Oil fouling in three subsistence-harvested ringed (Phoca hispida) and spotted seals (Phoca largha) from the Bering Strait region, Alaska: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon bile and tissue levels and pathological findings

Stimmelmayr, Raphaela; Ylitalo, Gina M.; Sheffield, Gay; Beckmen, Kimberlee B.; Burek‐Huntington, Kathleen A.; Metcalf, Vera; Rowles, Teri

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.02.040

Cited by 22 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…The aquarium beluga tissues were from animals dying of natural causes or euthanized due to disease. Because the aquaria and the Eastern Beaufort Sea and Point Lay Arctic regions have low PAH contamination levels [Chen et al, ; Stimmelmayr et al, ], they have been grouped together as Arctic and aquarium (A&A).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intestinal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon‐DNA adducts in a population of beluga whales with high levels of gastrointestinal cancers

Poirier

Lair

Michaud³

et al. 2018

Environ and Mol Mutagen

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Carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were disposed directly into the Saguenay River of the St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) by local aluminum smelters (Quebec, Canada) for 50 years (1926 to 1976). PAHs in the river sediments are likely etiologically related to gastrointestinal epithelial cancers observed in 7% of 156 mature (>19 year old) adult beluga found dead along the shorelines. Because DNA adduct formation provides a critical link between exposure and cancer induction, and because PAH-DNA adducts are chemically stable, we hypothesized that SLE beluga intestine would contain PAH-DNA adducts. Using an antiserum specific for DNA modified with several carcinogenic PAHs, we stained sections of paraffin-embedded intestine from 51 SLE beluga (0–63 yr), 4 Cook Inlet (CI) Alaska beluga (0–26 yr), and 20 beluga (0–46 yr) living in Arctic areas (Eastern Beaufort Sea, Eastern Chukchi Sea, Point Lay Alaska) and aquaria, all with low PAH contamination. Stained sections showed nuclear light-to-dark pink color indicating the presence of PAH-DNA adducts concentrated in intestinal crypt epithelial lining cells. Scoring of whole tissue sections revealed higher values for the 51 SLE beluga, compared with the 20 Arctic and aquarium beluga (p=0.003). The H-scoring system, applied to coded individual photomicrographs, confirmed that SLE beluga and CI beluga had levels of intestinal PAH-DNA adducts significantly higher than Arctic and aquarium beluga (p = 0.003 and 0.02, respectively). Furthermore, high levels of intestinal PAH-DNA adducts in 4 SLE beluga with gastrointestinal cancers, considered as a group, support a link of causality between PAH exposure and intestinal cancer in SLE beluga.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Intestinal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon‐DNA adducts in a population of beluga whales with high levels of gastrointestinal cancers

Poirier

Lair

Michaud³

et al. 2018

Environ and Mol Mutagen

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“…This biotransformation process may discount biomagnification of parent PAHs throughout trophic levels, although different food web composition and feeding ecology may well be impacting the overall PAH contamination and accumulation in tissues of SRKWs and Bigg’s killer whales. For example, SRKWs (fish-eaters) may have lower PAH contamination compared to Bigg’s (mammal-eaters) (Figure S3) as studies have considered fish to have higher PAH metabolism efficiency 71 , while pinnipeds of the Bering Strait have been found to have similar PAH contaminant levels to those of killer whales in the present study 72 . To the best of our knowledge, specific PAH metabolic capabilities of killer whales are unknown.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 65%

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) source identification and a maternal transfer case study in threatened killer whales (Orcinus orca) of British Columbia, Canada

Lee,

Raverty,

Cottrell

et al. 2023

Sci Rep

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The northeastern Pacific (NEP) Ocean spans the coast of British Columbia (Canada) and is impacted by anthropogenic activities including oil pipeline developments, maritime fossil fuel tanker traffic, industrial chemical effluents, agricultural and urban emissions in tandem with stormwater and wastewater discharges, and forest wildfires. Such events may expose surrounding marine environments to toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and impact critical habitats of threatened killer whales (Orcinus orca). We analyzed skeletal muscle and liver samples from stranded Bigg’s killer whales and endangered Southern Resident killer whales (SRKWs) for PAH contamination using LRMS. C3-phenanthrenes/anthracenes (mean: 632 ng/g lw), C4-dibenzothiophenes (mean: 334 ng/g lw), and C4-phenanthrenes/anthracenes (mean: 248 ng/g lw) presented the highest concentrations across all tissue samples. Diagnostic ratios indicated petrogenic-sourced contamination for SRKWs and pyrogenic-sourced burdens for Bigg’s killer whales; differences between ecotypes may be attributed to habitat range, prey selection, and metabolism. A mother-fetus skeletal muscle pair provided evidence of PAH maternal transfer; low molecular weight compounds C3-fluorenes, dibenzothiophene, and naphthalene showed efficient and preferential exposure to the fetus. This indicates in-utero exposure of PAH-contamination to the fetus. Our results show that hydrocarbon-related anthropogenic activities are negatively impacting these top predators; preliminary data found here can be used to improve oil spill and other PAH pollution management and regulation efforts, and inform policy to conserve killer whale habitats in the NEP.

