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Trifari MP, Wooller MJ, Rea L, O'Hara TM, Lescord GL, Parnell AC, Barst BD. Compound-specific stable isotopes of amino acids reveal influences of trophic level and primary production sources on mercury concentrations in fishes from the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. Sci Total Environ 2024; 908:168242. [PMID: 37918743 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168242] [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: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
Total mercury concentrations ([THg]) exceed thresholds of concern in some Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) tissues from certain portions of the Aleutian Islands, Alaska. We applied compound-specific stable isotope analyses of both carbon and nitrogen in amino acids from fish muscle tissue to quantify the proportional contributions of primary production sources and trophic positions of eight prey species (n = 474 total) that are part of Steller sea lion diets. Previous THg analyses of fish muscle, coupled with monomethylmercury analyses of a subset of samples, substantiated previous findings that fishes from the west of Amchitka Pass, a discrete oceanographic boundary of the Aleutian Archipelago, have higher muscle Hg concentrations relative to fishes from the east. The δ13C values of essential amino acids (EAAs) in fish muscle demonstrated that although most fishes obtained their EAAs primarily from algae, some species varied in the extent to which they relied on this EAA source. The δ15N values of phenylalanine (0.9 to 7.8 ‰), an indicator of the isotopic baseline of a food web, varied widely within and among fish species. Trophic position estimates, accounting for this baseline variation, were higher from the west relative to the east of the pass for some fish species. Trophic magnification slopes using baseline-corrected trophic position estimates indicated similar rates of Hg biomagnification to the east and west of Amchitka Pass. Multiple linear regression models revealed that trophic position was the most important driver of fish muscle [THg] with less variation explained by other parameters. Thus, higher trophic positions but not the rate of Hg biomagnification to the west of Amchitka Pass may play a role in the regional differences in both fish and Steller sea lion [THg]. Although, differences in Hg contamination and uptake at the base of the east and west food webs could not be excluded.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michelle P Trifari
- Department of Marine Biology, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, USA; Alaska Stable Isotope Facility, Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA; Water and Environmental Research Center, Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - Matthew J Wooller
- Department of Marine Biology, College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, USA; Alaska Stable Isotope Facility, Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA; Water and Environmental Research Center, Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - Lorrie Rea
- Water and Environmental Research Center, Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Water and Environmental Research Center, Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA; Bilingual Laboratory of Toxicology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Gretchen L Lescord
- University of Florida, School of Forest Fisheries, and Geomatics Sciences, USA; Cooperative Freshwater Ecology Unit, Laurentian University, Ontario, Canada; Wildlife Conservation Society Canada, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada
| | - Andrew C Parnell
- Hamilton Institute, Insight Centre for Data Analytics, Maynooth University, Maynooth, Ireland
| | - Benjamin D Barst
- Alaska Stable Isotope Facility, Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA; Water and Environmental Research Center, Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.
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Symon TE, Murillo-Cisneros DA, Hernández-Camacho CJ, O'Hara TM, Taylor RJ, Rosado-Berrios CA, Vázquez-Medina JP, Zenteno-Savín T. Mercury and selenium concentrations in lanugo of free-ranging California sea lions in the southern Gulf of California, Mexico. Mar Pollut Bull 2023; 197:115712. [PMID: 37922756 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2023.115712] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
Total mercury ([THg]) and selenium ([TSe]) concentrations were determined in California sea lion (Zalophus californianus) lanugo from the Gulf of California in 2021 and 2022. Relationships with sex, morphometrics, and year were evaluated. Following toxicological thresholds of concern for piscivorous mammals, most pups had a [THg] < 10 ppm, one pup (2021) had a [THg] > 20 ppm, no pups had a [THg] > 30 ppm. Females had significantly higher [TSe] than males; sex did not influence [THg]. [THg] and [TSe] in 2022 were significantly higher in the general population and male cohorts compared to 2021. Significant negative correlations were observed between [THg], [TSe], and morphometrics (2021). These results indicate that, compared to other pinniped species, regional California sea lions may have a decreased likelihood of experiencing Hg-related adverse health effects. Year-related changes in element concentrations suggest continued monitoring of this population to assess pinniped, environmental, and potentially, human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- T E Symon
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S. C (CIBNOR), 23096 La Paz, Mexico.
| | - D A Murillo-Cisneros
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S. C (CIBNOR), 23096 La Paz, Mexico.
| | - C J Hernández-Camacho
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, 23096 La Paz, Mexico.
| | - T M O'Hara
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843, United States of America.
| | - R J Taylor
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843, United States of America.
| | - C A Rosado-Berrios
- School of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843, United States of America.
| | - J P Vázquez-Medina
- Department of Integrative Biology, University of California, Berkeley, 94720 Berkeley, United States of America.
| | - T Zenteno-Savín
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S. C (CIBNOR), 23096 La Paz, Mexico.
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Rea LD, Castellini JM, Avery JP, Fadely BS, Burkanov VN, Rehberg MJ, O'Hara TM. Corrigendum to "Regional variations and drivers of mercury and selenium concentrations in Steller sea lions" [Sci. Total Environ. 744 (2020) 140787]. Sci Total Environ 2022; 831:154887. [PMID: 35364161 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.154887] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- L D Rea
- Institute of Northern Engineering, Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA; Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation, Anchorage, AK 99518, USA.
