Phthalates and fatty acid markers in free-ranging cetaceans from an insular oceanic region: Ecological niches as drivers of contamination.

Autor: Sambolino A; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre / ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation (ARDITI), Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal; LB3, Faculty of Exact Science and Engineering, University of Madeira, Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal; Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Madeira, Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal. Electronic address: annalisa.sambolino@mare.arditi.pt., Alves F; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre / ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation (ARDITI), Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal; Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Madeira, Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal., Rodriguez M; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre / ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation (ARDITI), Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal; LB3, Faculty of Exact Science and Engineering, University of Madeira, Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal., Weyn M; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre / ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation (ARDITI), Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal; Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Madeira, Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal; Department of Biology, University of Évora, Évora, Portugal., Ferreira R; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre / ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation (ARDITI), Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal; Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Madeira, Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal., Correia AM; CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Matosinhos, Portugal; FCUP-Faculty of Sciences, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal., Rosso M; International Center for Environmental Monitoring - CIMA Research Foundation, Savona, Italy., Kaufmann M; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre / ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation (ARDITI), Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal; Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Madeira, Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal., Cordeiro N; LB3, Faculty of Exact Science and Engineering, University of Madeira, Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal; CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Matosinhos, Portugal., Dinis A; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre / ARNET - Aquatic Research Network, Regional Agency for the Development of Research, Technology and Innovation (ARDITI), Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal; Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Madeira, Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Environmental pollution (Barking, Essex : 1987) [Environ Pollut] 2024 Nov 01; Vol. 360, pp. 124693. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Aug 08.
DOI: 10.1016/j.envpol.2024.124693
Abstrakt: Plastic additives, such as phthalates, are ubiquitous contaminants that can have detrimental impacts on marine organisms and overall ecosystems' health. Valuable information about the status and resilience of marine ecosystems can be obtained through the monitoring of key indicator species, such as cetaceans. In this study, fatty acid profiles and phthalates were examined in blubber biopsies of free-ranging individuals from two delphinid species (short-finned pilot whale - Globicephala macrorhynchus, n = 45; common bottlenose dolphin - Tursiops truncatus, n = 39) off Madeira Island (NE Atlantic). This investigation aimed to explore the relations between trophic niches (epipelagic vs. mesopelagic), contamination levels, and the health status of individuals within different ecological and biological groups (defined by species, residency patterns and sex). Multivariate analysis of selected dietary fatty acids revealed a clear niche segregation between the two species. Di-n-butylphthalate (DBP), diethyl phthalate (DEP), and bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) were the most prevalent among the seven studied phthalates, with the highest concentration reached by DEHP in a bottlenose dolphin (4697.34 ± 113.45 ng/g). Phthalates esters (PAEs) concentration were higher in bottlenose dolphins (Mean ∑ PAEs: 947.56 ± 1558.34 ng/g) compared to pilot whales (Mean ∑ PAEs: 229.98 ± 158.86 ng/g). In bottlenose dolphins, DEHP was the predominant phthalate, whereas in pilot whales, DEP and DBP were more prevalent. Health markers suggested pilot whales might suffer from poorer physiological conditions than bottlenose dolphins, although high metabolic differences were seen between the two species. Phthalate levels showed no differences by ecological or biological groups, seasons, or years. This study is the first to assess the extent of plastic additive contamination in free-ranging cetaceans from a remote oceanic island system, underscoring the intricate relationship between ecological niches and contaminant exposure. Monitoring these chemicals and their potential impacts is vital to assess wild population health, inform conservation strategies, and protect critical species and habitats.
Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
(Copyright © 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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