1
|
Fraga NS, Martins AS, Faust DR, da Silva CC, Bianchini A, Aguirre AA, Sakai H. Distribution of copper in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans using green turtles (Chelonia mydas) as a bioindicator. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:31967-31977. [PMID: 38642227 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-33366-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2023] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024]
Abstract
Marine pollution by trace elements is a global concern due to potential toxicity to species and ecosystems. Copper is a fundamental trace element for many organisms; however, it becomes toxic at certain concentrations. The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) is a good sentinel species, due to its circumglobal distribution, long life cycle, coastal habits when juvenile, and is subject to environmental pollution. Quantifying and comparing copper levels makes it possible to understand the availability of this trace element in nature. During this research, comparisons were made between the levels of copper found in the liver, kidneys, and muscles of 35 turtles, from the United States (Hawaii and Texas), Brazil, and Japan. Copper was found in all specimens. In the liver, animals from Hawaii (91.08 µg g-1), Texas (46.11 µg g-1), and Japan (65.18 µg g-1) had statistically equal means, while those from Brazil (16. 79 µg g-1) had the lowest means. For the kidney, copper means were statistically equal for all Hawaii (3.71 µg g-1), Texas (4.83 µg g-1), Japan (2.47 µg g-1), and Brazil (1.89 µg g-1). In muscle, the means between Texas (0.75 µg g-1) and Japan (0.75 µg g-1) were the same, and the mean for Brazil (0.13 µg g-1) was the lowest. Among the organs, the highest levels of copper were found in the liver (28.33 µg g-1) followed by the kidney (2.25 µg g-1) and with the lowest levels in the muscle (0.33 µg g-1). This is the first study of copper levels among marine vertebrates in distant parts of the globe using similar comparative filters between different locations. Similar levels in turtles from such distant locations may indicate that there is a pantropical pattern of copper distribution in the biota, and that these animals are subject to the process of bioavailability of this metal in the environment and metabolic regulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nairana Santos Fraga
- Laboratório de Nectologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Oceanografia Ambiental, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Av. Fernando Ferrari, 414, Vitória, Espírito Santo, 29075-910, Brazil.
| | - Agnaldo Silva Martins
- Laboratório de Nectologia, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Oceanografia Ambiental, Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo, Av. Fernando Ferrari, 414, Vitória, Espírito Santo, 29075-910, Brazil
- Laboratório de Nectologia, Departamento de Oceanografia e Ecologia, Universidade Federal Do Espírito Santo, Av. Fernando Ferrari, 414, Vitória, Espírito Santo, 29075-910, Brazil
| | - Derek Ronald Faust
- Environmental Sciences and Technology Program, Clover Park Technical College, 4500 Steilacoom Blvd. SW, Lakewood, WA, 98499, USA
| | - Cinthia Carneiro da Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Fisiológicas - Fisiologia Animal Comparada (PPGCF - FAC), Instituto de Ciências Biológicas - ICB, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG, Rio Grande, Brazil
| | - Adalto Bianchini
- Instituto de Ciências Biológicas - ICB, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG, Rio Grande, Brazil
| | - A Alonso Aguirre
- Department of Fish, Wildlife and Conservation Biology, Warner College of Natural Resources, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, 80523, USA
| | - Haruya Sakai
- Environment Research Division, Health Effects Research, Japan Automobile Research Institute, 2530 Karima, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, 305-0082, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Wilkinson A, Ariel E, van de Merwe J, Brodie J. Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas) Blood and Scute Trace Element Concentrations in the Northern Great Barrier Reef. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2023; 42:2375-2388. [PMID: 37477460 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Marine turtles face numerous anthropogenic threats, including that of chemical contaminant exposure. The ecotoxicological impact of toxic metals is a global issue facing Chelonia mydas in coastal sites. Local investigation of C. mydas short-term blood metal profiles is an emerging field, while little research has been conducted on scute metal loads as potential indicators of long-term exposure. The aim of the present study was to investigate and describe C. mydas blood and scute metal profiles in coastal and offshore populations of the Great Barrier Reef. This was achieved by analyzing blood and scute material sampled from local C. mydas populations in five field sites, for a suite of ecologically relevant metals. By applying principal component analysis and comparing coastal sample data with those of reference intervals derived from the control site, insight was gleaned on local metal profiles of each population. Blood metal concentrations in turtles from coastal sites were typically elevated when compared with levels recorded in the offshore control population (Howick Island Group). Scute metal profiles were similar in Cockle Bay, Upstart Bay, and Edgecumbe Bay, all of which were distinct from that of Toolakea. Some elements were reported at similar concentrations in blood and scutes, but most were higher in scute samples, indicative of temporal accumulation. Coastal C. mydas populations may be at risk of toxic effects from metals such as Co, which was consistently found to be at concentrations magnitudes above region-specific reference intervals. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:2375-2388. © 2023 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of SETAC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam Wilkinson
