title: Potential adverse effects of inorganic pollutants on clinical parameters of loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta): results from a nesting colony from Cape Verde, West Africa.
abstract: A large number of nesting loggerhead sea turtles (n = 201) were sampled to establish the blood levels of 11 elements (Cu, Mn, Pb, Zn, Cd, Ni, Cr, As, Al, Hg, and Se). Almost all of the samples showed detectable levels of these 11 elements, and Zn and Se exhibited the highest concentrations (median values as high as 6.05 and 2.28 μg/g, respectively). The median concentrations of the most toxic compounds, As, Cd, Pb, and Hg, were relatively low (0.38, 0.24, 0.06, and 0.03 μg/g, respectively). We also determined the haematological and biochemical parameters in a subsample of 50 turtles to evaluate the potential effects of these contaminants on clinical parameters and found several associations. Our study reinforces the usefulness of blood for the monitoring of the levels of contaminating elements and their adverse effects on blood parameters in sea turtles.
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Faculty, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Trasmontana s/n, 35416 Arucas, Las Palmas, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Camacho
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Orós
authors.forename: L D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Boada
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zaccaroni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Silvi
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Formigaro
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: López
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zumbado
authors.forename: O P
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Luzardo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001151:Arsenic / Q000097:blood; D055726:Cabo Verde; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D008670:Metals / Q000097:blood; D009425:Nesting Behavior; D014426:Turtles / Q000097:blood*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000097:blood*; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008670:Metals; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D015032:Zinc; D001151:Arsenic
keywords: Cape Verde; Caretta caretta; Elements; Haematology; Inorganic contaminants; Loggerhead sea turtle; Plasma chemistries