title: Relationships between concentrations of selected organohalogen contaminants and thyroid hormones and vitamins A, E and D in Faroese pilot whales.
abstract: Pilot whales (Globicephala melas) from the Faroe Islands, North-East Atlantic, have high body concentrations of organohalogenated compounds (OHCs), such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorinated pesticides (OCPs) and brominated flame retardants (BFRs). The aim of the present study was to examine if and to what extent blood plasma and liver concentrations of several groups of these OHCs are related to concentrations of relevant nutritional and hormonal biomarkers in pilot whales. Thyroid hormones (THs: total and free thyroxine and total and free triiodothyronine) and vitamin A (retinol), D (25-hydroxyvitamin D3) and E (α-tocopherol) were analysed in plasma (n=27) and vitamin A (total vitamin A, retinol and retinyl palmitate) and E (α- and γ-tocopherol) were analysed in liver (n=37) of Faroe Island pilot whales. Correlative relationships between the biomarkers and OHC concentrations previously analysed in the same tissues in these individuals were studied. The TH concentrations in plasma were significantly higher in juveniles than in adults. Vitamin D concentrations in plasma and α- and γ-tocopherol in liver were higher in adults than in juveniles. Multivariate statistical modelling showed that the age and sex influenced the relationship between biomarkers and OHCs. Some significant positive relationships were found between OHCs and thyroid hormone concentrations in the youngest juveniles (p<0.05). In plasma of juvenile whales α-tocopherol was also positively correlated with all the OHCs (p<0.05). Only few significant correlations were found between single OHCs and retinol and vitamin D in plasma within the age groups. There were significant negative relationships between hepatic PBDE concentrations and retinol (BDE-47) and γ-tocopherol (BDE-49, -47, -100, -99, -153) in liver. The relationships between OHCs and THs or vitamins suggest that in pilot whales OHCs seem to have minor effects on TH and vitamin concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway; Environment Agency, Traðagøta 38, FO-165 Argir, Faroe Islands. Electronic address: katrinh@us.fo.
authors.forename: Katrin S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Hoydal
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Tomasz M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Ciesielski
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Biology and Biodiversity Research Institute (IRBio), University of Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: Asunción
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borrell
authors.affiliation: Gdańsk University of Technology, Chemical Faculty, Department of Analytical Chemistry, G. Narutowicza 11/12 St., 80-233 Gdańsk, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wasik
authors.affiliation: Ecotoxicology and Wildlife Health Division, Environment and Climate Change Canada, National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, 1125 Colonel By Dr. (Raven Road), Ottawa K1A 0H3, Canada.
authors.forename: Robert J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Letcher
authors.affiliation: Environment Agency, Traðagøta 38, FO-165 Argir, Faroe Islands.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dam
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim, Norway.
authors.forename: Bjørn M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Jenssen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D006846:Hydrocarbons, Halogenated / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D008099:Liver / Q000737:chemistry; D008297:Male; D013963:Thyroid Hormones / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D014801:Vitamin A / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D014807:Vitamin D / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood; D050686:Whales, Pilot
chemical_list: D006846:Hydrocarbons, Halogenated; D013963:Thyroid Hormones; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D014801:Vitamin A; D014807:Vitamin D; D014810:Vitamin E
keywords: POPs; Pilot whale; Thyroid hormone; Vitamin A; Vitamin E