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ellen Ariel
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jason van de Merwe
- Australian Rivers Institute and School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jon Brodie
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Shaw KR, Balazs GH, Jones TT, Lynch HW, Liu J, Cobb GP, Klein DM, Lynch JM. Green Sea Turtles (Chelonia mydas) Accumulate Heavy Metals Near a Former Skeet Shooting Range in Kailua, O'ahu, Hawai'i. ENVIRONMENTAL TOXICOLOGY AND CHEMISTRY 2023; 42:1109-1123. [PMID: 36866800 DOI: 10.1002/etc.5601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The present study determined if green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Kailua Bay, Oahu, in the Hawaiian Islands have elevated blood and scute lead (Pb), arsenic (As), and antimony (Sb) concentrations resulting from lead deposition at a historic skeet shooting range. Blood and scute samples were collected and analyzed for Pb, As, and Sb via inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Prey, water, and sediment samples were also analyzed. Turtle samples in Kailua Bay (45) have blood Pb concentrations (328 ± 195 ng/g) greater than a reference population (Howick Group of Islands, 29.2 ± 17.1 ng/g). Compared with other green turtle populations, only turtles in Oman, Brazil, and San Diego, CA have blood Pb concentrations greater than turtles in Kailua Bay. The estimated daily exposure of Pb from algae sources in Kailua Bay (0.12 mg/kg/day) was significantly lower than the no observed adverse effect level (100 mg/kg) of red-eared slider turtles. However, the chronic effects of Pb on sea turtles is poorly understood and continued monitoring of this population will increase our understanding of the Pb and As loads of sea turtles in Kailua Bay. Environ Toxicol Chem 2023;42:1109-1123. © 2023 SETAC. This article has been contributed to by U.S. Government employees and their work is in the public domain in the USA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katherine R Shaw
- Department of Environmental Toxicology, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA
| | | | - T Todd Jones
- Pacific Islands Fisheries Science Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA
| | | | - Jing Liu
- Environment Research Institute, Shandong University, Qingdao, China
| | - George P Cobb
- Department of Environmental Sciences, Baylor University, Waco, Texas, USA
| | - David M Klein
- Department of Civil Engineering, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, USA
| | - Jennifer M Lynch
- Chemical Sciences Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Waimānalo, Hawaii, USA
- Center for Marine Debris Research, Hawai'i Pacific University, Waimānalo, Hawaii, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Pérez YAA, Lima SR, Souza GM, Gião T, Bispo FJS, Reis AMF, da Silva Leite J, da Silva KVGC. Evaluation of biometry and blood concentration of heavy metals in free-living Chelonia mydas with and without fibropapillomatosis in southern Brazil. MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN 2023; 190:114879. [PMID: 37004471 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.114879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/19/2023]
Abstract
The present study determined the presence of heavy metals in green sea turtles with and without fibropapillomatosis in Itapirubá and Cassino beaches, southern Brazil. The weight, curved length of the carapace and body index were determined and blood was collected to quantify the concentrations of cadmium, lead and mercury. A total of 51 blood samples were analyzed, being 46 positives for at least one of the metals. There was a greater number of juvenile turtles in Itapirubá, larger in size and weight than those in Cassino. No statistical differences were found between metal concentrations between regions or between turtles with and without fibropapillomatosis. There was no significant correlation between metal concentrations, biometric variables and the presence of fibropapilomatose. Metal concentrations were low in both regions, with the highest concentrations being Cd and the lowest Hg.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yohany Arnold Alfonso Pérez
- Postgraduate Program in Veterinary Medicine (Clinical and Animal Reproduction), Faculty of Veterinary, Fluminense Federal University, Almirante Ary Parreiras Avenue 503, Vital Brazil/Santa Rosa, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro 24230-340, Brazil; Caminho Marinho Project, Federal University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
| | - Samara Rosolem Lima
- Postgraduate Program in Veterinary Medicine (Clinical and Animal Reproduction), Faculty of Veterinary, Fluminense Federal University, Almirante Ary Parreiras Avenue 503, Vital Brazil/Santa Rosa, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro 24230-340, Brazil
| | - Gustavo Martinez Souza
- Laboratory of Environmental Statistics, Institute of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics, of the Federal University of Rio Grande. Itália Avenue km 8, Carreiros, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil; Caminho Marinho Project, Federal University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Thayana Gião
- Caminho Marinho Project, Federal University of Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Felipe J S Bispo
- Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Athos da Silveira Ramos 149, Technology Center - University City, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21941-909, Brazil
| | - Ana Maria Ferreira Reis
