Heavy metals and essential elements in Commerson's dolphins (Cephalorhynchus c. commersonii) from the southwestern Atlantic Ocean

IRIS CÁCERES-SÁEZ; SERGIO RIBEIRO GUEVARA; NATALIA A. DELLABIANCA; R. NATALIE P. GOODALL; H. LUIS CAPPOZZO

ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND ASSESSMENT

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2013 vol. 185 p. 5375 - 5386

0167-6369

A survey of the elemental contents of K, Mg, Mn,Na,Cl, Br,Cs, Co,Rb, Fe,Zn, Al,Ti, V, As,Ag, Au and Cd in liver, kidney and muscle was performed in Commerson´s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus c. commersonii) from subantarctic waters. The concentrations were determined by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis and the specimens derived from incidentally caught in artisanal fishing nets. Liver had the highest concentrations of Fe, 897(79) μgg−1 DW (dry weight) (average; standard deviation in parenthesis), kidney had the highest Cd, 35 (24) μgg−1 DW; Cl, 9,200 (1,700) μgg−1 DW; Na, 6,800 (1,100) μgg−1 DW and Br, 73 (12) μgg−1 DW; and muscle the highest Mg 954 (71) μgg−1 DW. Potassium and Cs concentrations in muscle and kidney ranged in 12,510-13,020 and 0.230-0.252 μgg−1 DW, respectively; Zn and Mn concentrations were similar in liver and kidney (117-122.1 and 3.66-16.5 μgg−1 DW, respectively). Silver was high in liver 5.4(5.0) μgg−1 DW and kidney 1.2(2.7) μgg−1 DW. Gold, Rb, Co and As had no differences among tissues. Likewise, as in other odontocete species, the concentrations of essential elements showed little variation between the specimens analyzed, since they are regulated biochemically; however, heavy metals showed high variability. This study constitutes the first large description of the elemental composition in Commerson´s dolphins from subantarctic waters of the South Atlantic Ocean.