2008). It is uncertain, however, whether recent and current levels of exposure to any of these contaminants are affecting Risso's dolphins in the region.…”

Trace Element Concentrations in Liver of 16 Species of Cetaceans Stranded on Pacific Islands from 1997 through 2013

“… < DL=Below the detection limit a Measurements converted from dry mass to wet mass assuming 70% moisture (Yang and Miyazaki 2003), indicated in the list of references. 1 Law et al (1997a), 2 Law et al (2001), 3 Augier et al (1998)a, 4 Bellante et al (2009)a, 5 Bellante et al (2012)a, 6 Frodello et al (2000)a, 7 Frodello and Marchand (2001)a, 8 Frodello et al (2002a)a, 9 Leonzio et al (1992), 10 Roditi-Elasar et al (2003), 11 Shoham-Frider et al (2009), 12 Storelli and Marcotrigiano (2002), 13 Viale (1994), 14 Beck et al (1997), 15 Dorneles et al (2008), 16 Geraci (1989), 17 Holsbeek et al (1998)a, 18 Law et al (1992), 19 Lemos et al (2013), 20 Meador et al (1999)a, 21 Wood and Van Vleet (1996)a, 22 Hai Le et al (1999)a, 23 Parsons and Chan (2001)a, 24 Kemper et al (1994), 25 Lavery et al (2008)a, 26 Law et al (2003), 27 Lee and Mok (1995), 28 Frodello et al (2002b)…”