title: Spatial variation in the accumulation of POPs and mercury in bottlenose dolphins of the Lower Florida Keys and the coastal Everglades (South Florida).
abstract: The bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) is an upper trophic level predator and the most common cetacean species found in nearshore waters of southern Florida, including the Lower Florida Keys (LFK) and the Florida Coastal Everglades (FCE). The objective of this study was to assess contamination levels of total mercury (T-Hg) in skin and persistent organic pollutants (PCBs, PBDEs, DDXs, HCHs, HCB, Σ PCDD/Fs and Σ DL-PCBs) in blubber samples of bottlenose dolphins from LFK (n = 27) and FCE (n = 24). PCBs were the major class of compounds found in bottlenose dolphin blubber and were higher in individuals from LFK (Σ 6 PCBs LFK males: 13,421 ± 7730 ng g-1lipids, Σ 6 PCBs LFK females: 9683 ± 19,007 ng g-1lipids) than from FCE (Σ 6 PCBs FCE males: 5638 ng g-1± 3627 lipids, Σ 6 PCBs FCE females: 1427 ± 908 ng g-1lipids). These levels were lower than previously published data from the southeastern USA. The Σ DL-PCBs were the most prevalent pollutants of dioxin and dioxin like compounds (Σ DL-PCBs LFK: 739 ng g-1lipids, Σ DL-PCBs FCE: 183 ng g-1lipids) since PCDD/F concentrations were low for both locations (mean 0.1 ng g-1lipids for LFK and FCE dolphins). The toxicity equivalences of PCDD/Fs and DL-PCBs expressed as TEQ in LFK and FCE dolphins is mainly expressed by DL-PCBs (81% LFK - 65% FCE). T-Hg concentrations in skin were significantly higher in FCE (FCE median 9314 ng g-1dw) compared to LFK dolphins (LFK median 2941 ng g-1dw). These concentrations are the highest recorded in bottlenose dolphins in the southeastern USA, and may be explained, at least partially, by the biogeochemistry of the Everglades and mangrove sedimentary habitats that create favourable conditions for the retention of mercury and make it available at high concentrations for aquatic predators.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Oceanology-MARE, B6c, Allée du 6 Août, University of Liege, 4000 Liège, Belgium; Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Ecotoxicology-CART, B6c, Allée du 6 Août, University of Liege, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: France
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Damseaux
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 3000 NE 151st street, North Miami, FL33181, USA.
authors.forename: Jeremy J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Kiszka
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 3000 NE 151st street, North Miami, FL33181, USA.
authors.forename: Michael R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Heithaus
authors.affiliation: CART, University of Liège, B6c, Allée du 6 Août, University of Liege, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Scholl
authors.affiliation: CART, University of Liège, B6c, Allée du 6 Août, University of Liege, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Gauthier
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eppe
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Ecotoxicology-CART, B6c, Allée du 6 Août, University of Liege, 4000 Liège, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jean-Pierre
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Thomé
authors.affiliation: Tropical Dolphin Research Foundation, USA.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lewis
authors.affiliation: Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Wensi
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hao
authors.affiliation: Groningen Institute for Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 7, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Michaël C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Fontaine
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Oceanology-MARE, B6c, Allée du 6 Août, University of Liege, 4000 Liège, Belgium. Electronic address: krishna.das@ulg.ac.be.
authors.forename: Krishna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D050681:Bottle-Nosed Dolphin / Q000378:metabolism*; D017753:Ecosystem; D004781:Environmental Exposure / Q000032:analysis; D004784:Environmental Monitoring; D005260:Female; D005431:Florida; D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D008297:Male; D008628:Mercury / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical / Q000032:analysis* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D055768:Halogenated Diphenyl Ethers; D014874:Water Pollutants, Chemical; D011078:Polychlorinated Biphenyls; D008628:Mercury
keywords: Dioxin-like compounds; Mercury; OHCs; South Florida; Tursiops truncatus