Naslov
Distribution of mercury in the organs and tissues of bottlenosed dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) stranded on Croatian Adriatic coast

Autori
Pompe-Gotal, Jelena ; Srebočan, Emil ; Gomerčić, Hrvoje ; Prevendar Crnić, Andreja

Vrsta, podvrsta i kategorija rada
Sažeci sa skupova, sažetak, znanstveni

Izvornik
3rd Croatian Congress of Toxicology with international participation : CROTOX 2004 : Final Program and abstract book / - : Croatoan Toxicological Society, 2004, 116-116

Skup
Croatian Congress of Toxicology with international participation (3 ; 2004)

Mjesto i datum
NP Plitvička jezera, Hrvatska, 26.05.2004. - 29.05.2004

Vrsta sudjelovanja
Poster

Vrsta recenzije
Nije recenziran

Ključne riječi
mercury; bottlenose dolphin; striped dolphin

Sažetak
Over the last three decades, a multitude of studies have been carried out on the levels of mercury found in cetaceans. Due to its lengthy persistence and high mobility in the marine ecosystem, mercury shows a high level of biomagnification in the upper levels of the food web and the dolphins are typical end-points in the bioaccumulation of persistent pollutants in the pelagic food chain. Beached dolphins found along the coast are an important source of information on marine mammals ; in recent years, they have been found along several coasts. Altogether 17 stranded or by-caught dolphins were collected between 1990 and 1999 aged between <1-21 years at different locations from Istrian peninsula to island Lastovo and the city of Dubrovnik. The study is carried on with the permission of Ministry of Environment and supported by Ministry of Science and Technology of Republic Croatia and Gesellschaft zur Rettung der Delfine from Munich, Germany. Liver, kidney and muscle samples for mercury analysis were collected during necropsies and stored at -20oC until processing. Total mercury was determinate by cold vapor AAS and concentrations were expressed as microgram Hg g-1 of wet weight tissue. The highest total Hg concentrations were in liver with values ranging from 10.35-1833.8 (median 87.73). in muscle tissue total Hg concentrations were much lower with values ranging from 1.51-136.7 (median 5.73). Hg values in kidney ranged from 2.04-143.1 (median 10.99). High mercury levels are in agreement with results of other studies about the pollution of those top predators of Mediterranean. The highest levels of mercury encountered in liver show this organ as target for mercury uptake. Dietary intake as well as the processes of biotransformation, storage and elimination are probably involved in these high hepatic levels.

Izvorni jezik
Engleski

Znanstvena područja
Veterinarska medicina

POVEZANOST RADA