Little is known about levels or effects of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Hawaiian monk seals (HMS) from the main Hawaiian Islands (MHI) subpopulation. This study examined concentrations of a large suite of POPs in blubber and serum of juvenile and adult HMS from the MHI. Adult females have the lowest blubber levels of most POPs, whereas adult males have highest levels. POPs in serum were significantly different in adult males compared with adult females for chlordanes and summed dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs). Lipid-normalized concentrations of chlordanes, DDTs, polychlorinated biphenyls, and mirex in paired blubber and serum samples were significantly correlated. Contaminant levels from the MHI were at similar or lower levels than those from remote Northwestern Hawaiian Island populations. Determining initial ranges of POPs is an important step towards assessing one of the many potential health threats to this critically endangered species.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in plasma samples of 162 juvenile loggerhead sea turtles (Caretta caretta) from Canary Islands, and 205 adult nesting loggerheads from Cape Verde. All the 367 samples showed detectable values of some type of PAH. Phenanthrene was the PAH most frequently detected and at the highest concentration in both populations. Median concentrations of ∑PAHs in the plasma of loggerheads from the Canary Islands and Cape Verde were similar (5.5 and 4.6ng/ml, respectively). Di- and tri-cyclic PAHs were predominant in both populations suggesting petrogenic origin rather than urban sources of PAHs. In the group of turtles from Canary Islands, there was evident an increasing level of contamination over the last few years. The present study represents the first data of contamination by PAHs in sea turtles from the studied areas.

This study evaluated the toxicity of dispersant application which is, in nearshore area, a controversial response technique to oil spill. Through an experimental approach with juveniles of Liza aurata, the toxicity of five exposure conditions was evaluated: (i) a chemically dispersed oil simulating dispersant application; (ii) a single dispersant as an internal control of chemically dispersed oil; (iii) a mechanically dispersed oil simulating natural dispersion of oil; (iv) a water soluble fraction of oil simulating an undispersed and untreated oil slick and (v) uncontaminated seawater as a control exposure condition. The relative concentration of PAHs (polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons) biliary metabolites showed that the incorporation of these toxic compounds was increased if the oil was dispersed, whether mechanically or chemically. However, toxicity was not observed at the organism level since the aerobic metabolic scope and the critical swimming speed of exposed fish were not impaired.

Trace element levels in fish are of particular interest, owing the potential risk to human health. In accordance, juveniles of Dicentrarchus labrax and of Liza aurata were sampled and arsenic, cadmium, chromium, selenium and zinc were determined in the muscle. The levels of trace elements in muscle demonstrated to be similar for both species and sites, with the exception of selenium levels at reference, which seemed to be higher in D. labrax. Moreover, apart from arsenic levels in muscle, all elements were in conformity with the existent regulatory guidelines for fish consumption. The dietary intake of each element was also calculated, with arsenic and selenium showing intakes above the recommended dietary allowances. Nevertheless, no arsenic speciation was carried out and thus no accurate risk evaluation could be established. Additionally, selenium levels never exceeded the dietary allowances more than five times, which are considered safe.

Tropical coastal ecosystems, including the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) of Australia are increasingly threatened by pollution; yet few studies have investigated the sensitivity of GBR species to these pollutants. Here we exposed juveniles of the tropical reef fish Acanthochromis polyacanthus (spiny damselfish) to three concentrations of the insecticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) and measured (i) muscle cholinesterase (ChE) activity; (ii) hepatic glutathione-S-transferase (GST) activity; and (iii) coenzyme Q (CoQ) redox balance, after 6h and 96h of exposure. After 96h, muscle ChE activity was significantly inhibited by 26%, 49% and 53% when fish were exposed to 1, 10 or 100μg/L CPF, respectively. Muscle ChE characterization revealed three types of ChEs, including two atypical forms. Hepatic CoQ antioxidant form significantly increased at 10μg/L after 6h of exposure, potentially demonstrating an early response to CPF-induced oxidative stress in liver. Hepatic GST was not affected by CPF exposure.

