Effects of complex organohalogen contaminant mixtures on thyroid homeostasis in hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) mother–pup pairs

Villanger, Gro Dehli; Gabrielsen, Kristin Møller; Kovacs, Kit M.; Lydersen, Christian; Lie, Elisabeth; Karimi, Mahin; Sørmo, Eugen G.; Jenssen, Bjørn Munro

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2013.04.036

Cited by 23 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 103 publications

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“…The hooded seal milk is extremely energy-rich, with 60% to 70% lipids. Occurrence and maternal transfer of several halogenated organic pollutants and their metabolites have previously been reported in hooded seals [16][17][18]. Additionally, the hooded seal is a high-trophic level predator in the Arctic marine food web and therefore susceptible to high accumulation of contaminants, including PFASs [2].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Maternal transfer of perfluoroalkyl substances in hooded seals

Grønnestad

Villanger

Polder

et al. 2016

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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The role of milk in the transfer of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) to offspring is not well known in wildlife. Eight PFASs were quantified in plasma and milk in mother-pup pairs of hooded seals (Cystophora cristata) during the nursing period, and the role of milk in the transfer process was analyzed. Hooded seal was chosen because of its short lactation period (3-4 d), during which the pup feeds only on milk. Placental or lactation transfer would thus be the only source of PFAS in the pup. Of the 8 PFASs analyzed (Σ PFAS), 7 were found in all samples; therefore, milk is a source to PFASs in pups. Perfluorooctane sulfonate was the dominant PFAS in all samples. Mean Σ PFAS concentrations were 6.0 ng/g protein (36 ng/g wet wt) in maternal plasma, 0.77 ng/g protein (3.2 ng/g wet wt) in milk, and 12 ng/g protein (66 ng/g wet wt) in pup plasma. Measured concentrations in plasma were within ranges previously reported from other seal species, below known toxicity thresholds for experimental rodents. Individual PFASs differed in transfer efficiency from mother to pup, depending on carbon chain lengths, with the lowest relative transfer for the intermediate-chained PFASs (C -C ). The results show maternal transfer of PFASs via both milk and the placenta, of which placental transfer is the dominant pathway. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:763-770. © 2016 SETAC.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Maternal transfer of perfluoroalkyl substances in hooded seals

Grønnestad

Villanger

Polder

et al. 2016

Enviro Toxic and Chemistry

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“…Previous studies of contaminants in hooded seal mother-pup pairs found associations between various chlorinated and brominated contaminants and TH [10,11]. These studies demonstrated the importance of considering the effects of the mixture of multiple contaminants that are present in wildlife when assessing the potential effects on TH homeostasis.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 70%

“…The hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) is a predator that feeds at a high trophic level in the Arctic marine food web [9]. This results in high levels of persistent organic contaminants (POPs) [10,11] due to biomagnification and with potential for maternal transfer of these compounds to their offspring. Indeed, maternal transfer of PFASs to pups via milk and placenta has been documented in hooded seals, resulting in generally higher circulating PFAS levels in pups compared to their mothers [12].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of a complex contaminant mixture on thyroid hormones in breeding hooded seal mothers and their pups

Grønnestad

Villanger

Polder

et al. 2018

Environmental Pollution

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There is a general lack of information on the possible effects of perfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) on thyroid hormones (THs) in wildlife species. The effects of PFASs, which are known endocrine disruptors, on the TH homeostasis in hooded seals (Cystophora cristata) have yet to be investigated. Previously, correlations were found between plasma thyroid hormone (TH) concentrations in hooded seals, and organohalogen contaminants (OHCs) and hydroxyl (OH)-metabolites. Because animals are exposed to multiple contaminants simultaneously in nature, the effects of the complex contaminant mixtures that they accumulate should be assessed. Herein, we analyse relationships between plasma concentrations of multiple contaminants including protein-associated PFASs, hydroxylated metabolites of polychlorinated biphenyls (OH-PCBs) and lipid soluble OHCs and plasma concentrations of free and total THs, i.e. triiodothyronine (FT3, TT3) and thyroxine (FT4, TT4) in hooded seal mothers and their pups. The perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) were the most important predictors for FT3 concentrations and TT3:FT3 ratios in the mothers. The FT3 levels decreased with increasing PFCA levels, while the TT3:FT3 ratios increased. In the pups, hexachlorocyclohexanes (HCHs) were the most important predictors for TT3:FT3 ratios, increasing with increasing HCHs levels. Additionally, perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs) and PFCAs were important predictors for FT4:FT3 ratios in hooded seal pups, and the ratio increased with increasing concentrations. The study suggests that PFASs contribute to thyroid disruption in hooded seals exposed to complex contaminant mixtures that include chlorinated and fluorinated organic compounds.