| | - J M Castellini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - J P Avery
- Institute of Northern Engineering, Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - B S Fadely
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - V N Burkanov
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA 98115, USA; Kamchatka Branch of the Pacific Geographical Institute, Far East Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 6 Partizanskaya Street, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky 683000, Russia
| | - M J Rehberg
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation, Anchorage, AK 99518, USA
| | - T M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA; Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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Baró-Camarasa I, Marmolejo-Rodríguez AJ, O'Hara TM, Castellini JM, Murillo-Cisneros DA, Martínez-Rincón RO, Elorriaga-Verplancken FR, Galván-Magaña F. Mercury maternal transfer in two placental sharks and a yolk-sac ray from Baja California Sur, Mexico. Mar Pollut Bull 2022; 179:113672. [PMID: 35512518 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2022.113672] [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: 09/25/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Total mercury (THg) concentrations were measured in muscle and liver of two placental viviparous sharks, the Pacific sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon longurio) and the brown smooth-hound (Mustelus henlei); as well as in the muscle, liver, and yolk of the yolk-sac viviparous speckled guitarfish (Pseudobatos glaucostigmus) in Baja California Sur. The aim was to determine which factors could be involved in maternal transfer and resultant maternal and embryonic THg concentration. Higher THg concentrations were found in pregnant females compared to embryos paired tissues. THg concentrations of embryo tissues decreased with total length (TL), except for the muscle of the Pacific sharpnose shark. THg concentrations of embryo muscle was positively related to THg concentration in the muscle of pregnant females. Embryos TL, muscle THg concentration of pregnant females, percentage of THg concentration in embryos, along with the reproductive strategy are relevant factors required to improve our understanding of THg concentration in embryo tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isis Baró-Camarasa
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, La Paz, Baja California Sur C.P. 23096, Mexico
| | - Ana J Marmolejo-Rodríguez
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, La Paz, Baja California Sur C.P. 23096, Mexico
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Bilingual Laboratory of Toxicology, Dept. of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, C.P. 4461, TX, USA; Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, C.P. 99775, AK, USA
| | - J Margaret Castellini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, C.P. 99775, AK, USA
| | - Daniela A Murillo-Cisneros
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. Planeación Ambiental y Conservación, Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur C.P. 23096, Mexico
| | - Raúl O Martínez-Rincón
- CONACYT-Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. La Paz, Baja California Sur C.P. 23096, Mexico
| | | | - Felipe Galván-Magaña
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, La Paz, Baja California Sur C.P. 23096, Mexico.
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Murillo-Cisneros DA, McHuron EA, Zenteno-Savín T, Castellini JM, Field CL, O'Hara TM. Fetal mercury concentrations in central California Pacific harbor seals: Associated drivers and outcomes. Sci Total Environ 2022; 820:153246. [PMID: 35065116 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.153246] [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: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a well-known toxicant in wildlife and humans. High total Hg concentrations ([THg]) have been reported in central California harbor seals Phoca vitulina richardii. We evaluated the effects of presence/absence of early natal coat (lanugo), year (2012 to 2017), sex, stranding location, and trophic ecology (ẟ13C and ẟ15N values) on hair [THg] along coastal central California. Also examined were [THg] effects on growth rates of pups in rehabilitation and probability of release (e.g., successful rehabilitation). The [THg] ranged from 0.46-81.98 mg kg-1 dw, and ẟ15N and ẟ13C ranged from 13.6-21.5‰, and -17.2 to -13.0‰, respectively. Stranding location, year, and presence of lanugo coat were important factors explaining variation in [THg]. Seals from Sonoma and San Mateo County had higher [THg] than other locations. Seals with full or partial lanugo coat had lower [THg]. Seals from 2016 and 2017 had higher [THg] than those from 2015. Hair [THg] exceeded lower and upper toxicological thresholds (>20 mg kg-1 by year (5.88% to 23.53%); >30 mg kg-1 (0% to 12.31%)) with a pronounced increase from 2015 to 2016. Pups in 2017 had significantly higher odds ratio of [THg] above 20 mg kg-1 than pups of 2015, and pups in 2016 had significantly higher odds ratio than those from 2013 and 2015 (similar when using 30 mg kg-1). Pups in Sonoma County had the highest odds ratio for [THg] in lanugo above 20 mg kg-1. ẟ15N values were higher in 2015-2017, particularly relative to 2014, probably associated with the El Niño event. The [THg] was not a good predictor for probability of release and mass-specific growth rates in captivity. Further investigation of temporal trends of [THg] in harbor seals is warranted given the relatively high percentage of samples exceeding threshold values, particularly in the most recent sampling years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela A Murillo-Cisneros
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. Planeación Ambiental y Conservación, Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur C.P. 23096, Mexico
| | - Elizabeth A McHuron
- Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean, and Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington, 3737 Brooklyn Avenue NE, Seattle, WA 98195-5672, USA
| | - Tania Zenteno-Savín
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. Planeación Ambiental y Conservación, Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur C.P. 23096, Mexico.
