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Heavy metal distribution in two cetacean species from Rio de Janeiro State, south-eastern Brazil

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 August 2008

Carlos Eduardo Veiga de Carvalho ,
Ana Paula M. Di Beneditto ,
Cristina Maria M. Souza ,
Renata M.A. Ramos  and
Carlos Eduardo Rezende
Carlos Eduardo Veiga de Carvalho
Affiliation:
Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, CBB, Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Avenue Alberto Lamego, 2000, Campos, RJ, 28013-602, Brazil
Ana Paula M. Di Beneditto*
Affiliation:
Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, CBB, Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Avenue Alberto Lamego, 2000, Campos, RJ, 28013-602, Brazil
Cristina Maria M. Souza
Affiliation:
Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, CBB, Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Avenue Alberto Lamego, 2000, Campos, RJ, 28013-602, Brazil
Renata M.A. Ramos
Affiliation:
Everest Tecnologia em Serviços Ltda., Avenue Nossa Senhora dos Navegantes, 675/1201, Vitória, ES, 29056-900, Brazil
Carlos Eduardo Rezende
Affiliation:
Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, CBB, Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Avenue Alberto Lamego, 2000, Campos, RJ, 28013-602, Brazil Collaborating Professor of Environmental Studies in the Williams School of Commerce, Economics and Politics, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, VA-US; Research Affiliate of the Programme in Latin American and Caribbean Studies at Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT-US
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Ana Paula M. Di Beneditto, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense, CBB, Laboratório de Ciências Ambientais, Avenue Alberto Lamego, 2000, Campos, RJ, 28013-602, Brazil email: anapaula@uenf.br
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Abstract

Mercury (Hg), cadmium (Cd) and zinc (Zn) concentration were analysed in muscular and liver tissues of two cetacean species, franciscana Pontoporia blainvillei and boto-cinza Sotalia guianensis, in order to compare their contamination levels in northern Rio de Janeiro State, south-eastern Brazil. The cutlassfish, Trichiurus lepturus, which is the preferential prey of the boto-cinza, have also been analysed. Liver tissue always presented higher concentrations when compared with muscle samples for all the studied metals. The boto-cinza showed higher concentrations for all metals in both tissues than in the franciscana, and the only exception was Cd. This result is probably related to the difference in size prey preference of each cetacean. Mercury was the only element that presented significant positive correlations with body length and age in both cetacean species. The cutlassfish showed rising Hg concentrations with weight and total length, suggesting a possible mercury pathway for marine mammals' contamination.

Keywords

marine mammalscutlassfishheavy metalsmercurycontaminationsouth-eastern Brazil
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 88 , Special Issue 6: Marine Mammals , September 2008 , pp. 1117 - 1120
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2008

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