Method development for the sampling and analysis of blood from sea turtles and marine mammals for organohalogen compounds

• Published in: Journal of automated methods & management in chemistry 2005-10, Vol.2005 (3), p.171-171
• Main Authors: Kucklick, J, Becker, P, Christopher, S J, Flanary, J, Keller, J, Pugh, R S, Schantz, M M, Swarthout, R, Pol, S V, Wise, S A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Cetacea; Cheloniidae
• ISSN: 1463-9246; 1464-5068

Monitoring protected marine species, such as sea turtles and bottlenose dolphins, for organohalogen contamination requires the use of nonlethal sampling techniques. The use of blood as a monitoring tool has collection advantages over other samples, such as biopsies, as blood collection is less invasive, can provide biomarker and health data, is fairly easily obtained from live-captured animals, and samples can be archived for future analysis. The National Institute of Standards and Technology in conjunction with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Mote Marine Laboratory, and the State of South Carolina has developed standard protocols for collecting sea turtle and bottlenose dolphin whole blood and plasma samples. The protocol covers aspects of sample handling, including collection, storage, sample metadata, and field blanks. The protocol is currently employed in all wild bottlenose dolphin health assessments performed in the US Methods for the analysis of polychlorinated biphenyl congeners and organochlorine pesticides have been developed for whole blood and serum. The method utilizes liquid/liquid extraction followed by solid phase extraction (SPE) and size exclusion chromatography (SEC) cleanup steps. Analysis has been performed using dual column GC-ECD. Methods are currently being developed to extract samples using automated polymeric SPE, automated SPE cleanup, and semiautomated semipreparative SEC, followed by analysis using GC-MS with large-volume injections.