Trace element concentrations in cetacean liver tissues archived in the National Marine Mammal Tissue Bank

Mackey, Elizabeth A.; Demiralp, R.; Becker, Paul R.; Greenberg, Ronald I.; Koster, Barbara J.; Wise, Stephen A.

doi:10.1016/0048-9697(95)04822-7

Cited by 63 publications

(36 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…Mn and Cr are essential trace elements (Theron et al, 2012) hence slightly variable from animal to animal. Mn is required as a cofactor in at least two classes of enzymes, phosphotransferases and arginases (Mackey et al, 1995). When compared with harbour porpoises from other regions, Mn and Cr levels appear to be in the same order of magnitude than those reported in previous works (Bennett et al, 2001;Szefer et al, 2002;Ciesielski et al, 2006;Aubail et al, 2013).…”

Section: Essential Elementsmentioning

confidence: 53%

Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranded along the southern North Sea: An assessment through metallic contamination

Mahfouz

Henry

Courcot

et al. 2014

Environmental Research

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a b s t r a c tThroughout the last few years, the southern North Sea has witnessed an increase in the number of stranded marine mammals, particularly the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). This species is subject to several potential threats such as exposure to contaminants, changes in food supply, marine traffic and fishery by-catch. The aims of this study were to investigate potential associations between contaminants and health status and to analyze spatial and temporal trends of metal concentrations in harbour porpoises. Selected trace elements (As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg, Mn, Se, V and Zn) were measured in kidneys and livers of 105 harbour porpoises stranded along the southern North Sea (French and Belgian coasts from 2006 to 2013) and 27 stranded along the Bay of Biscay (French coast from 2009 to 2012). Porpoises that died from infectious disease displayed significant higher hepatic concentrations of Cd, Hg, Se and Zn compared to healthy porpoises that died from physical trauma. Adult porpoises displayed significant higher concentrations of Cd, Cr, Hg, Se and V in livers compared to juveniles. No spatial or temporal trends in metal concentrations were detected in our study. The results of the present study suggested that chemical contamination may represent one of many threats encountered by harbour porpoises, but it cannot explain alone the increase in the number of stranded individuals.

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Section: Essential Elementsmentioning

confidence: 53%

Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranded along the southern North Sea: An assessment through metallic contamination

Mahfouz

Henry

Courcot

et al. 2014

Environmental Research

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“…The range of the total arsenic concentrations in the livers of 15 beluga whales from Alaska was 0.0475-0.62 mg kg À1 (wet mass). 8 The arsenic concentration in the liver of the bearded seal was 0.483 AE 0.003 mg kg…”

Section: Total Arsenic Concentrationsmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…The methods and procedures for the collection of these specimens have been described elsewhere. 7,8 In preparation for analysis, the liver specimens were homogenized cryogenically by a procedure described in detail by Zeisler et al 21 consisting of fracturing the frozen tissue into smaller pieces, weighing pieces of a few grams each, and placing these pieces in a Teflon 1 mill that has been cooled to liquid-nitrogen vapor temperature. The pieces of frozen tissue are ground for about 3 min to pulverize the material completely into a frozen powder.…”

Section: Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Determination of arsenic compounds in marine mammals with high-performance liquid chromatography and an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer as element-specific detector

Goessler

Rudorfer

Mackey

et al. 1998

Appl. Organometal. Chem.

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Total arsenic concentrations and the concentrations of individual arsenic compounds were determined in liver samples of pinnipeds [nine ringed seals (Phoca hispida), one bearded seal (Erginathus barbatus)] and cetaceans [two pilot whales (Globicephalus melas), one beluga whale (Deliphinapterus leucus)]. Total arsenic concentrations ranged from 0.167 to 2.40 mg As kg−1 wet mass. The arsenic compounds extracted from the liver samples with a methanol/water mixture (9:1, v/v) were identified and quantified by anion‐ and cation‐exchange chromatography. An ICP–MS equipped with a hydraulic high‐pressure nebulizer served as the arsenic‐specific detector. Arsenobetaine (0.052–1.67 mg As kg−1 wet mass) was the predominant arsenic compound in all the liver samples. Arsenocholine was present in all livers (0.005–0.044 mg As kg−1 wet mass). The tetramethylarsonium cation was detected in all pinnipeds (<0.009 to 0.043 mg As kg−1) but not in any of the cetaceans. The concentration of dimethylarsinic acid ranged from < 0.001 to 0.109 mg As kg−1 wet mass. Most of the concentrations for methylarsonic acid (<0.001 to 0.025 mg As kg−1 wet mass) were below the detection limit. Arsenous acid and arsenic acid concentrations were below the detection limit of the method (0.001 mg As kg−1). An unknown arsenic compound was present in all liver samples at concentrations from 0.002–0.027 mg As kg−1. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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“…Nevertheless, marine top predators from this area, such as the long-finned pilot whale Globicephala melas or the white-sided dolphin Lagenorhyncus acutus, exhibit cadmium (Cd) and mercury (Hg) concentrations in their tissues (Julshamn et al 1987, Caurant et al 1994, Dam 2001, Gallien et al 2001) much higher than those reported for individuals from temperate areas which are subject to significant pollution from human activities (Mackey et al 1995, Law et al 2001. In fact, toxic metals in top marine predators from the Faroe Islands often reach the threshold level at which metabolic disorders appear in humans (Nogawa 1984).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 93%

Trace element bioaccumulation in grey seals Halichoerus grypus from the Faroe Islands

Bustamante¹,

Morales²,

Mikkelsen³

et al. 2004

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

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Grey seals Halichoerus grypus were sampled in the Faroe Islands archipelago during the summers of 1993 to 1995. Concentrations of Cd, Cu, Hg, Se and Zn were measured in the liver, kidney and muscle of 68 seals. All elements except Zn exhibited lowest concentrations in the muscle. The liver contained the highest concentrations of Cu, Hg, Se and Zn, while the kidney contained the highest Cd concentrations. However, trace element concentrations within the tissues were influenced by sex and age. Thus, females had clearly higher Cd concentrations than males. Age was the most important factor influencing the concentration of Cd, Hg and Se in the liver, and of Cd and Hg in the kidney. A strong positive correlation between Cd, Hg and Zn in the kidney suggests the presence of a detoxification process involving metallothionein proteins. Similarly, a strong positive correlation between Hg and Se and a molecular Hg:Se ratio close to 1 in the liver suggests a demethylation process leading to the formation of mercuric selenide granules. High Hg concentrations could be related to fish consumption by the grey seal, but a piscivorous diet could not be responsible for the very high Cd concentrations. This suggests that the seals' diet changes during the year, and may include a significant proportion of cephalopods in seasons other than summer. Finally very high Cd concentrations in grey seal tissues compared to other grey seal populations also suggest that the Faroe Islands are subject to sub-arctic influences.

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Trace element concentrations in cetacean liver tissues archived in the National Marine Mammal Tissue Bank

Cited by 63 publications

References 19 publications

Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranded along the southern North Sea: An assessment through metallic contamination

Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranded along the southern North Sea: An assessment through metallic contamination

Determination of arsenic compounds in marine mammals with high-performance liquid chromatography and an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer as element-specific detector

Trace element bioaccumulation in grey seals Halichoerus grypus from the Faroe Islands

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