| | - J Margaret Castellini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2141 Koyokuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA
| | - Cara L Field
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito, CA 94965, USA
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Bilingual Laboratory of Toxicology, Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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Kennedy SN, Keogh M, Levin M, Castellini JM, Lian M, Fadely BS, Rea LD, O'Hara TM. Regional variations and relationships among cytokine profiles, white blood cell counts, and blood mercury concentrations in Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) pups. Sci Total Environ 2021; 775:144894. [PMID: 33631572 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.144894] [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: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 12/23/2020] [Accepted: 12/27/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
The Steller sea lion (SSL) population west of 144°W longitude experienced a significant population decline. While there appears to be a stable or increasing population trend in rookeries in the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and Southeast Alaska (SEA), some rookeries within the Aleutian Islands (AI) have failed to recover. Previous studies found regional differences in whole blood total mercury concentrations ([THg]) showing more than 20% of AI pups had [THg] above critical thresholds for increased risk of immunological effects and other adverse outcomes. Measurements of immune cell-signaling proteins can be used to evaluate the immune status of marine mammals in relation to [THg]. We compared serum cytokine and chemokine concentrations in pups among regions (AI, eastern GOA, SEA), and examined associations among cytokines, chemokines, white blood cell (WBC) counts, and [THg]. Considering liver is an important target organ for mercury and immune protein synthesis we additionally examined the relationship of [THg] with liver-related enzymes serum aspartate (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). We observed regional differences in cytokine and chemokine measurements and immune protein associations. There was a positive association between total WBC counts and [THg] in AI pups, whereas a negative association between lymphocytes and [THg] in SEA pups. These findings may indicate regional variation in proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic cells, differences in immune system development, and/or a difference in antigenic stimuli. No associations between [THg] and cytokines, chemokines, AST or ALT were found. Observed regional differences in cytokine and chemokine milieu during gestational and early development in SSL pups could lead to an imbalance in cell differentiation that could impact immunological resiliency in juvenile and adult life stages. We report concentration ranges of a suite of cytokines and chemokines which may prove to be a useful metric for ecotoxicology and risk assessment studies in SSLs and other wildlife.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie N Kennedy
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA; Harvard Medical School and Division of Gastroenterology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Mandy Keogh
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation, Juneau, AK, USA.
| | - Milton Levin
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, USA.
| | - J Margaret Castellini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.
| | - Marianne Lian
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA; Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.
| | - Brian S Fadely
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA, USA.
| | - Lorrie D Rea
- Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA; Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, USA.
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Lian M, Field CL, van Wijngaarden E, Rios C, Castellini JM, Greig DJ, Rea LD, Coleman DJ, Thomson CE, Gulland FMD, O'Hara TM. Assessment of clinical outcomes associated with mercury concentrations in harbor seal pups (Phoca vitulina richardii) in central California. Sci Total Environ 2021; 758:143686. [PMID: 33279198 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.143686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/06/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Monomethyl mercury (MeHg+) from the diet can cause mild to severe neurotoxicosis in fish-eating mammals. Chronic and low-level in utero exposure also can be neurotoxic, as documented in laboratory animal studies and epidemiologic investigations. In free-ranging animals, it is challenging to study low-level exposure related neurotoxicosis, and few studies have investigated the relationship between mercury (Hg) and adverse outcomes in wild populations. Relative to Hg concentrations on admission we evaluated different types of behaviors for 267 Pacific harbor seal (HS; Phoca vitulina richardii) pups at The Marine Mammal Center from 2015 to 2019 during rehabilitation after stranding and maternal separation. Admitted HS pups underwent a clinical exam; including sex and weight determination, and hair (partly lanugo grown in utero) and blood samples were collected for total Hg concentration ([THg]) determination. All pups were monitored weekly (behavior assessments included response to tactile stimulation, movement, swimming, interactions with other seals, hand feeding, and feeding independently), and days in rehabilitation and survival were recorded. There was a significant negative correlation between [THg] and responses to tactile stimulation and movements, measured in both hair and whole blood (p < 0.05). This relationship was found both during the intensive care unit (ICU) stage, and during the pool stage of rehabilitation. Additionally, there was a significant association between greater [THg] and number of days spent in rehabilitation, although there was no relationship between [THg] and survival. There was a significant sex difference, with greater [THg] in female pups, which contrasts with previously published findings in juvenile and adult harbor seals. Our findings support small, but significant associations between gestational THg exposure and clinical effects for tactile sensory response and movement, and longer rehabilitation durations for HS pups, although there was considerable variability among animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marianne Lian
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2141 Koyokuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA; Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 900 Yukon Dr Rm. 194, Fairbanks, AK 99775-6160, USA.
| | - Cara L Field
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito, CA 94965, USA
| | - Edwin van Wijngaarden
- University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, 601 Elmwood Avenue, Rochester, NY 14642, USA
| | - Carlos Rios
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito, CA 94965, USA
| | - J Margaret Castellini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2141 Koyokuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA
| | - Denise J Greig
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito, CA 94965, USA
| | - Lorrie D Rea
- Water and Environmental Research Center, Institute of Northern Engineering, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 1764 Tanana Loop, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - Denver J Coleman
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito, CA 94965, USA
| | - Christine E Thomson
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2141 Koyokuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA; Animal Referral Hospital Brisbane, Sinnamon Park, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Frances M D Gulland
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito, CA 94965, USA
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2141 Koyokuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA; Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA
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Baró-Camarasa I, Marmolejo-Rodríguez AJ, O'Hara TM, Elorriaga-Verplancken FR, Trejo-Ramírez A, Martínez-Rincón RO, Galván-Magaña F. Isotopic (δ 15 N) relationship of pregnant females and their embryos: Comparing placental and yolk-sac viviparous elasmobranchs. J Fish Biol 2021; 98:784-790. [PMID: 33230841 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14625] [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: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 11/11/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogen stable isotopes ratios (δ15 N) were determined for selected tissues (muscle, liver, blood and yolk) of pregnant females and their embryos of a placental viviparous species, the Pacific sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon longurio), and a yolk-sac viviparous species, the speckled guitarfish (Pseudobatos glaucostigmus). The R. longurio embryo tissues were 15 N enriched compared to the same tissues in the pregnant female, using the difference in δ15 N (Δδ15 N) between embryo and adult. Mean Δδ15 N was 2.17‰ in muscle, 4.39‰ in liver and 0.80‰ in blood. For P. glaucostigmus, embryo liver tissue was significantly 15 N enriched in comparison with liver of the pregnant female (Δδ15 N mean = 1.22‰), whereas embryo muscle was 15 N depleted relative to the muscle of the pregnant female (Δδ15 N mean = -1.22‰). Both species presented a significant positive linear relationship between Δδ15 N and embryo total length (LT ). The results indicated that embryos have different Δδ15 N depending on their reproductive strategy, tissue type analysed and embryo LT .
