Refine search
Results 1-10 of 39
Cytochrome P450 1A1 expression in cetacean skin biopsies from the Indian Ocean
2011
Jauniaux, Thierry | Farnir, Frédéric | Fontaine, Michael | Kiszka, Jeremy | Sarlet, Michaël | Coignoul, Freddy
peer reviewed
Show more [+] Less [-]Maternal transfer of organohalogenated compounds in sharks and stingrays
2015
Weijs, Liesbeth | Briels, Nathalie | Adams, Douglas | Lepoint, Gilles | Das, Krishna | Blust, Ronny | Covaci, Adrian
peer reviewed | Elasmobranchs can bioaccumulate considerable amounts of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) and utilize several reproductive strategies thereby influencing maternal transfer of contaminants. This study provides preliminary data on the POP transfer from pregnant females to offspring of three species (Atlantic stingrays, bonnethead, blacktip sharks) with different reproduction modes (aplacental, placental viviparity). Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) levels were generally higher than any other POPs. Stingrays and blacktip shark embryos contained the lowest POP concentrations while bonnetheads and the blacktip adult female had the highest concentrations. Results suggest that are more readily transferred from the mother to the embryo compared to what is transferred to ova in stingrays. Statistically significant differences in levels of selected POPs were found between embryos from the left and right uterus within the same litter as well as between female and male embryos within the same litter for bonnetheads, but not for the blacktip sharks.
Show more [+] Less [-]Changes to an urban marina soundscape associated with COVID-19 lockdown in Guadeloupe
2021
Bertucci, Frédéric | Lecchini, David | Greeven, Céline | Brooker, Rohan M | Minier, Lana | Cordonnier, Sébastien | René-Trouillefou, Malika | Parmentier, Eric
peer reviewed
Show more [+] Less [-]Dynamics of mercury stable isotope compounds in Arctic seals: new insights from a controlled feeding trial on hooded seals Cystophora cristata.
2024
Pinzone, Marianna | Amouroux, David | Tessier, Emmanuel | Acquarone, Mario | Siebert, Ursula | Das, Krishna | FOCUS - Freshwater and OCeanic science Unit of reSearch - ULiège [BE]
peer reviewed | Accurate interpretation of mercury (Hg) isotopic data requires the consideration of several biotic factors such as age, diet, geographical range, and tissue metabolic turnover. A priori knowledge of prey-predator isotopic incorporation rates and Hg biomagnification is essential. This study aims to assess Hg stable isotopes incorporation in an Arctic species of Phocidae, the hooded seal Cystophora cristata, kept in human care for 24 months (2012 - 2014) and fed on a constant diet of Norwegian Spring Spawning herring Clupea harengus. We measured THg, MMHg and iHg levels, as well as Hg stable isotope composition with both mass dependent (MDF) and mass independent (MIF) fractionation (e.g. δ202Hg and Δ199,200,201,204Hg) in hooded seal kidney, liver, hair and muscle, in addition to herring muscle. We then calculated Hg MDF and MIF isotopic fractionation between hooded seals and their prey. We found a significant shift in δ202Hg between hooded seal hair (+0.80‰) and kidney (-0.78‰), and herring muscle. In hooded seals tissues δ202Hg correlated positively with MMHg percentage. These findings suggest that tissue-specific Hg speciation is the major driver of changes in Hg isotopic fractionation rates in this Arctic predator. Δ199Hg, Δ200Hg, Δ201Hg and Δ204Hg values did not vary between herring and hooded seal tissues, confirming their utility as tracers of Hg marine and atmospheric sources in top predators. To our knowledge, this represents the first attempt to assess complex Hg isotope dynamics in the internal system of Arctic Phocidae, controlling the effects of age, diet, and distribution. Our results confirm the validity of Hg stable isotopes as tracers of environmental Hg sources even in top predators, but emphasize the importance of animal age and tissue selection for inter-study and inter-species comparisons. | 14. Life below water
Show more [+] Less [-]Stress response to trace elements mixture of different embryo-larval stages of Paracentrotus lividus
2022
El Idrissi, Ouafa | Santini, J. | Bonnin, M. | Demolliens, M. | Aiello, A. | Gobert, Sylvie | Pasqualini, V. | Ternengo, S.
peer reviewed | This study investigated for the first time the oxidative biomarkers responses in all larval stages of sea urchin. The contamination effects were reproduced by using contaminated seawater to concentrations measured in the area adjacent to an old asbestos mine at factors of 5 and 10. The results suggested that the concentrations were not sufficiently high to induce a major oxidative stress. The biometric differences make this method a more sensitive approach for assessing the effects on sea urchin larvae. Measurements of specific activities of antioxidant enzymes at each stage suggested a high capacity of the larvae to respond to oxidative stress. This normal activity of the organism must be considered in future research. This work also highlighted the importance of spawners provenance in ecotoxicological studies. These data are essential to better understand the stress responses of sea urchin larvae and provide baseline information for later environmental assessment research.
