Perfluorinated chemicals infiltrate ocean waters: link between exposure levels and stable isotope ratios in marine mammals
Van de Vijver, K.I.; Hoff, P.T.; Das, K.; Van Dongen, W.; Esmans, E.L.; Jauniaux, T.; Bouquegneau, J.-M.; Blust, R.; De Coen, W.M. (2006). Perfluorinated chemicals infiltrate ocean waters: link between exposure levels and stable isotope ratios in marine mammals, in: Van de Vijver, K.I. Blootstelling en effectevaluatie van perfluorverbindingen op mariene en estuariene organismen = Exposure and effect assessment of perfluorinated alkylated substances in marine and estuarine organisms. pp. 67-87 In: Van de Vijver, K.I. (2006). Blootstelling en effectevaluatie van perfluorverbindingen op mariene en estuariene organismen = Exposure and effect assessment of perfluorinated alkylated substances in marine and estuarine organisms. PhD Thesis. Universiteit Antwerpen: Antwerpen. 206 pp., more Related to:Van de Vijver, K.I.; Hoff, P.T.; Das, K.; Van Dongen, W.; Esmans, E.L.; Jauniaux, T.; Bouquegneau, J.-M.; Blust, R.; De Coen, W.M. (2003). Perfluorinated chemicals infiltrate ocean waters: link between exposure levels and stable isotope ratios in marine mammals. Environ. Sci. Technol. 37(24): 5545-5550. https://dx.doi.org/10.1021/es0345975, more |
| Keywords | Aquatic organisms > Marine organisms > Aquatic mammals > Marine mammals
Biological phenomena > Accumulation > Bioaccumulation
Chemical compounds > Organic compounds > Hydrocarbons > Halogenated hydrocarbons > Fluorinated hydrocarbons
Food webs
Isotopes
Pollution > Chemical pollution
Cetacea [WoRMS]
ANE, North Sea, Southern Bight [Marine Regions]
Marine/Coastal |
| Authors | | Top | | - Van Dongen, W.
- Esmans, E.L.
- Jauniaux, T., more
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| Abstract | This is the first study to report on concentrations of perfluorinated organochemicals (FOCs) in marine mammalsstranded along the southern North Sea coast in relation to stable nitrogen and carbon isotope ratios ( 15N and 13C). The presence of FOCs in top predators such as marine mammals would indicate a potential biomagnification of these compounds and their widespread occurrence. Liver and kidney tissues of nine marine mammal species have been sampled. Among all the measured FOCs compounds, PFOS (perfluorooctane sulfonate) was predominant in terms of concentration. The highest PFOS concentrations were found in the liver of harbor seal compared to white-beaked dolphin, harbor porpoise, gray seal, sperm whale, white-sided dolphin, striped dolphin, fin whale, and hooded seal. PFOS concentrations differedsignificantly between sexes and age classes in harbor porpoises. Stable isotope measurements (13C and 15N) were used in this study to describe the behavior of contaminants in food webs. We found a significant (p < 0.05) linear relationship between PFOS concentrations inlivers of harbor porpoises and both muscle 13C and 15N measurements. Harbor and gray seals and white-beaked dolphin, which displayed the highest trophic position,contained the highest PFOS levels, while offshore feeders such as sperm whales, fin whales, striped dolphin, and white-sided dolphin showed lower PFOS concentrations than inshore species. |
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