Polychlorinated biphenyls and their hydroxylated metabolites (OH-PCBs) in the blood of toothed and baleen whales stranded along Japanese coastal waters.
In this study, we determined the residue levels and patterns of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and hydroxylated PCBs (OH-PCBs) in the blood from eight species of toothed whales and three species of baleen whales stranded along the Japanese coast during 1999-2007. Penta- through hepta-chlorinated PCB congeners were the dominant homologue groups in all cetaceans. In contrast, specific differences in the distribution of dominant OH-PCB isomers and homologues were found among the cetacean species. In five species of toothed whales (melon-headed whale, Stejneger's beaked whale, Pacific white-sided dolphin, Blainville's beaked whale, and killer whale), the predominant homologues were OH-penta-PCBs followed by OH-tetra-PCBs and OH-tri-PCBs. The predominant homologues of finless porpoise and beluga whale were OH-penta-PCBs followed by OH-hexa-PCBs and OH-tri-PCBs. The predominant OH-PCB isomers were para-OH-PCBs such as 4OH-CB26, 4'OH-CB25/4'OH-CB26/4OH-CB31, 4OH-CB70, 4'OH-CB72, 4'OH-CB97, 4'OH-CB101/4'OH-CB120, and 4OH-CB107/4'OH-CB108 in toothed whales. In three baleen whales (common minke whale, Bryde's whale, and humpback whale) and in sperm whale (which is a toothed whale), OH-octa-PCB (4OH-CB202) was the predominant homologue group accounting for 40-80% of the total OH-PCB concentrations. The differences in concentrations and profiles of OH-PCBs may suggest species-specific diets, metabolic capability, and the transthyretin (TTR) binding specificity. These results reveal that the accumulation profiles of OH-PCBs in cetacean blood are entirely different from the profiles found in pinnipeds, polar bear, and humans.
Nomiyama
Kei
K
Center for Marine Environmental Studies (CMES), Ehime University, Matsuyama 790-8577, Japan.
Murata
Satoko
S
Kunisue
Tatsuya
T
Yamada
Tadasu K
TK
Mizukawa
Hazuki
H
Takahashi
Shin
S
Tanabe
Shinsuke
S
D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D006900:Hydroxylation; D008297:Male; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000097:blood*; D011786:Quality Control; D013045:Species Specificity; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000097:blood*; D014907:Whales / Q000097:blood*
D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls