Analysis of persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals in mysticetes from the United Arab Emirates
Document Type
Article
Source of Publication
Regional Studies in Marine Science
Publication Date
12-1-2023
Abstract
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
DOI Link
ISSN
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Volume
68
First Page
103276
Last Page
103276
Disciplines
Environmental Sciences
Keywords
Mysticetes, Whales, Heavy metals, Persistent Organic Pollutants, Ecotoxicology
Recommended Citation
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; , Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, , Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; Koedooder, Martha (Breeding Centre of Endangered Arabian Wildlife; , Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, , Environment and Protected Areas Authority, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates; Wilson, Christian; and Natoli, Ada, "Analysis of persistent organic pollutants and heavy metals in mysticetes from the United Arab Emirates" (2023). All Works. 6190.
https://zuscholars.zu.ac.ae/works/6190
Indexed in Scopus
no
Open Access
no