title: Bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants in female common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) and harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from western European seas: geographical trends, causal factors and effects on reproduction and mortality.
abstract: Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in blubber of female common dolphins and harbour porpoises from the Atlantic coast of Europe were frequently above the threshold at which effects on reproduction could be expected, in 40% and 47% of cases respectively. This rose to 74% for porpoises from the southern North Sea. PCB concentrations were also high in southern North Sea fish. The average pregnancy rate recorded in porpoises (42%) in the study area was lower than in the western Atlantic but that in common dolphins (25%) was similar to that of the western Atlantic population. Porpoises that died from disease or parasitic infection had higher concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) than animals dying from other causes. Few of the common dolphins sampled had died from disease or parasitic infection. POP profiles in common dolphin blubber were related to individual feeding history while those in porpoises were more strongly related to condition.
authors: School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ, UK. g.j.pierce@abdn.ac.uk
authors: G J
authors: GJ
authors: Pierce
authors: M B
authors: MB
authors: Santos
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Murphy
authors: J A
authors: JA
authors: Learmonth
authors: A F
authors: AF
authors: Zuur
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Rogan
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Bustamante
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Caurant
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Lahaye
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Ridoux
authors: B N
authors: BN
authors: Zegers
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Mets
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Addink
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Smeenk
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Jauniaux
authors: R J
authors: RJ
authors: Law
authors: W
authors: W
authors: Dabin
authors: A
authors: A
authors: López
authors: J M
authors: JM
authors: Alonso Farré
authors: A F
authors: AF
authors: González
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Guerra
authors: M
authors: M
authors: García-Hartmann
authors: R J
authors: RJ
authors: Reid
authors: C F
authors: CF
authors: Moffat
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Lockyer
authors: J P
authors: JP
authors: Boon
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D002104:Cadmium / Q000032:analysis; D049830:Cephalopoda / Q000737:chemistry; D050696:Common Dolphins / Q000378:metabolism*; D004463:Ecology / Q000379:methods; D004785:Environmental Pollutants / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005260:Female; D005399:Fishes / Q000378:metabolism; D005411:Flame Retardants / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D020387:Food Chain; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009659:North Sea; D050741:Phocoena / Q000378:metabolism*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011247:Pregnancy; D012098:Reproduction / Q000187:drug effects; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D004785:Environmental Pollutants; D005411:Flame Retardants; D002104:Cadmium; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; D008628:Mercury; D015032:Zinc