title: Mercury in blood and eggs of the sea turtle Lepidochelys olivacea from a nesting colony in Oaxaca, Mexico.
abstract: Mercury concentrations were assessed in the sea turtle Lepidochelys olivacea from a nesting colony of Oaxaca, Mexico; 25 female turtles were sampled, a total of 250 eggs were collected during the season 2005-2006. Higher concentrations were found in yolk fraction, while in blood and albumen mean levels were below of 0.0010μg g(-1) dry wt. On the basis of one nesting season, the maternal transfer of Hg via eggs-laying was estimated in 2.0±1.1%. According to international norms, the health of this population and its habitats is acceptable for Hg and corresponds to baseline levels of a nearly pristine environment.
authors.affiliation: Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnología, P.O. Box 811, Mazatlán 82040, Sinaloa, Mexico. paezos@ola.icmyl.unam.mx
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Páez-Osuna
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Calderón-Campuzano
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Soto-Jiménez
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruelas-Inzunza
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D008628:Mercury / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D008800:Mexico; D010063:Ovum / Q000378:metabolism*; D014426:Turtles / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism*; D014877:Water Pollution, Chemical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data
chemical_list: D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D008628:Mercury