Emerging Contaminants and New POPs (PFAS and HBCDD) in Endangered Southern Resident and Bigg’s (Transient) Killer Whales (Orcinus orca): In Utero Maternal Transfer and Pollution Management Implications

• Main Authors: Kiah Lee (14254329), Juan José Alava (1890898), Paul Cottrell (9720903), Lauren Cottrell (14254332), Richard Grace (1373904), Ivona Zysk (14254335), Stephen Raverty (220075)
• Format: Other Non-Article Part of Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2022
• Subjects: Biochemistry; Microbiology; Cell Biology; Biotechnology; Ecology; Inorganic Chemistry; Science Policy; Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified; Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified; study outlines cec; mitigate pollutant sources; hbccd ); pfos; g ww ); fluorotelomer carboxylic acid; endangered southern resident; potential health implications; contaminated cetacean species; aps ); triclosan; threatened bigg ’; emerging concern ’; selected ‘ contaminants; orcinus orca ): lc – ms; new pop concentrations; maternal transfer rates; bigg ’; orcinus orca; sentinel species; potential impacts; methyl triclosan; maternal transfer; emerging contaminants; viable neonate; utero </; transferred contaminant; skeletal muscle; prevalent compounds; polyfluoroalkyl substances; northeastern pacific; new pops; necropsied individuals; median 66; median 40; marine ecosystems; killer whales; inform regulation; fetal development; Pacific; Killer Whale; Orca; Orcinus orca; Killer whale
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.2c04126.s003

Killer whales (Orcinus orca) have been deemed one of the most contaminated cetacean species in the world. However, concentrations and potential health implications of selected ‘contaminants of emerging concern’ (CECs) and new persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in endangered Southern Resident and threatened Bigg’s (Transient) killer whales in the Northeastern Pacific (NEP) have not yet been documented. Here, we quantify CECs [alkylphenols (APs), triclosan, methyl triclosan, and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)] and new POPs [hexabromocyclododecane (HBCCD), PFOS, PFOA, and PFHxS] in skeletal muscle and liver samples of these sentinel species and investigate in utero transfer of these contaminants. Samples were collected from necropsied individuals from 2006 to 2018 and analyzed by LC–MS/MS or HRBC/HRMS. AP and PFAS contaminants were the most prevalent compounds; 4-nonylphenol (4NP) was the predominant AP (median 40.84 ng/g ww), and interestingly, 7:3-fluorotelomer carboxylic acid (7:3 FTCA) was the primary PFAS (median 66.35 ng/g ww). Maternal transfer ratios indicated 4NP as the most transferred contaminant from the dam to the fetus, with maternal transfer rates as high as 95.1%. Although too few killer whales have been screened for CECs and new POPs to infer the magnitude of contamination impact, these results raise concerns regarding pathological implications and potential impacts on fetal development and production of a viable neonate. This study outlines CEC and new POP concentrations in killer whales of the NEP and provides scientifically derived evidence to support and inform regulation to mitigate pollutant sources and contamination of Southern Resident killer whale critical habitat and other marine ecosystems.