Vertical distribution of lipids, fatty acids and organochlorine contaminants in the blubber of southern hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as toxic lipophilic organochlorine (OC) compounds, accumulate in the blubber tissue of marine mammals. Toxicological sampling methods most frequently target only the superficial blubber layer. Vertical distribution of these contaminants through the blubber...
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ftgriffithuniv:oai:research-repository.griffith.edu.au:10072/62165 2023-05-15T16:36:05+02:00 Vertical distribution of lipids, fatty acids and organochlorine contaminants in the blubber of southern hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) A. Waugh, Courtney D. Nichols, Peter Schlabach, Martin Noad, Michael Bengtson Nash, Susan 2014 http://hdl.handle.net/10072/62165 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2013.11.004 English eng Elsevier Marine Environmental Research Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified Journal article 2014 ftgriffithuniv https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2013.11.004 2018-07-30T10:48:16Z Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as toxic lipophilic organochlorine (OC) compounds, accumulate in the blubber tissue of marine mammals. Toxicological sampling methods most frequently target only the superficial blubber layer. Vertical distribution of these contaminants through the blubber mantle may, however, not be homogenous and could reflect any dissemination of lipids and fatty acids (FAs). It is therefore critical to assess stratification patterns in a species of interest as a quality control measure for interpretation of toxicological data. Here, we analysed and compared the distribution of lipids, FAs, and OCs in the outermost and innermost blubber layer of southern hemisphere humpback whales. FA stratification was evident for short-chain (=18) monounsaturated fatty acids (SC-MUFA), which were concentrated in the outer layer, consistent with the thermoregulatory role of this blubber layer. This stratification was, however, not reflected in OC distribution, which was similar in the inner and outer blubber layers of male humpback whales. By comparison, a noticeable gradient in total blubber lipid from the outer to the inner layer was observed in two lactating females, which coincided with higher lipid normalised contaminant levels in the inner layer. This study contains the most comprehensive assessment of humpback whale blubber stratification to date, however, further investigation of biological and ecological influencing factors is required. No Full Text Article in Journal/Newspaper Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae Griffith University: Griffith Research Online Marine Environmental Research 94 24 31 |
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Open Polar |
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Griffith University: Griffith Research Online |
op_collection_id |
ftgriffithuniv |
language |
English |
topic |
Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified |
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Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified A. Waugh, Courtney D. Nichols, Peter Schlabach, Martin Noad, Michael Bengtson Nash, Susan Vertical distribution of lipids, fatty acids and organochlorine contaminants in the blubber of southern hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) |
topic_facet |
Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified |
description |
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as toxic lipophilic organochlorine (OC) compounds, accumulate in the blubber tissue of marine mammals. Toxicological sampling methods most frequently target only the superficial blubber layer. Vertical distribution of these contaminants through the blubber mantle may, however, not be homogenous and could reflect any dissemination of lipids and fatty acids (FAs). It is therefore critical to assess stratification patterns in a species of interest as a quality control measure for interpretation of toxicological data. Here, we analysed and compared the distribution of lipids, FAs, and OCs in the outermost and innermost blubber layer of southern hemisphere humpback whales. FA stratification was evident for short-chain (=18) monounsaturated fatty acids (SC-MUFA), which were concentrated in the outer layer, consistent with the thermoregulatory role of this blubber layer. This stratification was, however, not reflected in OC distribution, which was similar in the inner and outer blubber layers of male humpback whales. By comparison, a noticeable gradient in total blubber lipid from the outer to the inner layer was observed in two lactating females, which coincided with higher lipid normalised contaminant levels in the inner layer. This study contains the most comprehensive assessment of humpback whale blubber stratification to date, however, further investigation of biological and ecological influencing factors is required. No Full Text |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
A. Waugh, Courtney D. Nichols, Peter Schlabach, Martin Noad, Michael Bengtson Nash, Susan |
author_facet |
A. Waugh, Courtney D. Nichols, Peter Schlabach, Martin Noad, Michael Bengtson Nash, Susan |
author_sort |
A. Waugh, Courtney |
title |
Vertical distribution of lipids, fatty acids and organochlorine contaminants in the blubber of southern hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) |
title_short |
Vertical distribution of lipids, fatty acids and organochlorine contaminants in the blubber of southern hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) |
title_full |
Vertical distribution of lipids, fatty acids and organochlorine contaminants in the blubber of southern hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) |
title_fullStr |
Vertical distribution of lipids, fatty acids and organochlorine contaminants in the blubber of southern hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Vertical distribution of lipids, fatty acids and organochlorine contaminants in the blubber of southern hemisphere humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) |
title_sort |
vertical distribution of lipids, fatty acids and organochlorine contaminants in the blubber of southern hemisphere humpback whales (megaptera novaeangliae) |
publisher |
Elsevier |
publishDate |
2014 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10072/62165 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2013.11.004 |
genre |
Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae |
genre_facet |
Humpback Whale Megaptera novaeangliae |
op_relation |
Marine Environmental Research |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marenvres.2013.11.004 |
container_title |
Marine Environmental Research |
container_volume |
94 |
container_start_page |
24 |
op_container_end_page |
31 |
_version_ |
1766026385670799360 |