| 1. |
- Wolkers, Hans, et al.
(författare)
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Accumulation and transfer of contaminants in killer whales (Orcinus orca) from Norway : indications for contaminant metabolism
- 2007
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Ingår i: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry. - 0730-7268 .- 1552-8618. ; 26:8, s. 1582-1590
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Blubber tissue of one subadult and eight male adult killer whales was sampled in Northern Norway in order to assess the degree and type of contaminant exposure and transfer in the herring-killer whale link of the marine food web. A comprehensive selection of contaminants was targeted, with special attention to toxaphenes and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). In addition to assessing exposure and food chain transfer, selective accumulation and metabolism issues also were addressed. Average total polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and pesticide levels were similar, approximately 25 microg/g lipid, and PBDEs were approximately 0.5 microg/g. This makes killer whales one of the most polluted arctic animals, with levels exceeding those in polar bears. Comparing the contamination of the killer whale's diet with the diet of high-arctic species such as white whales reveals six to more than 20 times higher levels in the killer whale diet. The difference in contaminant pattern between killer whales and their prey and the metabolic index calculated suggested that these cetaceans have a relatively high capacity to metabolize contaminants. Polychlorinated biphenyls, chlordanes, and dichlorodiphenyldichloro-ethylene (DDE) accumulate to some degree in killer whales, although toxaphenes and PBDEs might be partly broken down.
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| 2. |
- Wolkers, Hans, et al.
(författare)
-
Biomarker responses and decreasing contaminant levels in ringed seals (Pusa hispida) from Svalbard, Norway
- 2008
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Ingår i: Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health. - : Informa UK Limited. - 1528-7394 .- 1087-2620. ; 71:15, s. 1009-1018
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Blubber was analyzed for a wide range of contaminants from five sub-adult and eight adult male ringed seals sampled in 2004, namely, for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), toxaphenes, chlordanes, dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene (DDE), and polybrominated diphenylethers (PBDEs). Contaminant levels were compared to previously sampled animals from the same area, as well as data from literature for other arctic wildlife species from a wide variety of locations. Ringed seals sampled in 2004 showed 50-90% lower levels of legacy contaminants such as PCBs and chlorinated pesticides compared to animals sampled in 1996 of similar age (14 sub-adults and 7 adult males), indicating that the decline of chlorinated contaminants observed during the 1990s in a variety of arctic wildlife species is continuing into the 21st century. The results also indicated that PBDE declined in ringed seals; levels in 2004 were about 70-80% lower than in animals sampled in 1998. This is one of the first observations of reduced exposure to these compounds and might be a first indication that restrictions of production and use of these contaminants have resulted in lower exposures in the Arctic. The PCB pattern shifted toward the less chlorinated (i.e., less persistent) PCBs, especially in adult ringed seals, possibly as a result of reduced overall contaminant exposures and a consequently lower cytochrome P-450 (CYP) induction, which results in a slower metabolism of less persistent PCBs. The overall effect would be relative increases in the lower chlorinated PCBs and a relative decreases in the higher chlorinated PCB. Possibly due to low exposure and consequent low induction levels, ethoxyresorufin O-deethylation (EROD) activity proved to be a poor biomarker for contaminant exposure in ringed seals in the present study. The close negative correlation (r(2) = 70.9%)between EROD activity and percent blubber indicates that CYP might respond to increased bioavailability of the contaminant mixtures when they are mobilized from blubber during periods of reduced food intake.
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| 3. |
- Wolkers, Hans, et al.
