title: Tissue heavy metal concentrations of stranded California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) in Southern California.
abstract: Concentrations of nine heavy metals (As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Pb, Mn, Mo and Zn) were determined in the hepatic and renal tissues of 80 stranded California sea lions (Zalophus californianus). Significant age-dependant increases were observed in liver and kidney concentrations of cadmium and mercury, and renal zinc concentrations. Hepatic iron concentrations were significantly higher in females than males. Animals with suspected domoic acid associated pathological findings had significantly higher concentrations of liver and kidney cadmium; and significantly higher liver mercury concentrations when compared to animals classified with infectious disease or traumatic mortality. Significantly higher hepatic burdens of molybdenum and zinc were found in animals that died from infectious diseases. This is the largest study of tissue heavy metal concentrations in California sea lions to date. These data demonstrate how passive monitoring of stranded animals can provide insight into environmental impacts on marine mammals.
authors.affiliation: SeaWorld San Diego, San Diego, CA 92109, USA. erin-harper@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Erin R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Harper
authors.forename: Judy A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: St Leger
authors.forename: Jody A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Westberg
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mazzaro
authors.forename: Todd
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schmitt
authors.forename: Tom H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Reidarson
authors.forename: Melinda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tucker
authors.forename: Dee H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.forename: Birgit
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Puschner
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001151:Arsenic / Q000032:analysis; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis; D002140:California; D003300:Copper / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D007501:Iron / Q000032:analysis; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry; D007854:Lead / Q000032:analysis; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D008345:Manganese / Q000032:analysis; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis*; D008982:Molybdenum / Q000032:analysis; D046070:Sea Lions / Q000378:metabolism*; D012737:Sex Factors; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis*; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D002104:Cadmium; D007854:Lead; D008345:Manganese; D003300:Copper; D008982:Molybdenum; D007501:Iron; D008628:Mercury; D015032:Zinc; D001151:Arsenic