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“…They have the potential to negatively impact marine wildlife, and remain a conservation concern for marine mammal species worldwide (AMAP, 2018; Desforges et al, 2018;Jepson & Law, 2016;Law et al, 2012). POPs such as CBs, BDEs, and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), including dichlorodiphenyltrichoroethane (DDT), have been linked to endocrine disruption (Noël et al, 2017;Routti et al, 2010;Tanabe, 2002;Villanger et al, 2011Villanger et al, , 2013 and negative impacts on reproductive (Helle, Olsson, & Jensen, 1976b;Hoydal et al, 2017;Murphy et al, 2010;Reijnders, 1986) and immune (Fisk et al, 2005, Hall et al, 2006, Hammond, Hall, & Dyrynda, 2005, reviewed in Desforges et al, 2016Penin et al, 2018) function in marine mammals. POPs have also recently been connected with lipid disruption in a range of phyla (Lee et al, 2016;Speranza et al, 2016;Yadetie et al, 2017), including marine mammals (Castelli, Rusten, Goksøyr, & Routti, 2014;Robinson et al, 2018;Tartu et al, 2017), because they alter pathways that enable individuals to accumulate or mobilize fat reserves appropriately.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating decadal changes in persistent organic pollutants in Scottish grey seal pups

Robinson

Hall

Scholl

et al. 2019

Aquatic Conservation

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1. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) remain a risk to marine ecosystem health.POPs accumulate in fat tissue and are biomagnified up through food webs, generating high concentrations in apex predators, including marine mammals. Seals are thus often cited as sentinels of marine environment POP levels. Measuring changes across decadal timescales in these animals is key to understanding the effectiveness of regulations controlling POPs, predicting health, population, and ecosystem level impacts, and informing conservation and management strategies.Information on recent changes in legacy POPs in seals is relatively sparse, however, and datasets are not always continuous in the absence of dedicated POP monitoring programmes. 2. Here, POP concentrations in the blubber of weaned grey seal pups from the Isle of May, Scotland, were compared between studies investigating POP impacts on survival and energy balance in 2002, and in 2015-17. By 2017, the total dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (ΣDL-CBs) and the total non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (ΣNDL-CBs) had decreased to~75% of 2002 levels. 3. The organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), dichlorodiphenyltrichoroethane (ΣDDT), dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), and dichlorodiphenyldichoroethane (DDD), and some CB congeners, did not fall over the 15-year period; however, the power to detect small changes at low concentrations was limited. 4. High DDE and a lack of change in DDD are likely to reflect the low excretion of DDT metabolites, rather than recent exposure.5. The limited change in many POPs over 15 years suggest that risks remain for energy balance, endocrine status, and immune function in grey seal pups, with contingent effects on conservation and management objectives for this species.6. These data highlight the need for long-term datasets and parity in sampling and analytical methods to evaluate continuing impacts of POPs in grey seals and on marine ecosystems more widely.

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Effects of complex organohalogen contaminant mixtures on thyroid homeostasis in hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) mother–pup pairs

Cited by 23 publications

References 103 publications

Maternal transfer of perfluoroalkyl substances in hooded seals

Maternal transfer of perfluoroalkyl substances in hooded seals

Effects of a complex contaminant mixture on thyroid hormones in breeding hooded seal mothers and their pups

Investigating decadal changes in persistent organic pollutants in Scottish grey seal pups

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