title: First health and pollution study on harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) living in the German Elbe estuary.
abstract: The Elbe is one of the major rivers releasing pollutants into the coastal areas of the German North Sea. Its estuary represents the habitat of a small population of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina). Only little is known about the health status and contamination levels of these seals. Therefore, a first-ever seal catch was organized next to the islands of Neuwerk and Scharhörn in the region of the Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park. The investigations included a broad set of health parameters and the analysis of metals and organic pollutants in blood samples. Compared to animals of other Wadden Sea areas, the seals showed higher γ-globulin levels, suggesting higher concentrations of pathogens in this near-urban area, elevated concentrations for several metals in particular for V, Sn, Pb, and Sr, and comparable ranges for chlorinated organic contaminants, except for elevated levels of hexachlorobenzene, which indicates characteristic inputs from the Elbe.
authors.affiliation: GKSS Research Center Geesthacht, Marine Bioanalytical Chemistry, Institute for Coastal Research, Max-Planck-Strasse 1, 21502 Geesthacht, Germany. antjekakuschke@web.de
authors.forename: Antje
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kakuschke
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Valentine-Thon
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Griesel
authors.forename: Juergen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gandrass
authors.forename: Octavio
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Perez Luzardo
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dominguez Boada
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zumbado Peña
authors.forename: Maira
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Almeida González
authors.forename: Mechthild
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Grebe
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pröfrock
authors.forename: Hans-Burkhard
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Erbsloeh
authors.forename: Katharina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: Sonja
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fonfara
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Prange
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005858:Germany; D006304:Health Status; D006403:Hematologic Tests / Q000662:veterinary; D008297:Male; D019216:Metals, Heavy / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D046049:Phoca / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D045483:Rivers; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000097:blood; D005719:gamma-Globulins / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D019216:Metals, Heavy; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D005719:gamma-Globulins