Contamination status by persistent organic pollutants of the Atlantic spotted dolphin (&ITStenella frontalis&IT) at the metapopulation level

Author(s):Show less -

Mendez-Fernandez, Paula ^{[1, 2]} ; Taniguchi, Satie ^{[1, 2]} ; Santos, Marcos C. O. ^[3] ; Cascao, Irma ^{[4, 5, 6, 7]} ; Querouil, Sophie ^[8] ; Martin, Vidal ^[9] ; Tejedor, Marisa ^[9] ; Carrillo, Manuel ^[10] ; Rinaldi, Carolina ^[11] ; Rinaldi, Renato ^[11] ; Montone, Rosalinda C. ^{[1, 2]}

Affiliation:Show less -

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Oceanog, Lab Quim Organ Marinha, BR-05508120 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ la Rochelle, Observ PELAGIS, UMS 3462, Pole Analyt, CNRS, 5 Allees Ocean, F-17000 La Rochelle - France

^[3] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Oceanog, Lab Biol Conservacao Mamiferos Aquat, BR-05508120 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Azores, Dept Oceanog & Fisheries, P-9901862 Horta - Portugal

^[5] Univ Azores, Okeanos Ctr, P-9901862 Horta - Portugal

^[6] Univ Azores, Marine & Environm Sci Ctr MARE, P-9901862 Horta - Portugal

^[7] Univ Azores, Inst Marine Res IMAR, P-9901862 Horta - Portugal

^[8] Univ Montpellier, IRD UMR226, ISE M, CCO65, Pl Eugene Bataillon, F-34095 Montpellier - France

^[9] SECAC, Casa Arroyo, Avda Coll 6, Arrecife 35500, Lanzarote - Spain

^[10] Tenerife Conservac, C Maya 8, Tenerife, Canary Islands - Spain

^[11] Assoc Evas Trop, 1 Rue Paletuviers, F-97125 Pigeon Bouillante, Guadeloupe - France

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Environmental Pollution; v. 236, p. 785-794, MAY 2018.
• Web of Science Citations: 4

Abstract

The Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) is an endemic species of the tropical-temperate Atlantic Ocean with widespread distribution. Although this species has been the subject of a large number of studies throughout its range, it remains in the ``data deficient{''} category of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Chemical pollution by persistent organic pollutants (POPs) has been listed as one of the major threats to this species, however, there is no information on a wide scale. Thus, the aim of the present study was to investigate the contamination status of spotted dolphins on the metapopulation level as well as determine spatial and temporal variations in POP concentrations and bioaccumulation. A total of 115 blubber samples collected from a large part of the Atlantic basin were analysed for PCBs, DDTs, PBDEs, chlordanes, HCB and mirex. Although PCBs and DDTs were the predominant compounds in all areas, inter-location differences in POP concentrations were observed. Dolphins found at Sao Paulo, southeastern coast of Brazil, had the highest PCB concentrations (median: 10.5 mu g/g lw) and Canary Islands dolphins had the highest DDT concentrations (median: 5.13 mu g/g lw). Differences in PCB patterns among locations were also observed. Dolphins from the Azores and Sao Paulo demonstrated a similar pattern, with relatively highly contributions of tetra- (6.8 and 5.2%, respectively) and penta-CBs (25.6 and 23.8%, respectively) and lower contributions of hepta-CBs (20.8 and 23.5%, respectively) in comparison to other areas. Moreover, the sex of the animals and the year in which sampling or capture occurred exerted an important influence on the majority of the POPs analysed. Comparisons with toxicity thresholds available in the literature reveal that the Sao Paulo and Canary Island dolphins are the most vulnerable populations and should be considered in future conservation and management programs for the Atlantic spotted dolphin. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/51543-9 - Cetacean occurrence, distribution and movements along the coast of São Paulo State
• Grantee: Marcos César de Oliveira Santos
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Regular Research Grants