title: Organochlorine contaminants in tissues of common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus from the northeastern part of the Adriatic Sea.
abstract: Levels of 24 organochlorine compounds, including toxic mono-ortho PCB congeners, were determined in the organs and tissues (blubber, kidney, lung, muscle, liver, heart) of 13 common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) stranded between 2000 and 2005 in the northern part of the Croatian territorial waters of the Adriatic Sea. Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were found at higher concentrations in comparison with organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) in all of the analyzed tissues. Sums of six indicator congeners (Σ6PCB) constituted around 50% of the total PCB amount, while PCB-153 and PCB-138 were found to have the highest concentrations. Among the seven investigated OCPs, p,p'-DDE was found at the highest concentrations. In blubber, mean values of 22,048 and 11,310ngg(-1) wet weight were determined for ΣPCB and ΣDDT, respectively. Much lower concentrations were found in muscle samples, followed by similar concentrations in kidneys, liver and heart, while the lowest levels of organochlorine contaminants were found in lungs. The results indicate that p,p'-DDT is still being introduced in the Mediterranean region. PCB concentrations are among the highest found in this region and toxicological assessments indicate that the health of this specie is at high risk.
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Organic Analytical Chemistry Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10001 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: S Herceg
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Romanić
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, Croatian Natural History Museum, Demetrova 1, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia; Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation, Kaštel 24, HR-51551 Veli Lošinj, Croatia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Holcer
authors.affiliation: Department of Biodiversity, Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, Glagoljaska 8, SI-6000 Koper, Slovenia; Institute for Biodiversity Studies, Science and Research Center, University of Primorska, Garibaldijeva 1, SI-6000 Koper, Slovenia; Marine Sciences Program, University of Pula, Zagrebačka 30, HR-52100 Pula, Croatia.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lazar
authors.affiliation: Biochemistry and Organic Analytical Chemistry Unit, Institute for Medical Research and Occupational Health, Ksaverska cesta 2, HR-10001 Zagreb, Croatia. Electronic address: darija@imi.hr.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Klinčić
authors.affiliation: Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation, Kaštel 24, HR-51551 Veli Lošinj, Croatia.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mackelworth
authors.affiliation: Blue World Institute of Marine Research and Conservation, Kaštel 24, HR-51551 Veli Lošinj, Croatia; Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, via di Casalotti 300, 00166 Roma, Italy.
authors.forename: C M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Fortuna
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050681:Bottle-Nosed Dolphin / Q000145:classification / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D017523:Croatia; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D007668:Kidney / Q000737:chemistry; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008168:Lung / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D009132:Muscles / Q000737:chemistry; D009206:Myocardium / Q000737:chemistry; D010575:Pesticides / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D010575:Pesticides; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls
keywords: Adriatic Sea; Common bottlenose dolphin; Marine mammals; Mediterranean Sea; Organochlorine pollutants