Hg and Se exposure in brain tissues of striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) and bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) from the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic Seas

In this study we analyzed Hg and Se concentrations in dolphin brain tissues of fifteen specimens of striped dolphin ( Stenella coeruleoalba ) and eight specimens of bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus ) stranded in the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic Seas, in order to assess the toxicological risks asso...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Ecotoxicology (London) 2017-03, Vol.26 (2), p.250-260
Main Authors: Bellante, Antonio, D’Agostino, Fabio, Traina, Anna, Piazzese, Daniela, Milazzo, Maria Francesca, Sprovieri, Mario
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Animals
Aquatic mammals
Bottle-Nosed Dolphin - metabolism
Brain - metabolism
Detoxification
Earth and Environmental Science
Ecology
Ecotoxicology
Environment
Environmental Management
Italy
Marine
Marine mammals
Mercury
Mercury - metabolism
Neurotoxicity
Selenium
Selenium - metabolism
Stenella - metabolism
Stenella coeruleoalba
Tursiops truncatus
Water Pollutants, Chemical - metabolism
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Summary:In this study we analyzed Hg and Se concentrations in dolphin brain tissues of fifteen specimens of striped dolphin ( Stenella coeruleoalba ) and eight specimens of bottlenose dolphin ( Tursiops truncatus ) stranded in the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic Seas, in order to assess the toxicological risks associated with Hg exposure. High Hg concentrations were found in brain tissues of both analyzed specie (1.86–243 mg/kg dw for striped dolphin and 2.1–98.7 mg/kg dw for bottlenose dolphin), exceeding levels associated with marine mammals neurotoxicity. Althougth the results clearly suggest that the protective effects of Se against Hg toxicity occur in cetaceans’ brain tissues, a molar excess of mercury with respect to selenium was found, particularly in adult specimens of Stenella coeruleoalba . On contrary, negligible neurotoxicological risks were found for Tursiops truncatus specimens, due to detoxification processes. Data obtained allowed to prove a more marked neurotoxicological risk for adult specimens of Stenella coeruleoalba in both Tyrrhenian and Adriatic Seas.
ISSN:0963-9292
1573-3017
DOI:10.1007/s10646-017-1759-6