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Affiliation(s)
- Isis Baró-Camarasa
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, La Paz, Mexico
| | | | - Todd M O'Hara
- Bilingual Laboratory of Toxicology, Department of Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas, USA
| | | | | | | | - Felipe Galván-Magaña
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, La Paz, Mexico
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Murillo-Cisneros DA, Zenteno-Savín T, Harley J, Cyr A, Hernández-Almaraz P, Gaxiola-Robles R, Galván-Magaña F, O'Hara TM. Mercury concentrations in Baja California Sur fish: Dietary exposure assessment. Chemosphere 2021; 267:129233. [PMID: 33359982 PMCID: PMC7851631 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2020.129233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 11/25/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 05/06/2023]
Abstract
Total mercury concentrations ([THg]) in muscle were determined in commercial finfish and elasmobranchs from Baja California Sur (BCS), Mexico to evaluate dietary Hg exposure for BCS communities, including the relationship of trophic ecology, length and mass with [THg] that might drive future consumption advice (e.g., recommend limited consumption of large fish for some species). The [THg] ranged from 0.06 to 528.02 μg kg-1 ww in finfish and 17.68-848.26 μg kg-1 ww in elasmobranchs. Relative to the consumption threshold set for predatory fish in Mexico, all species had a concentration below 1000 μg kg-1 ww. As expected, 16 (4.02%) and 75 (18.84%) individual fish were above advisory thresholds of 500 and 200 μg kg-1 ww, respectively. The hazard quotients (HQs) in most species were significantly <1.0, only banded guitarfish showed a significant median HQ > 1.0. Thus, the relative level of risk of high Hg exposure is low for most species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela A Murillo-Cisneros
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Del Noroeste, S.C. Planeación Ambiental y Conservación. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur, C.P. 23096, Mexico
| | - Tania Zenteno-Savín
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Del Noroeste, S.C. Planeación Ambiental y Conservación. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur, C.P. 23096, Mexico.
| | - John Harley
- Alaska Coastal Rainforest Center, University of Alaska Southeast, 11175 Auke Lake Way, Juneau, AK, 99801, USA
| | - Andrew Cyr
- Biomedical Learning and Student Training, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 2141 Koyukuk Dr., Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Pablo Hernández-Almaraz
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Del Noroeste, S.C. Planeación Ambiental y Conservación. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur, C.P. 23096, Mexico
| | - Ramón Gaxiola-Robles
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Del Noroeste, S.C. Planeación Ambiental y Conservación. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo de Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur, C.P. 23096, Mexico; Hospital General de Zona No.1. Instituto Mexicano Del Seguro Social. 5 de Febrero y Héroes de La Independencia, Centro, La Paz, Baja California Sur, C.P. 23000, Mexico
| | - Felipe Galván-Magaña
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Av. I.P.N. S/n, Colonia Playa Palo de Santa Rita, Apartado Postal 592, La Paz, Baja California Sur, C.P. 23000, Mexico
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Bilingual Laboratory of Toxicology, Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, 77843, USA
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Rea LD, Castellini JM, Avery JP, Fadely BS, Burkanov VN, Rehberg MJ, O'Hara TM. Regional variations and drivers of mercury and selenium concentrations in Steller sea lions. Sci Total Environ 2020; 744:140787. [PMID: 32717470 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.140787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 04/16/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) can be neurotoxic to mammals and impact reproduction, whereas selenium (Se) is an important antioxidant known to ameliorate some adverse effects of Hg. Total Hg concentrations ([THg]) were measured in lanugo (pelage grown in utero) of 812 Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) pups across Alaska and Russia to assess fetal exposure during late gestation. The molar ratio of total Se to THg (TSe:THg) was determined in whole blood collected from 291 pups. Stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen were measured in sections of vibrissae (whiskers, n = 498) and in lanugo (n = 480) of pups grown during late gestation to track diet variations among adult females that can drive Hg and Se exposure during this critical fetal development period. Lanugo [THg] ranged from 1.4 to 73.7 μg/g dry weight with the lowest median [THg] in Southeast Alaska. Pups from the Western Aleutian Islands had higher median lanugo [THg] than pups from other metapopulations in Alaska. Over 25% of pups in the Western Aleutian Islands had [THg] above published risk thresholds (20 μg/g) for other mammals. Whole blood molar TSe:THg was significantly lower in the Western Aleutian Islands and in some parts of the Central Aleutian Islands with higher molar ratios found in the Eastern Aleutian Islands and Central Gulf of Alaska. This suggests a limitation on potential protective functions of Se in the western regions with the highest relative [THg]. The Central Aleutian Island pups with [THg] over 20 μg/g had higher δ15N ratios than pups with lower [THg] suggesting dams consuming higher trophic level prey is a key driver for Hg exposure. However, regional differences likely reflect variability in diet of the dam during gestation and in Hg food web dynamics between oceanic regimes east and west of key passes in the Aleutian Islands.
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Affiliation(s)
- L D Rea
- Institute of Northern Engineering, Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA; Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation, Anchorage, AK 99518, USA.
| | - J M Castellini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.
| | - J P Avery
- Institute of Northern Engineering, Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.
| | - B S Fadely
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA 98115, USA.
| | - V N Burkanov
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA 98115, USA; Kamchatka Branch of the Pacific Geographical Institute, Far East Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, 6 Partizanskaya Street, Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky 683000, Russia.
| | - M J Rehberg
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Wildlife Conservation, Anchorage, AK 99518, USA.
| | - T M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA; Veterinary Integrative Biosciences, College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA.