In the present study, persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were determined in 25 livers from Magellanic penguins, Spheniscus magellanicus, found on the state of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro (Brazil). The following concentrations of POPs (wet weight) were found: ∑ PCBs: 18.9–775.8ngg⁻¹; ∑ DDTs: 2.3–275ngg⁻¹; and ∑ HCHs: 1.0–11.8ngg⁻¹. Among the PCBs, there was a predominance of hexachlorobiphenyls (138 and 153) and heptachlorobiphenyls (180 and 187). Among the organochlorines, DDT predominated. Through histopathologic exams a positive correlation was found between HCB and cardiovascular failure (p=0.012), as HCB values (wet weight) were 6.33–96.49ngg⁻¹ for positive animals and 2.45–19.63ngg⁻¹ for negative animals. Studies on POPs in Magellan penguins contribute to a better understanding of the distribution and trends of these pollutants in the western South Atlantic Ocean.

Plasma PFCs were measured in 157 bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) sampled from two US southeast Atlantic sites (Charleston (CHS), SC and Indian River Lagoon (IRL), FL) during 2003–2005. ∑PFCs, perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (∑PFCAs), perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (∑PFSAs) and individual compounds were significantly higher in CHS dolphins for all age/sex categories compared to IRL dolphins. Highest ∑PFCs concentrations occurred in CHS juvenile dolphins (2340ng/g w.w.); significantly higher than found in adults (1570ng/g w.w. males; 1330ng/g w.w. females). ∑PFCAs were much greater in CHS dolphins (∼21%) compared to IRL dolphins (∼7%); ∑PFSAs were 79% in CHS dolphins versus 93% in IRL dolphins. PFOS, the dominant compound, averaged 72% and 84%, respectively, in CHS and IRL dolphins. Decreasing PFC levels occurred with age on the bioaccumulation of PFCs in both sites. These observations suggest PFC accumulation in these two dolphin populations are influenced by site-specific exposures with significantly higher levels in CHS dolphins.

Feathers are useful to determine mercury (Hg) contamination. We evaluated the mercury concentration in feathers of Magellanic penguins (Spheniscus magellanicus) age 1.5years to 25years at Punta Tombo, Argentina before and during their molt. Mercury ranged between <1.4 and 367ng/gdryweight, with three extreme high values (8996ng/g, 3011ng/g and 1340ng/g) all in young adults. The median concentration was lowest for juveniles and significantly higher for adults but with high variation among older adults. Males and females had similar mercury loads. Compared with other penguin species, concentrations in Magellanic penguins were low. Mercury levels for Magellanic penguins in the Southwest Atlantic for older adults averaged 206±98ng/g, and serve as a baseline for biomonitoring and/or ecotoxicological studies.

INTRODUCTION: We conducted a yearly polluted-reference sampling to assess the effects of petroleum pollution on life cycle characteristics of the meiobenthic nematode Odontophora villoti. Samples were taken every 15 days between 26 November 2004 and 25 November 2005 from two beaches of Bizerte bay (Tunisia), Rimel and Tunisian Refining Industries Company (TRIC). The latter site is located in front of the “Tunisian Refining Industries Company” runoff. DISCUSSION: When compared to the reference site, the mean body dimensions of O. villoti from the impacted site were significantly lower. The small size of affected nematodes was represented both by the length and width as a function of the life stage. It was also established that changes in lengths of body parts during molts were different between the two study sites. The low availability of oxygen from April to August seems to prevent the formation of embryos of O. villoti. Thus, two annual reproductive cycles with different durations were observed in Rimel and TRIC. Under stress, juvenile phase and egg production were generally shorter. Globally, the impact of petroleum pollution on O. villoti was expressed by a short egg-to-egg development time. CONCLUSION: Our study assessed the usefulness of life cycle characteristics (biometry and life stage durations) of O. villoti in biomonitoring, and the results are generally consistent suggesting that this species may be considered as an efficient bioindicator.