Bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants in female common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) and harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from western European seas: Geographical trends, causal factors and effects on reproduction and mortality

• Published in: Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety
• Main Authors: Pierce, Graham, J., Santos, Maria, B., Murphy, Sinead, Learmonth, Jennifer, A., Zuur, Alan, F., Rogan, Emer, Bustamante, Paco, Caurant, Florence, Lahaye, Virginie, Ridoux, Vincent, Zegers, B., N., Mets, A., Addink, Marian, Smeenk, C., Jauniaux, Thierry, Law, Robin, Dabin, Willy, Lopez, Alfredo, Alonso Farré, J.M., Gonzalez, Angel, Guerra, Angel, García-Hartmann, Manuel, Reid, R.J., Moffat, Colin, F., Lockyer, Christina
• Other Authors: School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Centro Oceanográfico de Vigo, Instituto Espagňol de Oceanografia (IEO), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas España = Spanish National Research Council Spain (CSIC)-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas España = Spanish National Research Council Spain (CSIC), Department of Zoology, Ecology and Plant Sciences (AFDC), University College Cork (UCC), Sea Mammal Research Unit University of St Andrews (SMRU), School of Biology University of St Andrews, University of St Andrews Scotland -University of St Andrews Scotland -Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), Highland Statistics, Centre de Recherche sur les Ecosystèmes Littoraux Anthropisés (CRELA), Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)-La Rochelle Université (ULR)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), Nationaal Natuurhistorisch Museum, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire Liège, Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science Weymouth (CEFAS), Centre de Recherche sur les Mammifères Marins (CRMM), La Rochelle Université (ULR), Coordinadora para o Estudo dos Mamiferos Mariños (CEMMA), CEMMA, Coordinadora para o Estudo dos Mamíferos Mariños (CEMMA), Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas (ECOBIOMAR), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas España = Spanish National Research Council Spain (CSIC), Instituto de Investigaciones Marinas (CSIC) (ECOBIOMAR), Institute de Investigaciones Marinas (CSIC), Elephant house, Veterinary Science Division (SAC), Veterinary Science Division, FRS Marine Laboratory, Age Dynamics
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: CCSD 2008
• Subjects: Phocoena phocoena; Delphinus delphis; Persistent organic pollutants; Reproduction; Diet; [SDV.TOX.ECO]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Toxicology/Ecotoxicology
• Online Access: https://hal.science/hal-00967103; https://hal.science/hal-00967103v1/document; https://hal.science/hal-00967103v1/file/Pierce_et_al_2008_ENPO.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2007.07.007

International audience Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in blubber of female common dolphins and harbour porpoises from the Atlantic coast of Europe were frequently above the threshold at which effects on reproduction could be expected, in 40% and 47% of cases respectively. This rose to 74% for porpoises from the southern North Sea. PCB concentrations were also high in southern North Sea fish. The average pregnancy rate recorded in porpoises (42%) in the study area was lower than in the western Atlantic but that in common dolphins (25%) was similar to that of the western Atlantic population. Porpoises that died from disease or parasitic infection had higher concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) than animals dying from other causes. Few of the common dolphins sampled had died from disease or parasitic infection. POP profiles in common dolphin blubber were related to individual feeding history while those in porpoises were more strongly related to condition.