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“…Effects on immune systems of fish predispose them to infections [303]. PAHs contained in oil spills have been shown to cause DNA damage in marine species and have been associated with hepatic, pulmonary and cardiac lesions in Arctic seals [304][305][306][307].…”

Section: Oil Spillsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Human Health and Ocean Pollution

Landrigan

Stegeman

Fleming

et al. 2020

Annals of Global Health

340

170

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Methods: Topic-focused reviews that examine the effects of ocean pollution on human health, identify gaps in knowledge, project future trends, and offer evidence-based guidance for effective intervention. Environmental Findings: Pollution of the oceans is widespread, worsening, and in most countries poorly controlled. It is a complex mixture of toxic metals, plastics, manufactured chemicals, petroleum, urban and industrial wastes, pesticides, fertilizers, pharmaceutical chemicals, agricultural runoff, and sewage. More than 80% arises from land-based sources. It reaches the oceans through rivers, runoff, atmospheric deposition and direct discharges. It is often heaviest near the coasts and most highly concentrated along the coasts of low-and middle-income countries. Plastic is a rapidly increasing and highly visible component of ocean pollution, and an estimated 10 million metric tons of plastic waste enter the seas each year. Mercury is the metal pollutant of greatest concern in the oceans; it is released from two main sources-coal combustion and small-scale gold mining. Global spread of industrialized agriculture with increasing use of chemical fertilizer leads to extension of Harmful Algal Blooms (HABs) to previously unaffected regions. Chemical pollutants are ubiquitous and contaminate seas and marine organisms from the high Arctic to the abyssal depths. Ecosystem Findings: Ocean pollution has multiple negative impacts on marine ecosystems, and these impacts are exacerbated by global climate change. Petroleum-based pollutants reduce photosynthesis in marine microorganisms that generate oxygen. Increasing absorption of carbon dioxide into the seas causes ocean acidification, which destroys coral reefs, impairs shellfish development, dissolves calcium-containing microorganisms at the base of the marine food web, and increases the toxicity of some pollutants. Plastic pollution threatens marine mammals, fish, and seabirds and accumulates in large mid-ocean gyres. It breaks down into microplastic and nanoplastic particles containing multiple manufactured chemicals that can enter the tissues of marine organisms, including species consumed by humans. Industrial releases, runoff, and sewage increase frequency and severity of HABs, bacterial pollution, and anti-microbial resistance. Pollution and sea surface warming are triggering poleward migration of dangerous pathogens such as the Vibrio species. Industrial discharges, pharmaceutical wastes, pesticides, and sewage contribute to global declines in fish stocks. Human Health Findings: Methylmercury and PCBs are the ocean pollutants whose human health effects are best understood. Exposures of infants in utero to these pollutants through maternal consumption of contaminated seafood can damage developing brains, reduce IQ and increase children's risks for autism, ADHD and learning disorders. Adult exposures to methylmercury increase risks for cardiovascular disease and dementia. Manufactured chemicals-phthalates, bisphenol A, flame retardants, and perfluorinated chemicals...

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Oil fouling in three subsistence-harvested ringed (Phoca hispida) and spotted seals (Phoca largha) from the Bering Strait region, Alaska: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon bile and tissue levels and pathological findings

Cited by 22 publications

References 29 publications

Intestinal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon‐DNA adducts in a population of beluga whales with high levels of gastrointestinal cancers

Intestinal polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon‐DNA adducts in a population of beluga whales with high levels of gastrointestinal cancers

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) source identification and a maternal transfer case study in threatened killer whales (Orcinus orca) of British Columbia, Canada

Human Health and Ocean Pollution

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