Lead contamination of small cetaceans in European waters – The use of stable isotopes for identifying the sources of lead exposure

Abstract

Lead concentrations and isotopic composition have been measured in bone and teeth of small cetaceans belonging to three species (Delphinus delphis, Phocoena phocoena and Stenella coeruleoalba), to evaluate the toxicological risk and to determine sources of lead in the European waters. Lead concentrations, far lower than threshold value inducing toxic effects in human, were higher in teeth than in bones, but highly correlated between the two tissues (r=0.92, p<0.001). Large variations of 206Pb/207Pb values in bone tissue showed that cetaceans must be submitted to various atmospheric influences. No geographical differences appeared which is consistent with studies on their distribution indicating seasonal movements between Brittany waters and the Bay of Biscay. The negative correlation between 206Pb/207Pb ratios and age of the individuals reflected the decrease in the production of alkyl lead in Europe, i.e., the increasing use of unleaded gasoline.

Biological and ecological factors related to trace element levels in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from European waters

“…Trace element concentrations are now well-known as interesting tracers to provide to provide further ecological information about a given species (e.g. Das et al, 2003Das et al, , 2004aLahaye et al, 2005;Caurant et al, 2006). Here, some renal Cd level diVerences occurred among northern and southern areas of the North Sea.…”

Lead Levels in Eurasian Otters Decline with Time and Reveal Interactions between Sources, Prevailing Weather, And Stream Chemistry

“…No major change in otter diet was noted by the examining pathologist during this period. Falling Pb levels in abiotic samples (e.g., street dust) have been recorded in several European countries (e.g., 7,34 ) and reductions in Pb in biotic samples have been recorded in organisms including cetaceans, 35 sphagnum moss, 36 herbage (mixed grass-clover ley), 4 and humans. 37 Here we describe for the first time declining Pb in a semiaquatic mammal.…”

Assessment of ultrasound-assisted extraction as sample pre-treatment for the measurement of lead isotope ratios in marine biological tissues by multicollector inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry

“…During the last decade, stable lead isotopes ( 204 Pb, 206 Pb, 207 Pb and 208 Pb) have been commonly used as environmental tracers in a wide variety of samples, including marine organisms [1][2][3][4][5][6]. In this sense, the use of different isotope ratios has been established, namely, 206 Pb/ 204 Pb, 207 Pb/ 204 Pb, 208 Pb/ 204 Pb, 207 Pb/ 206 Pb and 208 Pb/ 206 Pb [7].…”