High levels of PCB and p, p'-DDE found in the blubber of killer whales (Orcinus orca)

• Published in: Marine pollution bulletin 2000-06, Vol.40 (6), p.558-561
• Main Authors: HAYTEAS, D. L, DUFFIELD, D. A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Applied ecology; Biological and medical sciences; Cetacea; Ecotoxicology, biological effects of pollution; Effects of pollution and side effects of pesticides on vertebrates; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Mammalia; Orcinus orca; USA, Oregon
• ISSN: 0025-326X; 1879-3363

The killer whale (Orcinus orca) represents the top of many marine food webs. This species, which feeds primarily on fish and/or other marine mammals, is found in many of the world's oceans in either localized resident populations, or in highly migratory groups. As with other cetaceans, these animals possess thick blubber layers and accumulate PCBs and p,p'-DDE in these fat deposits. Although killer whales have been harvested and utilized by humans in the past, they are now rarely killed intentionally. Blubber residue determination in wild specimens has, therefore, depended largely on dead stranded animals. We report here the residue levels of total PCBs and p,p'-DDE for five killer whales stranded on the Oregon coast from 1988 to 1997. These levels were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using the method of Hayteas and Duffield (1998). Contaminant levels are given in Table 1, and all data are quoted here as mu g g super(-1) wet weight.