- Postgraduate Program in Veterinary Medicine (Clinical and Animal Reproduction), Faculty of Veterinary, Fluminense Federal University, Almirante Ary Parreiras Avenue 503, Vital Brazil/Santa Rosa, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro 24230-340, Brazil; Department of Pathology and Veterinary Clinic, Sector of Veterinary Pathological Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary, Fluminense Federal University, Almirante Ary Parreiras Avenue 503, Vital Brazil/Santa Rosa, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro 24230-340, Brazil
| | - Juliana da Silva Leite
- Postgraduate Program in Veterinary Medicine (Clinical and Animal Reproduction), Faculty of Veterinary, Fluminense Federal University, Almirante Ary Parreiras Avenue 503, Vital Brazil/Santa Rosa, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro 24230-340, Brazil; Department of Pathology and Veterinary Clinic, Sector of Veterinary Pathological Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary, Fluminense Federal University, Almirante Ary Parreiras Avenue 503, Vital Brazil/Santa Rosa, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro 24230-340, Brazil
| | - Kássia Valéria Gomes Coelho da Silva
- Postgraduate Program in Veterinary Medicine (Clinical and Animal Reproduction), Faculty of Veterinary, Fluminense Federal University, Almirante Ary Parreiras Avenue 503, Vital Brazil/Santa Rosa, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro 24230-340, Brazil; Department of Pathology and Veterinary Clinic, Sector of Veterinary Pathological Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary, Fluminense Federal University, Almirante Ary Parreiras Avenue 503, Vital Brazil/Santa Rosa, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro 24230-340, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Immunity in Sea Turtles: Review of a Host-Pathogen Arms Race Millions of Years in the Running. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13040556. [PMID: 36830343 PMCID: PMC9951749 DOI: 10.3390/ani13040556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The immune system of sea turtles is not completely understood. Sea turtles (as reptiles) bridge a unique evolutionary gap, being ectothermic vertebrates like fish and amphibians and amniotes like birds and mammals. Turtles are ectotherms; thus, their immune system is influenced by environmental conditions like temperature and season. We aim to review the turtle immune system and note what studies have investigated sea turtles and the effect of the environment on the immune response. Turtles rely heavily on the nonspecific innate response rather than the specific adaptive response. Turtles' innate immune effectors include antimicrobial peptides, complement, and nonspecific leukocytes. The antiviral defense is understudied in terms of the diversity of pathogen receptors and interferon function. Turtles also mount adaptive responses to pathogens. Lymphoid structures responsible for lymphocyte activation and maturation are either missing in reptiles or function is affected by season. Turtles are a marker of health for their marine environment, and their immune system is commonly dysregulated because of disease or contaminants. Fibropapillomatosis (FP) is a tumorous disease that afflicts sea turtles and is thought to be caused by a virus and an environmental factor. We aim, by exploring the current understanding of the immune system in turtles, to aid the investigation of environmental factors that contribute to the pathogenesis of this disease and provide options for immunotherapy.
Collapse
|
6
|
Wilkinson A, Ariel E, van de Merwe J, Brodie J. Trace element concentrations in forage seagrass species of Chelonia mydas along the Great Barrier Reef. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269806. [PMID: 35704620 PMCID: PMC9200345 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxic metal exposure is a threat to green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) inhabiting and foraging in coastal seagrass meadows and are of particular concern in local bays of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), as numerous sources of metal contaminants are located within the region. Seagrass species tend to bioaccumulate metals at concentrations greater than that detected in the surrounding environment. Little is known regarding ecotoxicological impacts of environmental metal loads on seagrass or Chelonia mydas (C. mydas), and thus this study aimed to investigate and describe seagrass metal loads in three central GBR coastal sites and one offshore site located in the northern GBR. Primary seagrass forage of C. mydas was identified, and samples collected from foraging sites before and after the 2018/2019 wet season, and multivariate differences in metal profiles investigated between sites and sampling events. Most metals investigated were higher at one or more coastal sites, relative to data obtained from the offshore site, and cadmium (Cd), cobalt (Co), iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) were found to be higher at all coastal sites. Principle Component Analysis (PCA) found that metal profiles in the coastal sites were similar, but all were distinctly different from that of the offshore data. Coastal foraging sites are influenced by land-based contaminants that can enter the coastal zone via river discharge during periods of heavy rainfall, and impact sites closest to sources. Bioavailability of metal elements are determined by complex interactions and processes that are largely unknown, but association between elevated metal loads and turtle disease warrants further investigation to better understand the impact of environmental contaminants on ecologically important seagrass and associated macrograzers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Adam Wilkinson
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Ellen Ariel
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jason van de Merwe
- Australian Rivers Institute and School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
| | - Jon Brodie
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, Queensland, Australia
| |
Collapse
|