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11
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Harley JR, Gill VA, Lee S, Kannan K, Santana V, Burek-Huntington K, O'Hara TM. Concentrations of organohalogens (PCBs, DDTs, PBDEs) in hunted and stranded Northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) in Alaska from 1992 to 2010: Links to pathology and feeding ecology. Sci Total Environ 2019; 691:789-798. [PMID: 31326802 PMCID: PMC6711818 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.07.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2019] [Revised: 07/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/03/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Many organohalogen compounds (OHCs) are persistent organic pollutants (POPs) found in appreciable concentrations in marine predators. While production of some POPs has declined or ceased in recent decades, their capacity for global transport and bioaccumulation results in observations of unchanging or increasing concentrations in marine systems. Sea otters (Enhydra lutris) have been advocated as an environmental sentinel for contaminants due to their longevity, site fidelity and prey species that often overlap with human consumption. Using archived (1992-2010) samples of livers from Northern sea otters (n = 50) from Alaska we examine concentrations of chlordanes (CHLs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDTs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and associated metabolites. We found some evidence for declining ΣPCBs over the two decades, however for most animals concentrations were low compared to toxicological thresholds. Six animals had relatively high concentrations of ΣPCBs (mean = 262,000 ng/g lipid weight), ΣDDTs (mean = 8,800 ng/g lw), and ΣPBDEs (mean = 4,600 ng/g lw), with four of these six animals experiencing hepatic parasitism or hepatitis. In order to assess whether differences in POP concentrations are associated with feeding ecology, we examined stable isotopes of C and N in archived muscle and whisker samples. In general, there were no significant relationships between ΣPOP concentrations and stable isotope ratios. There were small differences in stable isotope profiles in animals with high POP concentrations, although it was unclear if these differences were due to feeding ecology or disease processes. This study highlights the importance of considering feeding ecology and necropsy (health and disease status) data while conducting contaminant surveys, and confirms some previous reports of trends in OHCs in Alaska marine mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R Harley
- Alaska Coastal Rainforest Center, University of Alaska Southeast, 11066 Auke Lake Way, Juneau, AK 99801, USA.
| | - Verena A Gill
- United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Marine Mammals Management, 1011 East Tudor Road, MS 341, Anchorage, AK 99503, USA; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries, 222 W. 7th Ave, Rm 552, Anchorage, AK 99513, USA
| | - Sunmi Lee
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12201, USA; School of Public Health, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12201, USA
| | - Kurunthachalam Kannan
- Wadsworth Center, New York State Department of Health, Albany, NY 12201, USA; School of Public Health, State University of New York, Albany, NY 12201, USA
| | - Vanessa Santana
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, 982 Koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA
| | - Kathy Burek-Huntington
- Alaska Veterinary Pathology Services, 23834 The Clearing Drive, Eagle River, AK 99577, USA
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, 901 Koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA
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12
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Harley J, Gaxiola-Robles R, Zenteno-Savín T, Méndez-Rodríguez LC, Bencomo-Alvarez AE, Thiede A, O'Hara TM. Using carbon and nitrogen stable isotope modelling to assess dietary mercury exposure for pregnant women in Baja California Sur, Mexico. Chemosphere 2019; 234:702-714. [PMID: 31234087 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2019.06.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Revised: 06/02/2019] [Accepted: 06/10/2019] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Previous studies of mercury (Hg) in pregnant women in the area of La Paz, Baja California Sur (BCS), Mexico found a proportion of individuals had concentrations of total Hg ([THg]) above some thresholds of concern set by health agencies. The [THg] were associated with fish and seafood consumption as well as other factors; although it was unclear which marine diet items could potentially be contributing to the concentrations observed. METHOD We examined [THg] and monomethylmercury concentration ([MeHg+]) in the archived hair of 70 pregnant women from BCS as well as in diet items including fish, shellfish, and staple items (rice, beans, corn, and flour). We measured stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen and employed a Bayesian stable isotope mixing model to investigate the proportion of fish and seafood in the isotopic profiles of archived hair samples. RESULTS Concentrations of Hg species were low in staple foods and ranged from below detection limit to 5.71 parts per billion (ppb) wet weight. In hair, geometric mean [THg] was 658 ppb and [MeHg+] was 395 ppb, which were lower than previous reports. Percent MeHg+ was positively correlated with higher δ15N values. CONCLUSIONS The largest carbon contributors to the diet of the study participants were corn and rice, and our analysis of fish contribution to diet varyingly agreed with the self-reported fish consumption. This report highlights the ability to discriminate potential sources of Hg from a diverse diet and the limitations of dietary recall studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Harley
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 900 Yukon Drive Rm 194, Fairbanks, AK, 99775-6160, USA.
| | - Ramón Gaxiola-Robles
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur, C.P. 23096. Mexico; Hospital General de Zona No.1. Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social. 5 de Febrero y Héroes de la Independencia, Centro, La Paz, Baja California Sur, C.P. 23000. Mexico.
| | - Tania Zenteno-Savín
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur, C.P. 23096. Mexico.
| | - Lía Celina Méndez-Rodríguez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. Instituto Politécnico Nacional 195, Playa Palo Santa Rita Sur, La Paz, Baja California Sur, C.P. 23096. Mexico.
| | - Alfonso Enrique Bencomo-Alvarez
- Hospital General de Zona No.1. Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social. 5 de Febrero y Héroes de la Independencia, Centro, La Paz, Baja California Sur, C.P. 23000. Mexico.
| | - Alisa Thiede
- Department of Biology and Wildlife, 211 Irving I, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 901 Koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK, 99775-7750, USA.
