Heavy metals in tissues of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) from the northwestern Adriatic Sea |
| |
Authors: | Franzellitti Silvia Locatelli Clinio Gerosa Guido Vallini Carola Fabbri Elena |
| |
Institution: | Interdepartment Centre for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Bologna, via S. Alberto 163, Ravenna 48100, Italy. |
| |
Abstract: | Thirty-five specimens of Caretta caretta were collected dead along the Adriatic Sea coast from the Po Delta to the Reno mouth (Italy). Turtles were classified into four size categories ranging from 24.5 to 74 cm, by measuring the minimum straight-line carapace length (MSCL). Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, and Zn levels were assessed in liver, lung, muscle and adipose tissue. Cd, Cu and Fe mainly accumulated in the liver (8.9, 23.7 and 1180 mg/kg dry mass d.w.], respectively), and Mn in the lung (29.5 mg/kg d.w.). Levels of Ni were higher in adipose (22 mg/kg d.w.) than other tissues, while Zn concentrations were higher in muscle (about 140 mg/kg d.w.). Negative correlations with size were established for Zn in liver and Cu in adipose tissue, while positive correlations were observed for Mn and Ni in adipose tissue. Metal concentrations did not differ between males and females, nor between individuals found stranded and those victims of by-catch. On average, Cd, Cu, Mn and Ni concentrations in our specimens were higher than in loggerhead turtles and other species living in other areas. We hypothesize that trace metals could be used as "acquired markers" to help investigate migration routes of C. caretta. |
| |
Keywords: | Adriatic Sea Atomic absorption spectrometry Bioaccumulation Environmental markers Heavy metal Loggerhead turtle Strandings |
本文献已被 ScienceDirect PubMed 等数据库收录! |
|