Investigating potential associations between chronic exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and infectious disease mortality in harbour porpoises from England and Wales

Jepson, Paul D.; Bennett, Peter M.; Allchin, Colin R.; Law, Robin; Kuiken, Thijs; Baker, John; Rogan, Emer; Kirkwood, James

doi:10.1016/s0048-9697(99)00417-9

Cited by 168 publications

(120 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…In this context, marine mammals such as harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) are accepted indicators, in particular for medium and long-term ecosystem changes, due to their long lifespan and their role as top predators within the marine food web [8]. Correlations between bioaccumulation of environmental contaminants in the tissues of marine mammals and immunosuppressive effects enhancing the animals' vulnerability to infectious diseases or pathogens have been described [9][10][11].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Postmortem Health and Pollution Investigations on Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) of the Islands Helgoland and Sylt

Kakuschke¹,

Gandrass²,

Luzardo

et al. 2012

ISRN Zoology

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Helgoland and Sylt are important centers of tourism in the North Sea. Harbor and grey seals are one reason for the attraction of these islands. However, little is known about these local seal groups. The present postmortem health and pollution study describes a multiparameter investigation of five ill harbor seals which were shot for animal welfare reasons. Firstly, results of pathology and blood investigations support the bad prognosis of survival made in the field. Signs of inflammation in organs, malnutrition, a high-stress level, and reduced thyroid activity were found. Secondly, metal and organic contaminants were investigated. Metal pollutants in blood, liver, muscle, and kidney tissue were not elevated. Lead and mercury concentrations showed a decreased level compared to former studies. Additionally, interesting insights were found for several organic contaminants in comparison with other studies. The Helgoland seals may be influenced by the contaminants of the Elbe plume.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Postmortem Health and Pollution Investigations on Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) of the Islands Helgoland and Sylt

Kakuschke¹,

Gandrass²,

Luzardo

et al. 2012

ISRN Zoology

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“…Declines in porpoise populations may also be directly related to habitat loss (e.g. coastal development), prey depletion from commercial fishery and pollution (Jepson et al, 1999;Siebert et al, 1999;Johnston, 2002). Previous studies on organochlorinated contaminants reported high concentrations in harbour porpoises from Danish and Scandinavian waters (Clausen and Andersen, 1988;Kleivane et al, 1995), the Baltic Sea (Berggrena et al, 1999) and the Southern North Sea (Covaci et al, 2002).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Baseline study of perfluorochemicals in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from Northern Europe

Vijver

Hoff

Das

et al. 2004

Marine Pollution Bulletin

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“…It has been reported that adult females have decreasing levels of organic contaminants explained by the transfer of organochlorines to their offsprings during gestation and lactation. 2,10,15,24 Such ndings may explain variations in PCB levels between adult females and juvenile porpoises stranded in the southern North Sea.…”

Section: Pcb Levelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Same trends were found in other studies with a more representative sampling for porpoises stranded in the United Kingdom 10,25 and western European seas. 26 Jepson et al 10,25 suggested that pre-existing disease processes may cause mobilization and metabolic breakdown of blubber lipid stores which lead to highlighting levels of PCBs in harbour porpoise blubber and support a causal relationship between PCB exposure and infectious disease mortality. Moreover, porpoises that died from physical trauma (n ¼ 7) displayed thicker blubber compared to porpoises that died from infectious diseases (n ¼ 10) (p < 0.05).…”

Section: Pcb Levelsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[7][8][9] Exposure to persistent organochlorines such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and their related compounds has caused abnormalities in higher trophic feeding animals from the North Sea, UK and various seas. [1][2][3]10 PCBs have been synthesized for industrial use and DDXs as agrochemicals. 11 The production of these organochlorines has been banned in Europe since the end of the 1970s generating the EU directive (79/117/EEC) for DDXs and the council directive (96/59/EC) for disposal of PCBs.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Organochlorines in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranded along the southern North Sea between 2010 and 2013

Mahfouz

Henry

Jauniaux

et al. 2014

Environ. Sci.: Processes Impacts

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7 polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), 6 dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDXs) and 8 polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in the blubber of 20 harbour porpoises stranded on the coasts of the southern North Sea between 2010 and 2013. The results showed that porpoises that died from infectious diseases displayed significantly higher levels of PCBs in their blubber compared to healthy porpoises that died from physical trauma. P 7CBs and P DDXs were higher in juvenile porpoises compared to adult females. Except for three individuals, PBDE concentrations were below the limit of quantification in the blubber samples treated. In general, levels of PCBs and DDXs obtained in the blubber of porpoises from this study were in the same order of magnitude or even lower than those obtained in the blubber of porpoises stranded along the North East Atlantic Ocean and the Black Sea over the period 1987 and 2013. The results of the present study suggest that even if the status of marine pollution has been improved, a continuous long-term contamination by toxic organochlorines over many generations may be observed. Environmental impactThis paper investigated organochlorine concentrations and proles in the blubber of stranded harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) along the southern North Sea between 2010 and 2013. In the last decade, porpoise stranding has increased in French, Belgian and Dutch coastal waters. Since organochlorines are known to exert immunotoxicity in harbour porpoise individuals, special interest may be accorded to the contaminant levels in their organs and tissues. Based on the results, the paper relates polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) to the maturity status and the gender of stranded porpoises, along with the cause of death of porpoises whether it was a natural mortality or a death due to infectious diseases.

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Investigating potential associations between chronic exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls and infectious disease mortality in harbour porpoises from England and Wales

Cited by 168 publications

References 25 publications

Postmortem Health and Pollution Investigations on Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) of the Islands Helgoland and Sylt

Postmortem Health and Pollution Investigations on Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) of the Islands Helgoland and Sylt

Baseline study of perfluorochemicals in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from Northern Europe

Organochlorines in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranded along the southern North Sea between 2010 and 2013

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