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Méndez-Fernandez P, Kiszka JJ, Heithaus MR, Beal A, Vandersarren G, Caurant F, Spitz J, Taniguchi S, Montone RC. From banana fields to the deep blue: Assessment of chlordecone contamination of oceanic cetaceans in the eastern Caribbean. Mar Pollut Bull 2018; 137:56-60. [PMID: 30503469 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2018.10.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2018] [Revised: 10/01/2018] [Accepted: 10/03/2018] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
In the French West Indies (Caribbean), the insecticide Chlordecone (CLD) has been extensively used to reduce banana weevil (Cosmopolites sordidus) infestations in banana plantations. Previous studies have shown high CLD concentrations in freshwater and coastal communities of the region. CLD concentrations, however, have not yet been assessed in marine top predators. We investigated CLD concentrations in cetacean blubber tissues from Guadeloupe, including Physeter macrocephalus, Lagenodelphis hosei, Stenella attenuata and Pseudorca crassidens. Chlordecone was detected in all blubber samples analysed, with the exception of four P. macrocephalus. Concentrations (range: 1 to 329 ng·g-1 of lipid weight) were, however, lower than those found in species from fresh and brackish water. Ecological factors (open ocean habitat), CLD kinetics, and cetacean metabolism (high or specific enzymatic activity) might explain low concentrations found in cetacean blubber. Future analyses that include internal organ sampling would help to confirm CLD levels observed in this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paula Méndez-Fernandez
- Laboratório de Química Orgânica Marinha, Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-120 São Paulo, SP, Brazil; Observatoire Pelagis, UMS 3462 Université de La Rochelle/CNRS, 5 allées de l'Océan, 17000 La Rochelle, France.
| | - Jeremy J Kiszka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 3000 NE 151st Street, North Miami, FL 33181, USA
| | - Michael R Heithaus
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 3000 NE 151st Street, North Miami, FL 33181, USA
| | - Andria Beal
- Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 3000 NE 151st Street, North Miami, FL 33181, USA
| | - Gaëlle Vandersarren
- CAR-SPAW, Parc National de Guadeloupe, Guadeloupe, French West Indies, France
| | - Florence Caurant
- Centre d'études Biologiques de Chizé, UMR 7372 Université de La Rochelle/CNRS, 2 Rue Olympe de Gouges, 17042 La Rochelle Cedex 01, France
| | - Jérôme Spitz
- Observatoire Pelagis, UMS 3462 Université de La Rochelle/CNRS, 5 allées de l'Océan, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Satie Taniguchi
- Laboratório de Química Orgânica Marinha, Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-120 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Rosalinda C Montone
- Laboratório de Química Orgânica Marinha, Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-120 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
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