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Murillo-Cisneros DA, O'Hara TM, Elorriaga-Verplancken FR, Sánchez-González A, Marín-Enríquez E, Marmolejo-Rodríguez AJ, Galván-Magaña F. Trophic Structure and Biomagnification of Total Mercury in Ray Species Within a Benthic Food Web. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 2019; 77:321-329. [PMID: 31028414 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-019-00632-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2018] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Stable isotopes of C (δ13C) and N (δ15N) were used to explore the trophic structure and evaluate mercury (Hg) biomagnification in the food web of muscle of three commercially important ray species from the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur (PCBCS): the shovelnose guitarfish (Pseudobatos productus), banded guitarfish (Zapteryx exasperata), and bat ray (Myliobatis californica). The food web of these ray species predominately consisted of zooplankton, three species of fish, and five species of invertebrates. Mean δ15N values in all species ranged from 10.54 ± 0.18‰ in zooplankton to 17.84 ± 0.81‰ in the shovelnose guitarfish. Mean δ13C values ranged from - 22.05 ± 0.75‰ in the red crab to - 15.93 ± 0.78‰ in the bat ray. Mean total Hg concentration ([THg]) in all species ranged from 0.0009 ± 0.0002 mg kg-1 ww in zooplankton to 0.24 ± 0.19 mg kg-1 ww in the banded guitarfish. The food web magnification factor was 6.38 and significantly greater than 1.0. The present study describes [THg] biomagnification in the benthic food web of three ray species of the PCBCS. This provides an important baseline knowledge of the biomagnification dynamics and pathways of Hg in this environment for these multiple interacting species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela A Murillo-Cisneros
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. I.P.N. s/n, Colonia Playa Palo de Santa Rita, Apartado Postal 592, C.P. 23000, La Paz, B.C.S, Mexico
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 901 Koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, 99775-7750, USA
| | - Fernando R Elorriaga-Verplancken
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. I.P.N. s/n, Colonia Playa Palo de Santa Rita, Apartado Postal 592, C.P. 23000, La Paz, B.C.S, Mexico
| | - Alberto Sánchez-González
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. I.P.N. s/n, Colonia Playa Palo de Santa Rita, Apartado Postal 592, C.P. 23000, La Paz, B.C.S, Mexico
| | - Emigdio Marín-Enríquez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. Av. IPN S/N, Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita, 23096, La Paz, B.C.S, Mexico
| | - Ana J Marmolejo-Rodríguez
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. I.P.N. s/n, Colonia Playa Palo de Santa Rita, Apartado Postal 592, C.P. 23000, La Paz, B.C.S, Mexico
| | - Felipe Galván-Magaña
- Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Av. I.P.N. s/n, Colonia Playa Palo de Santa Rita, Apartado Postal 592, C.P. 23000, La Paz, B.C.S, Mexico.
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14
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McHuron EA, Castellini JM, Rios CA, Berner J, Gulland FMD, Greig DJ, O'Hara TM. HAIR, WHOLE BLOOD, AND BLOOD-SOAKED CELLULOSE PAPER-BASED RISK ASSESSMENT OF MERCURY CONCENTRATIONS IN STRANDED CALIFORNIA PINNIPEDS. J Wildl Dis 2019; 55:823-833. [PMID: 31081740] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) poses a health risk to wildlife populations and has been documented at relatively high concentrations in many marine mammals, including wild-caught pinnipeds along the central California, US coast. We measured total Hg concentrations ([THg]) in hair and blood of live-stranded harbor seals (HS; Phoca vitulina), California sea lions (CSL; Zalophus californianus), and northern elephant seals (NES; Mirounga angustirostris) in California to quantify species, temporal, and spatial variability in [THg] and assess the relationships between [THg] measured by different methods (blood vs. filter paper) and in different matrices (blood vs. hair). We compared [THg] with toxicologic thresholds of concern to aid in identification of at-risk individuals or groups and better understand how the use of different methods and matrices affects assumed toxicologic risk. There was a wide range of [THg] in blood (<0.01-1.13 μg/g) and hair (0.45-81.98 μg/g), and NES had higher [THg] compared with HS and CSL. All three species had individuals with [THg] that exceeded the lower threshold for one or both matrices, but only HS pups had [THg] exceeding upper thresholds. Spatial differences in [THg] were detected, with higher concentrations in HS pups from areas surrounding San Francisco Bay, but differences were dependent on sampling year and matrix. The relationship between [THg] in blood and filter paper (r2=0.98) was strong, and differences had little influence on comparisons with toxicologic thresholds. Blood and hair [THg] were generally in agreement (r2=0.72), but large mismatches for a few seals underscore the importance of combined sampling in adverse effects studies where accurate assessment of Hg exposure is crucial. The wide range of [THg] in stranded HS pups that exceeded published thresholds of concern makes them a promising candidate for adverse effects studies, particularly because different matrices represent Hg exposure across key developmental stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A McHuron
- Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean, University of Washington, 3737 Brooklyn Avenue NE, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA
| | - J Margaret Castellini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Natural Science and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, PO Box 757750, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775, USA
| | - Carlos A Rios
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Sausalito, California 94965, USA
| | - James Berner
- Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, 4000 Ambassador Drive, Anchorage, Alaska 99508, USA
| | - Frances M D Gulland
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Sausalito, California 94965, USA
- Wildlife Health Center, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, 1 Garrod Drive, Davis, California 95616, USA
| | - Denise J Greig
- California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, California 94118, USA
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Natural Science and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, PO Box 757750, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775, USA
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Cyr A, López JA, Rea L, Wooller MJ, Loomis T, Mcdermott S, O'Hara TM. Mercury concentrations in marine species from the Aleutian Islands: Spatial and biological determinants. Sci Total Environ 2019; 664:761-770. [PMID: 30763856 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2019.01.387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [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: 09/18/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/29/2019] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Several species found in the Bering Sea show significant spatial variation in total mercury concentrations ([THg]) longitudinally along the Aleutian Island chain. We assessed [THg] in other members of the Bering Sea food web to better understand the factors shaping regional differences. [THg] and stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios (δ15N and δ13C values) were measured in muscle tissue from 1052 fishes and cephalopods from parts of the Bering Sea and North Pacific Ocean adjacent to the Aleutian Islands. The spatial distribution of the samples enabled regional comparisons for 8 species of fish and one species of cephalopod. Four species showed higher mean length-standardized [THg] in the western Aleutian Islands management area. [THg] in yellow Irish lord were very different relative to those observed in other species and when included in multi-species analyses drove the overall regional trends in mean [THg]. Multi-species analyses excluding measurements for yellow Irish lord showed mean length-standardized [THg] was greater in the western Aleutian Islands than in the central Aleutian Islands management area. Linear regression of [THg] and δ15N values showed a significant and positive relationship across all species, varying between regions and across species. Isotopic space of all species was significantly different between the western Aleutian Islands and central Aleutian Islands, driven largely by δ13C values. Stable isotope values observed follow the same regional trend of lower trophic taxa reported in the literature, with significantly lower δ13C values in the western Aleutian Islands. We conclude that there are regional differences in carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ecology, as well as species-specific feeding ecology that influence [THg] dynamics in part of the marine food web along the Aleutian Island chain. These regional differences are likely contributors to the observed regional variations of [THg] in some high-level predators found in these regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew Cyr
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 905 N Koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7220, USA.
