An assessment of contaminant concentrations in toothed whale species of the NW Iberian Peninsula: part II. Trace element concentrations.
Concentrations of Ag, As, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, Ni, Pb, Se, V and Zn were investigated in the liver and kidney of the five most common toothed whales off the Northwest Iberian Peninsula (NWIP), specifically common dolphin, long-finned pilot whale, harbour porpoise, striped dolphin and bottlenose dolphin. Differences were observed in the bioaccumulation of the above elements between the five species. The differences are probably related to biological factors such as age and sex and/or to ecological factors specific to each species such as feeding habits or bioavailability of the various elements. However, no significant relationship was observed between element accumulation and sex. Pilot whale and striped dolphin showed the highest concentrations of renal Cd and the highest concentrations of hepatic Hg and Se, while bottlenose dolphin showed the highest concentrations of Hg in kidneys. An analysis of inter-elemental relationships showed strong positive correlations between Hg and Se in the five species, however most individuals have Hg:Se molar ratio less than 1:1 indicating an excess of Se compare to Hg. This result, probably reflect the high proportion of young animals in the sample available for this study and/or that these animals had a good health status. We also observed a positive correlation in striped dolphins between Cd and Cu and between Cd and Zn in kidneys. In addition, comparing with other studies world-wide, the element concentrations (Hg and Cd) found in Iberian toothed whales indicate that these populations are not specially threatened by Hg and Cd exposure in the area.
Littoral Environment et Sociétes (LIENSs), UMRi 7266 CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17042 La Rochelle Cedex 01, France; Coordinadora para o Estudo dos Mamiferos Mariños (CEMMA), Apdo. 15, Pontevedra 36380, Spain; Centro de Biologia Molecuar e Ambiental (CBMA)/Sociedade Portuguesa de Vida Selvagem (SPVS), Dep. de Biologia, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga 4710-057, Portugal. Electronic address: paula.mendez_fernandez@outlook.com.
Paula
P
Méndez-Fernandez
Marine Scotland, Marine Laboratory, Victoria Road, Aberdeen AB11 9DB, United Kingdom.
Lynda
L
Webster
Littoral Environment et Sociétes (LIENSs), UMRi 7266 CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17042 La Rochelle Cedex 01, France.
Tiphaine
T
Chouvelon
Littoral Environment et Sociétes (LIENSs), UMRi 7266 CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17042 La Rochelle Cedex 01, France.
Paco
P
Bustamante
Centro de Biologia Molecuar e Ambiental (CBMA)/Sociedade Portuguesa de Vida Selvagem (SPVS), Dep. de Biologia, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga 4710-057, Portugal.
Marisa
M
Ferreira
Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas (C.S.I.C.), Eduardo Cabello 6, 36208 Vigo, Spain.
Angel F
AF
González
Coordinadora para o Estudo dos Mamiferos Mariños (CEMMA), Apdo. 15, Pontevedra 36380, Spain.
Alfredo
A
López
Marine Scotland, Marine Laboratory, Victoria Road, Aberdeen AB11 9DB, United Kingdom.
Colin F
CF
Moffat
Oceanlab, University of Aberdeen, Main Street, Newburgh, Aberdeenshire AB41 6AA, UK; Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
Graham J
GJ
Pierce
Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas (C.S.I.C.), Eduardo Cabello 6, 36208 Vigo, Spain.
Fiona L
FL
Read
Marine Scotland, Marine Laboratory, Victoria Road, Aberdeen AB11 9DB, United Kingdom.
Marie
M
Russell
Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, P.O. Box 1552, Vigo 36200, Spain.
Maria B
MB
Santos
Littoral Environment et Sociétes (LIENSs), UMRi 7266 CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17042 La Rochelle Cedex 01, France; Marine Mammal Research Unit, Fisheries Centre, University of British Columbia, 2202 Main Mall, Vancouver, British Columbia V6T 1Z4, Canada.
Jérôme
J
Spitz
Centro de Biologia Molecuar e Ambiental (CBMA)/Sociedade Portuguesa de Vida Selvagem (SPVS), Dep. de Biologia, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, Braga 4710-057, Portugal; Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal.
José V
JV
Vingada
Littoral Environment et Sociétes (LIENSs), UMRi 7266 CNRS-Université de La Rochelle, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17042 La Rochelle Cedex 01, France.
Florence
F
Caurant
D000818:Animals; D002591:Cetacea / Q000378:metabolism*; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D013030:Spain; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000378:metabolism*
D014131:Trace Elements; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical
Bioaccumulation; Northwest Iberian Peninsula; Toothed whales; Trace elements