TY - JOUR
T1 - High concentrations of persistent organic pollutants in adult killer whales (Orcinus orca) and a foetus stranded in Ireland
AU - Schlingermann, Moira
AU - Berrow, Simon
AU - Craig, Darren
AU - McHugh, Brendan
AU - Marrinan, Michael
AU - O'Brien, Joanne
AU - O'Connor, Ian
AU - Mudzatsi, Engelberth
AU - White, Philip
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019
PY - 2020/2
Y1 - 2020/2
N2 - Bio-accumulation of persistent organic pollutants including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), brominated flame retardants and organochlorine pesticides continue to be of major concern for marine apex predators such as killer whales. The concentrations of 16 polychlorinated biphenyls, 7 poly-brominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), 1 poly-brominated biphenyl (PBB) and a range of 19 organochlorine compounds (OCs) was investigated in blubber samples from a mother-foetus pair, an adult female and an adult male killer whale stranded in Ireland between 2010 and 2017. Concentrations ranged from 1.5 mg/kg to 49.3 mg/kg lipid weight and 0.04–1.2 mg/kg lipid weight for Σ16PCBs and Σ7PBDEs respectively. Concentrations of organochlorine compounds were also investigated in the male killer whale; a Σ19OC concentration of 49.4 mg/kg lipid weight was recorded. This study shows high levels of persistent organic pollutants occur in this species of whales stranded in Ireland.
AB - Bio-accumulation of persistent organic pollutants including polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), brominated flame retardants and organochlorine pesticides continue to be of major concern for marine apex predators such as killer whales. The concentrations of 16 polychlorinated biphenyls, 7 poly-brominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), 1 poly-brominated biphenyl (PBB) and a range of 19 organochlorine compounds (OCs) was investigated in blubber samples from a mother-foetus pair, an adult female and an adult male killer whale stranded in Ireland between 2010 and 2017. Concentrations ranged from 1.5 mg/kg to 49.3 mg/kg lipid weight and 0.04–1.2 mg/kg lipid weight for Σ16PCBs and Σ7PBDEs respectively. Concentrations of organochlorine compounds were also investigated in the male killer whale; a Σ19OC concentration of 49.4 mg/kg lipid weight was recorded. This study shows high levels of persistent organic pollutants occur in this species of whales stranded in Ireland.
KW - Ireland
KW - Killer whale
KW - Organochlorine
KW - PBDE
KW - PCB
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85076033931&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110699
DO - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.110699
M3 - Article
C2 - 31780087
AN - SCOPUS:85076033931
SN - 0025-326X
VL - 151
JO - Marine Pollution Bulletin
JF - Marine Pollution Bulletin
M1 - 110699
ER -