Show more [+] Less [-]Metallothioneins pattern during ontogeny of coastal dolphin, Pontoporia blainvillei, from Argentina
2014
Polizzi, P.S. | Romero, M.B. | Chiodi Boudet, L.N. | Das, Krishna | Denuncio, P.E. | Rodriguez, D.H. | Gerpe, M.S.
peer reviewed | Metallothioneins are signals of metal exposure and widely used in biomonitoring. Franciscana dolphin is an endemic cetacean from the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, classified as Vulnerable A3d by the IUCN. Metallothionein, copper and zinc in Franciscana were assessed in two geographic groups; one inhabits La Plata River estuary, anthropogenically impacted, and the other inhabits marine coastal ecosystems, with negligible pollution. Despite the environment, hepatic and renal MT concentrations were similar, but there was a declining trend from early to later developmental stages. Metallothionein K/L, Cu and Zn levels corresponded to normal reported ranges. MT was not related with Cd. Fetal concentrations were higher than its mother. These results and the health status of dolphins are suggesting that MT correspond to physiological ranges for the species, and they are closely to homeostasis of Zn and Cu, according to its ontogenetic changes. The information constitutes the first MT information on Franciscana dolphin and can be considered as baseline for the species conservation.
Show more [+] Less [-]Tuna and dolphin associations in the Northeast Atlantic: Evidence of different ecological niches from stable isotope and heavy metal measurements
2000
Das, Krishna | Lepoint, Gilles | Loizeau, Véronique | Debacker, Virginie | Dauby, Patrick | Bouquegneau, Jean-Marie
peer reviewed | Associations of tunas and dolphins in the wild are quite frequent events and the question arises how predators requiring similar diet in the same habitat share their environmental resources. As isotopic composition of an animal is related to that of its preys, stable isotopes (13C/12C and 15N/14N) analyses were performed in three predator species from the Northeast Atlantic: the striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba, the common dolphin Delphinus delphis, and the albacore tuna, Thunnus alalunga, and compared to their previously described stomach content. Heavy metals (Cd, Zn, Cu and Fe) are mainly transferred through the diet and so, have been determined in the tissues of the animals. Tunas muscles display higher delta15N than in common and striped dolphins (mean: 11.4 0/00 vs. 10.3 0/00 and 10.4 0/00, respectively) which reflects its higher trophic level nutrition. Higher delta13C are found in common (-18.4 0/00) and striped dolphin (-18.10/00) muscles than in albacore tuna (-19.3 0/00) likely in relation with its migratory pattern. The most striking feature is the presence of two levels of cadmium concentrations in the livers of the tunas (32 mg kg-1 dry weight vs. 5 mg kg-1 dry weight). These two groups also differ by their iron concentrations and their delta15N and delta 13C liver values. These results suggest that in the Biscay Bay, tunas occupy two different ecological niches likely based on different squid input in their diet.
Show more [+] Less [-]Active and passive biomonitoring of trace elements, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and polychlorinated biphenyls in small Mediterranean harbours
2023
Castrec, Justine | Pillet, Marion | Receveur, Justine | Fontaine, Quentin | Le Floch, Stéphane | Churlaud, Carine | Lejeune, Pierre | Gobert, Sylvie | Thomas, Hélène | Marengo, Michel
peer reviewed | Quality of the marine environment in the Mediterranean port areas (QUAMPO) | Pollution particularly affects coastal ecosystems due to their proximity to anthropic sources. Among those en- vironments, harbours are subjected to marine traffic but also to accidental and chronic pollution. These areas are thus exposed to complex mixtures of contaminants such as trace elements and organic contaminants which can impact marine species, habitats, and ecosystem services. The monitoring of these compounds is thus a crucial issue for assessment of environmental health. In this context, the aim of the present work was to evaluate the chemical contamination of harbours in Corsica (NW Mediterranean) by measuring the bioaccumulation of trace elements, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and polychlorinated biphenyls in mussels, limpets, and sea cu- cumbers. The human health risks associated with seafood consumption were also assessed. Results reveal a relatively low contamination in the Corsican harbours studied compared to larger Mediterranean ports and suggest that the potential health risk for consumers eating seafood is low.
Show more [+] Less [-]Determination of organohalogenated contaminants in liver of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranded on the Belgian North Sea coast
2002
Covaci, Adrian | Van de Vijver, Kristin Inneke | De Coen, Wim | Das, Krishna | Bouquegneau, Jean-Marie | Blust, Ronny | Schepens, Paul | MARE - Centre Interfacultaire de Recherches en Océanologie - ULiège
peer reviewed
Show more [+] Less [-]Heavy metals, organochlorines and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sperm whales stranded in Southern North sea during the 1994/1995 winter,
1999
Hoolsbeek, L. | Joiris, C. R. | Debacker, Virginie | Rosse, P. | Nellissen, J. P. | Gobert, Sylvie | Bouquegneau, Jean-Marie | Bossicart, M.
peer reviewed
Show more [+] Less [-]