Population-level effects of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure on highly vulnerable Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins from their largest habitat

Guo, Lang; Zhang, Xiyang; Luo, Dingyu; Yu, Ri-Qing; Xie, Qiang; Wu, Yuping

doi:10.1016/j.envpol.2021.117544

Cited by 19 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 60 publications

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“…As the largest known population of this mammal, the PRE humpback dolphins (∼2600 individuals) are suffering a continuous population decline (−2.5% per year) and may decline by ∼74% of the current population size within three generations (∼60 years) . Contaminant-induced detriments are regarded as one of the main factors causing the current population decline in PRE humpback dolphins, given that alarming levels of contaminants are found in these animals and their inefficient capacity to eliminate contaminants. − In addition to the chemical stress, these dolphins are also impacted by anthropogenic activities, such as forced dietary changes due to overfishing. − Because of the declined fishery resources in the PRE, the dolphin has decreased in their consumption of larger fish during the past decades. − Nevertheless, despite the known threats to PRE humpback dolphins, it is unclear how these risk factors will separately and interactively impact this marine top predator over time.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal Trends of Alternative Halogenated Flame Retardants in Humpback Dolphins from the South China Sea

Zhang

Xie

et al. 2022

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Increasing human activities are altering marine ecosystems, which may have ramifications for predator feeding ecology and, thus, the degree of contaminant exposure. We conducted the first investigation of spatiotemporal trends for nine alternative halogenated flame retardants (AHFRs) and their relations with dietary variations in 128 humpback dolphins that were stranded along the northern South China Sea during 2003–2020. We detected the highest levels of seven major AHFRs in humpback dolphins compared with the results reported in cetaceans globally, indicating high AHFR contamination in coastal regions of South China. Dolphins that were stranded near urban regions generally contained higher AHFR concentrations than those that were stranded near rural areas, mirroring the environmental trends of AHFRs occurring in this area. Model-generated diet estimates suggested that humpback dolphins have reduced their consumption of high trophic-level prey in recent years, likely attributable to overfishing-induced prey decline in this region. After adjusting AHFR concentrations due to diet changes, the temporal trends of AHFR contamination in humpback dolphins were only slightly altered. Our results suggest that increasing discharges of AHFRs into the South China Sea during the 2000s and 2010s may have had a greater influence on AHFR trends in humpback dolphins than dietary shifts.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Temporal Trends of Alternative Halogenated Flame Retardants in Humpback Dolphins from the South China Sea

Zhang

Xie

et al. 2022

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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“…25−27 Anthropogenic contaminants are considered a major threat to the current population decline. 26 Previous studies have revealed alarming levels of contaminants in the bodies of PRE humpback dolphins, and some pollutants such as DDTs and perfluorooctane sulfonate even represent the highest levels among cetaceans worldwide. 28,29 However, despite these reports on high pollutant burdens, there is still a huge gap in understanding about the potential health risks associated with contaminant exposure in humpback dolphins.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Organotins Remain a Serious Threat to the Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins in the Pearl River Estuary

Zhang

Xie

et al. 2022

Environ. Sci. Technol.

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Marine mammals often accumulate high levels of environmental contaminants, even those that are globally regulated regarding usage, raising concerns about their health status. Here, we conducted the first investigation of tissue distribution, spatiotemporal trends, and potential risks of six organotin compounds (OTs) in Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (n = 101) from the northern South China Sea during 2003–2021. We detected the highest level of hepatic triphenyltin in these humpback dolphins compared with the results reported in cetaceans globally, and the liver accumulated the highest OT concentrations than other analyzed tissues. Despite the downward trend of butyltins in humpback dolphins after the global ban on the use of OTs as antifouling paints, levels of phenyltins have continued to increase over the past 20 years, suggesting that the other applications of phenyltins in South China remain prevalent. In vitro and in vivo analyses revealed that tissue-relevant doses of OTs could induce agonistic effects on the dolphin peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ as a master regulator of lipid homeostasis and altered the dolphin fatty acid profiles. Our results highlight the lipid-disrupting effects of current OT exposure in humpback dolphins and emphasize the need for further efforts to eliminate OT contamination in South China.

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“…The bioaccumulative nature of many organic contaminants and their transfer to high trophic level organisms has received substantial attention (Cresson et al, 2016;Corsolini and Sarà, 2017;An et al, 2020;Yu et al, 2020;Won et al, 2020;Xie et al, 2020;Guo et al, 2021). PCBs and PBDEs reach their highest concentrations in marine mammals, which in many cases, have a lower capacity to metabolise organohalogen compounds compared to terrestrial mammals, although this is species dependent (Krahn et al, 2009;Jepson et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Concentration and Biomagnification of Pcbs and Pbdes Across Four Trophic Levels in a Marine Food Web

Madgett,

Yates,

Webster

et al. 2022

SSRN Journal

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Population-level effects of polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) exposure on highly vulnerable Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins from their largest habitat

Cited by 19 publications

References 60 publications

Temporal Trends of Alternative Halogenated Flame Retardants in Humpback Dolphins from the South China Sea

Temporal Trends of Alternative Halogenated Flame Retardants in Humpback Dolphins from the South China Sea

Organotins Remain a Serious Threat to the Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins in the Pearl River Estuary

The Concentration and Biomagnification of Pcbs and Pbdes Across Four Trophic Levels in a Marine Food Web

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