| | - J Andrés López
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 905 N Koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7220, USA; University of Alaska Museum of the North, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, 907 Yukon Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960, USA
| | - Lorrie Rea
- Water and Environmental Research Center, 306 Tanana Loop, Fairbanks, AK 99775-5860, USA
| | - Matthew J Wooller
- College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 905 N Koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7220, USA; Water and Environmental Research Center, 306 Tanana Loop, Fairbanks, AK 99775-5860, USA; Alaska Stable Isotope Facility, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, 907 Yukon Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960, USA
| | - Todd Loomis
- Ocean Peace, Inc., 4201 21st Avenue West, Seattle, WA 98199, USA
| | - Susanne Mcdermott
- NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, 7600 Sandpoint Way, NE (F/AKC2), Seattle, WA 98115, USA
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 901 Koyukuk Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA
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16
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Kennedy SN, Wilhite B, Margaret Castellini J, Rea LD, Kuhn TB, Ferrante A, O'Hara TM. Enhanced quantification of serum immunoglobulin G from a non-model wildlife species, the Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus), using a protein A ELISA. J Immunol Methods 2018; 462:42-47. [PMID: 30099015 DOI: 10.1016/j.jim.2018.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2018] [Revised: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 08/07/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
Immunoglobulins (Ig) are proteins that preserve immune homeostasis and are quantified to infer changes to the acquired humoral immune response in mammals. Measuring Ig in non-model wildlife for immune surveillance often requires ingenuity, and rigorous standardization of methodologies to provide reliable results especially when lacking species-specific reagents. We modified and optimized existing ELISA methodology utilizing the binding properties of Staphylococcus-derived Protein A (PrtA) to immunoglobulin G (IgG). We enhanced the assay for quantifying IgG in Steller sea lion (SSL) serum using critical quality control measures including dilution linearity, spike and percent recoveries, and internal controls. Of the modifications made, heat treatment of SSL serum enhanced accuracy and precision of IgG measurements by improving linearity and percent recovery in parallel dilutions and serum spikes. Purified canine IgG standard was not affected by heat inactivation. These results support that confounding serum proteins interfere with binding of PrtA with IgG demonstrating the need for heat treatment of serum to optimize IgG quantification using the PrtA-ELISA. Further, essential validation measures ensure proper assay performance. Consequently, the improved PrtA-ELISA provides species-independent IgG detection with validation criteria to enhance accuracy and precision for addressing future immunological questions in non-model wildlife in clinical, ecological, and conservation contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie N Kennedy
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 982 Koyukuk Drive, Murie Building 101 (RM 223K), University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA.
| | - Brittany Wilhite
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 982 Koyukuk Drive, Murie Building 101 (RM 223K), University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA
| | - J Margaret Castellini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 757750, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA
| | - Lorrie D Rea
- Institute of Northern Engineering, 1764 Tanana Loop, ELIF Suite 240, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - Thomas B Kuhn
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, 982 Koyukuk Drive, Murie Building 101 (RM 223K), University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA
| | - Andrea Ferrante
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 757750, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA
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17
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Murillo-Cisneros DA, O'Hara TM, Castellini JM, Sánchez-González A, Elorriaga-Verplancken FR, Marmolejo-Rodríguez AJ, Marín-Enríquez E, Galván-Magaña F. Mercury concentrations in three ray species from the Pacific coast of Baja California Sur, Mexico: Variations by tissue type, sex and length. Mar Pollut Bull 2018; 126:77-85. [PMID: 29421137 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2017.10.060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [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: 01/31/2017] [Revised: 10/05/2017] [Accepted: 10/21/2017] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Total mercury concentrations ([THg]) were determined in muscle and liver of the bat ray (Myliobatis californica), shovelnose guitarfish (Pseudobatos productus) and banded guitarfish (Zapteryx exasperata). Generalized linear models (GLM) were used to determine the effects of size and sex in [THg] and showed that both are determinants of [THg] in these species. The [THg] in both tissues significantly increased with length especially in sexually mature organisms with a steeper slope for mature male than mature female. This may relate to elasmobranchs sexual dimorphism driven variation in growth rates. Median muscle [THg] was significantly greater than liver in each ray species but there were some individuals with higher liver [THg] than muscle. There were individuals with muscle [THg] higher than the advisory thresholds of 0.2 and 0.5mgkg-1ww (2.4 and 11% of the bat ray; 2.1 and 10% of the shovelnose guitarfish; 12.6 and 45% of the banded guitarfish, respectively).
