Mercury and Selenium in Blood and Epidermis of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) from Sarasota Bay, FL: Interaction and Relevance to Life History and Hematologic Parameters |
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| Authors: | Victoria Woshner Katrina Knott Randall Wells Carla Willetto Rhonda Swor Todd O’Hara |
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| Institution: | (1) 8607 Bromley Road, Hillsborough, NC 27278, USA;(2) Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA;(3) Chicago Zoological Society, c/o Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL 34236, USA;(4) VETS, Fairbanks, AK 99708, USA |
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| Abstract: | Blood and epidermal biopsies from free-ranging Tursiops truncatus captured and released during either summer or winter health assessments in Sarasota Bay, FL, were evaluated for concentrations
of mercury, selenium, stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N), and blood glutathione peroxidase activity in conjunction with routine hematology and serum chemistry panels. Major objectives
were to: 1) quantify and describe relationships among mercury, selenium, glutathione peroxidase, and stable isotopes of C
and N in blood and epidermis; 2) elucidate major parameters that influence blood mercury and glutathione peroxidase activity;
3) relate measures of tissue mercury, selenium, and glutathione peroxidase to specific ecological, hematological, morphological,
or life history parameters, including season, sex, age, and trophic level. Mercury in both tissues examined is almost exclusively
methylmercury. Epidermal concentrations of mercury and selenium reflect their respective amounts in blood, albeit at several
times blood concentrations of mercury. The strong association between blood mercury and serum selenium, in conjunction with
a lack of significant correlation between blood mercury and glutathione peroxidase, implies that a substantial proportion
of blood mercury is affiliated with another selenium-containing moiety or is related to recent dietary intakes (e.g., trophic
level, intensive fish consumption). Circulating blood mercury may be described in terms of serum selenium concentration, along
with interaction terms among serum selenium, blood δ15N, and age. Current selenium concentrations in Sarasota Bay dolphins appear adequate for maintenance of blood glutathione
peroxidase activity. However, dolphins evidently are subject to seasonal exacerbation of oxidative stress, which might render
them more vulnerable to toxic effects of mercury.
Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. |
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| Keywords: | bottlenose dolphin hematology glutathione peroxidase mercury selenium stable isotopes |
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