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Plasma levels of pollutants are much higher in loggerhead turtle populations from the Adriatic Sea than in those from open waters (Eastern Atlantic Ocean).
Bucchia, Matteo; Camacho, María; Santos, Marcelo R D; Boada, Luis D; Roncada, Paola; Mateo, Rafael; Ortiz-Santaliestra, Manuel E; Rodríguez-Estival, Jaime; Zumbado, Manuel; Orós, Jorge; Henríquez-Hernández, Luis A; García-Álvarez, Natalia; Luzardo, Octavio P.
Affiliation
  • Bucchia M; Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, Foundation Cetacea, Riccione, Italy; Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine-Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, BO, Italy.
  • Camacho M; Laboratory of Applied Chemical Analyses, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
  • Santos MR; Laboratory of Immunobiology, Vila Velha University, Espirito Santo, Brazil.
  • Boada LD; Laboratory of Applied Chemical Analyses, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
  • Roncada P; Department of Veterinary Medical Sciences, School of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine-Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064 Ozzano Emilia, BO, Italy.
  • Mateo R; Spanish Institute of Game and Wildlife Research (IREC), University of Castilla La Mancha, CSIC, Spain.
  • Ortiz-Santaliestra ME; Spanish Institute of Game and Wildlife Research (IREC), University of Castilla La Mancha, CSIC, Spain.
  • Rodríguez-Estival J; Spanish Institute of Game and Wildlife Research (IREC), University of Castilla La Mancha, CSIC, Spain.
  • Zumbado M; Laboratory of Applied Chemical Analyses, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
  • Orós J; Veterinary Faculty, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Trasmontana s/n, 35416 Arucas, Las Palmas, Spain.
  • Henríquez-Hernández LA; Laboratory of Applied Chemical Analyses, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain.
  • García-Álvarez N; Veterinary Faculty, University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Trasmontana s/n, 35416 Arucas, Las Palmas, Spain.
  • Luzardo OP; Laboratory of Applied Chemical Analyses, Research Institute of Biomedical and Health Sciences (IUIBS), University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35016 Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain. Electronic address: octavio.perez@ulpgc.es.
Sci Total Environ ; 523: 161-9, 2015 Aug 01.
Article in En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-25863507
ABSTRACT
In this paper we determined the levels of 63 environmental contaminants, including organic (PCBs, organochlorine pesticides, and PAHs) and inorganic (As, Cd, Cu, Pb, Hg and Zn) compounds in the blood of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) from two comparable populations that inhabit distinct geographic areas the Adriatic Sea (Mediterranean basin) and the Canary Islands (Eastern Atlantic Ocean). All animals were sampled at the end of a period of rehabilitation in centers of wildlife recovery, before being released back into the wild, so they can be considered to be in good health condition. The dual purpose of this paper is to provide reliable data on the current levels of contamination of this species in these geographic areas, and secondly to compare the results of both populations, as it has been reported that marine biota inhabiting the Mediterranean basin is exposed to much higher pollution levels than that which inhabit in other areas of the planet. According to our results it is found that current levels of contamination by organic compounds are considerably higher in Adriatic turtles than in the Atlantic ones (∑PCBs, 28.45 vs. 1.12ng/ml; ∑OCPs, 1.63 vs. 0.19ng/ml; ∑PAHs, 13.39 vs. 4.91ng/ml; p<0.001 in all cases). This is the first time that levels of PAHs are reported in the Adriatic loggerheads. With respect to inorganic contaminants, although the differences were not as great, the Adriatic turtles appear to have higher levels of some of the most toxic elements such as mercury (5.74 vs. 7.59µg/ml, p<0.01). The results of this study confirm that the concentrations are larger in turtles from the Mediterranean, probably related to the high degree of anthropogenic pressure in this basin, and thus they are more likely to suffer adverse effects related to contaminants.
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Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Turtles / Water Pollutants, Chemical / Environmental Monitoring Limits: Animals Language: En Journal: Sci Total Environ Year: 2015 Document type: Article Affiliation country: Italy Country of publication: HOLANDA / HOLLAND / NETHERLANDS / NL / PAISES BAJOS / THE NETHERLANDS

Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Turtles / Water Pollutants, Chemical / Environmental Monitoring Limits: Animals Language: En Journal: Sci Total Environ Year: 2015 Document type: Article Affiliation country: Italy Country of publication: HOLANDA / HOLLAND / NETHERLANDS / NL / PAISES BAJOS / THE NETHERLANDS