(författare)
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Congener-specific accumulation and patterns of chlorinated and brominated contaminants in adult male walruses from Svalbard, Norway : indications for individual-specific prey selection
- 2006
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Ingår i: Science of the Total Environment. - : Elsevier BV. - 0048-9697 .- 1879-1026. ; 370:1, s. 70-79
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Blubber samples from 17 adult, male walruses were sampled in eastern Svalbard and analyzed for chlorinated and brominated contaminants. A wide range of contaminants were detected, including PCBs (mean 2000; 95% range 1165-4005 ng/g lipid), DDE (mean 100: 95% range 50-310) ng/g lipid), chlordanes (mean 2500; 95% range 1347-5009) ng/g lipid, toxaphenes (mean 80; 95% range 51-132 ng/g lipid) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) (mean 15 ng/g; 95% range 9-27 ng/g lipid). PCB and DDE levels were substantially lower than those of animals sampled 10 year earlier in this area, confirming a decreasing trend for these compounds in the Arctic. However, compared to other recently sampled marine mammals from Svalbard, walruses showed relatively high PCB and chlordane levels although they had lower levels of DDE, toxaphenes, and PBDEs, possibly due to species- and location-specific differences in exposure and metabolism. The range in contaminant levels found within the sample group was vast, despite the fact that the animals investigated were all adult males from the same location. The PCB pattern in highly contaminated animals was different from that in animals with low levels of contamination, with relatively more persistent PCBs in the highly contaminated group. This suggests that the more contaminated animals were feeding at higher trophic levels; possibly targeting seals in addition to mollusks as their prey. This suggestion was reinforced by the fatty acid profiles of the inner blubber layer of walruses with low versus high contaminant levels, which suggested different diets for the two groups.
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| 4. |
- Wolkers, Hans, et al.
(författare)
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Tissue-specific accumulation and lactational transfer of polychlorinated biphenyls, chlorinated pesticides, and brominated flame retardants in hooded seals (Cistophora cristata) from the Gulf of St. Lawrence : applications for monitoring.
- 2006
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Ingår i: Environmental Pollution. - : Elsevier BV. - 0269-7491 .- 1873-6424. ; 142:3, s. 476-486
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Accumulation and mother-pup transfer of halogenated organic contaminants was studied in hooded seal tissues from eastern Canada. Blubber polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) and total pesticide concentrations were relatively high, possibly due to their high trophic level and demersal feeding habits. Blood plasma showed the lowest contaminant concentrations compared to blubber and liver, possibly due to a lower affinity of these compounds to lipoproteins in blood plasma. Total contaminant body burden correlated well with blubber, liver, and milk contaminants, but not with blood plasma contaminants, indicating that blood plasma might be less suitable to monitor contaminants in hooded seals. Lactational transfer favored less lipophilic contaminants and was associated with relatively high blood plasma PCB and polybrominated diphenyl ether concentrations in females. Despite lactational transfer, females did not show significantly lower blubber contaminant concentrations or burdens than males. This might be caused by their low blubber, and thus contaminant, loss during lactation compared to other species.
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| 5. |
- Wolkers, Hans, et al.
(författare)
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Tissue-specific contaminant accumulation and associated effects on hepatic serum analytes and cytochrome P450 enzyme activities in hooded seals (Cystophora cristata) from the Gulf of St. Lawrence
- 2009
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Ingår i: Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. - Berlin : Springer. - 0090-4341 .- 1432-0703. ; 56:2, s. 360-370
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The current study aims to assess contaminant levels and tissue burdens in hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) blubber, liver, and blood in association with cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes (CYP1A and -3A) and serum analytes (hepatic enzymes like alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase [AP], and gamma-glutamyltransferase [GGT], serum proteins, and creatine kinase). Contaminant accumulation levels and patterns of polychlorinated biphenyls, chlorinated pesticides, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) differed between tissues and seal groups, with the highest levels in liver. Pups showed higher liver contaminant levels, especially for PBDEs, than adults. These high levels might be associated with the ingestion of large amounts of contaminated milk and subsequent accumulation in the liver. Adult males and females mainly differed in PBDE levels, which were higher in females, possibly due to a sex-specific diet. The association between blubber contaminant burdens and the diagnostic enzymes ALT, GGT, and AP, and serum albumin, was inconclusive. In contrast, several CYP isoenzymes showed a clear positive relationship with the overall blubber contaminant burden, indicating enzyme induction following exposure to polyhalogenated hydrocarbons. Therefore, liver CYP isoenzymes may serve as a sensitive biomarker for long-term exposure to polyhalogenated hydrocarbons.
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