title: Organochlorine contaminants in sea turtles from the Eastern Pacific.
abstract: We measured organochlorine residues in three species of sea turtles from the Baja California peninsula, Mexico. Seventeen of 21 organochlorine pesticides analyzed were detected, with heptachlor epoxide and gamma-hexachlorocyclohexane the most prevalent (14 (40%) and 11 (31%) of the 35 tissue samples, respectively). PCBs were detected in all but one of the 9 turtles studied, with congener 18 the most commonly detected (8 (23%) of the samples). The dioxin-like congeners 118 and 180 were detected in 4 (11%) and 3 (9%) of the samples, respectively. Percent contribution of congeners was negatively correlated to their octanol-water partition coefficients, with kidney and muscle containing more lower-chlorinated congeners than liver or adipose samples. Levels of organochlorines detected in the present study were low, potentially attributable to the feeding habits of the predominant species collected in this study (herbivorous) and/or the samples obtained in an unindustrialized region.
authors.affiliation: Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S C, Mar Bermejo #195, Col Playa Palo de Santa Rita, La Paz, Baja California Sur CP 23090, Mexico. sgardner@cibnor.mx
authors.forename: Susan C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Gardner
authors.forename: M Dawn
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Pier
authors.forename: Raymond
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Wesselman
authors.forename: J Arturo
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Juárez
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D003906:Developing Countries; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D007306:Insecticides / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008800:Mexico; D010573:Pesticide Residues / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D014426:Turtles; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D007306:Insecticides; D010573:Pesticide Residues; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls