Analysis of persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals in mysticetes from the United Arab Emirates

Chemical pollution is a major threat that can increase the mortality and lower the reproductive success of cetaceans. In this study we assess, for the first time, the level of contamination of selected priority pollutants consisting of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCP...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Regional Studies in Marine Science
Main Authors: Yaghmour, Fadi (Hefaiyah Mountain Conservation Centre, Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, , Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, Samara, Fatin, Torres, Carlos Alberto Niño (Fundación Internacional para la Naturaleza y la Sustentabilidad, Andara, Chetumal, Quintana Roo 77014, Mexico, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Quintana Roo, División en Desarrollo Sustentable, Blvd. Bahía s/n esq. Ignacio Comonfort, Col. Del Bosque, Chetumal, Quintana Roo 77019, México, , Andara, Chetumal, Quintana Roo 77014, Mexico, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Quintana Roo, División en Desarrollo Sustentable, Blvd. Bahía s/n esq. Ignacio Comonfort, Col. Del Bosque, Chetumal, Quintana Roo 77019, México, Gulland, Frances, Budd, Jane (Breeding Centre of Endangered Arabian Wildlife, Koedooder, Martha (Breeding Centre of Endangered Arabian Wildlife, Wilson, Christian, Natoli, Ada
Format: Text
Language:unknown
Published: ZU Scholars 2023
Subjects:
Mysticetes
Whales
Heavy metals
Persistent Organic Pollutants
Ecotoxicology
Environmental Sciences
Balaenoptera musculus
baleen whales
Blue whale
Humpback Whale
Megaptera novaeangliae
Online Access:https://zuscholars.zu.ac.ae/works/6190
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsma.2023.103276
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Summary:Chemical pollution is a major threat that can increase the mortality and lower the reproductive success of cetaceans. In this study we assess, for the first time, the level of contamination of selected priority pollutants consisting of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), organochlorine pesticides (OCPs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and heavy metals in whales found stranded in the United Arab Emirates. The samples included five Bryde’s whales (Balaenoptera edeni) and one humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) from the Arabian Gulf and one blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) from the Gulf of Oman. None of the 18 OCPs tested for were detected. Of the 20 PCB congeners tested for, only one was detected in two (40%) Bryde’s whales.The concentrations of trace elements and heavy metals were lower than reported in baleen whales from the southern hemisphere. PAHs, the predominant pollutants in this study, were detected in the tissues of all examined specimens. The predominance of low molecular weight PAHs over high molecular weight PAHs suggests that PAH exposure may have been primarily from petrogenic sources. The amputation of the tail fluke in one case and bruising of a second whale suggest trauma and marine debris entanglement may have contributed to death in at least two cases. We observed no evidence of marine debris ingestion when such examinations were possible

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