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela A Murillo-Cisneros
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Av. I.P.N. s/n, Colonia Playa Palo de Santa Rita, Apartado Postal 592, La Paz, Baja California Sur C.P. 23000, Mexico
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 901 Koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA
| | - J Margaret Castellini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 901 Koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA
| | - Alberto Sánchez-González
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Av. I.P.N. s/n, Colonia Playa Palo de Santa Rita, Apartado Postal 592, La Paz, Baja California Sur C.P. 23000, Mexico
| | - Fernando R Elorriaga-Verplancken
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Av. I.P.N. s/n, Colonia Playa Palo de Santa Rita, Apartado Postal 592, La Paz, Baja California Sur C.P. 23000, Mexico
| | - Ana J Marmolejo-Rodríguez
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Av. I.P.N. s/n, Colonia Playa Palo de Santa Rita, Apartado Postal 592, La Paz, Baja California Sur C.P. 23000, Mexico
| | - Emigdio Marín-Enríquez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas del Noroeste, S.C. Av. IPN S/N, Col. Playa Palo de Santa Rita, 23096 La Paz, B.C.S., Mexico
| | - Felipe Galván-Magaña
- Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Centro Interdisciplinario de Ciencias Marinas, Av. I.P.N. s/n, Colonia Playa Palo de Santa Rita, Apartado Postal 592, La Paz, Baja California Sur C.P. 23000, Mexico.
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Hayden M, Bhawal R, Escobedo J, Harmon C, O'Hara TM, Klein D, San-Francisco S, Zabet-Moghaddam M, Godard-Codding CAJ. Nanospray liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry analysis of steroids from gray whale blubber. Rapid Commun Mass Spectrom 2017; 31:1088-1094. [PMID: 28423207 DOI: 10.1002/rcm.7884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Revised: 04/11/2017] [Accepted: 04/12/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Analysis of steroids from precious blubber biopsies obtained from marine mammals, especially endangered species, can provide valuable information on their endocrine status. Challenges with currently used ELISA methodology include lack of absolute quantitation and incompatibility with multiple steroids analysis due to limited biopsy mass. Development of a sensitive, accurate analytical method for this purpose is critical. METHODS A nanospray liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (nanoLC/MS/MS) method was validated for sensitive, specific and quantitative analysis of three steroid hormones, without derivatization, extracted from 50 mg blubber samples. Data was acquired with an LTQ XL ion trap mass spectrometer in positive ion mode, using single reaction monitoring. All three steroids were analyzed in a single run. Cholic acid was used as a surrogate internal standard for quantitation due to its steroidal structure and lack of measurable endogenous levels in blubber. RESULTS The lowest limits of quantitation for progesterone, testosterone, and hydrocortisone were significantly improved compared to previous studies using conventional LC/MS/MS. The lowest limit of detection was 7 fg/μL using a 1 μL injection volume. Calibration curves for steroid quantification showed good linearity (r2 >0.99) between 14 and 3620 fg/μL, and accuracy was <20% for interday and <10% for intraday. After validation, the method was successfully applied to quantification of steroids in gray whale blubber samples. CONCLUSIONS The nanoLC/MS/MS method is more sensitive than traditional LC/MS/MS for steroid analysis. It is also compatible with other important biopsy analyses due to its small blubber mass requirement. This will benefit the reproductive and stress assessments for all marine mammals, particularly endangered populations. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary Hayden
- The Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Ruchika Bhawal
- Center for Biotechnology and Genomics, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - John Escobedo
- Center for Biotechnology and Genomics, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Clinton Harmon
- Center for Biotechnology and Genomics, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - David Klein
- The Institute of Environmental and Human Health, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
| | - Susan San-Francisco
- Center for Biotechnology and Genomics, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX, USA
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O'Hara TM, Hanns C, Bratton G, Taylor R, Woshner VM. Essential and non-essential elements in eight tissue types from subsistencehunted bowhead whale: Nutritional and toxicological assessment. Int J Circumpolar Health 2016; 65:228-42. [PMID: 16871829 DOI: 10.3402/ijch.v65i3.18108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To assess essential/non-essential elements in bowhead whale. STUDY DESIGN Analyzes of tissues for key elements and comparing them to published food guidelines. METHODS Using national and international guidelines calculate percent (%) "Recommended Daily Allowance" of essential elements in 100 g portion of bowhead tissues. For non-essential elements, determine maximal tissue consumption based on average element concentrations and provisional tolerable weekly intake; and minimal risk level. RESULTS Liver and kidney are rich in essential/non-essential elements and have the greatest concentration of cadmium (Cd) among tissues studied, while mercury (Hg), lead (Pb) and arsenic (As) are relatively low. Kidney of bowhead whale is consumed in very limited amounts (limited tissue mass compared to muscle and maktak); liver is consumed rarely. Other tissues, except blubber, are excellent sources of many essential elements, without the abundance of liver and kidney Cd. CONCLUSIONS Renal Cd concentrations are most restrictive for consumption on a tissue mass basis. Better understanding of Cd bioavailability, food processing, and actual consumption rates and patterns, are critical to providing improved guidance. Compared to store-bought meat, bowhead whale had comparable concentrations of elements in the tissues studied, with a few noted differences. The occasional blubber substitute, Crisco, was nearly devoid of trace element content.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Wildlife Management, North Slope Borough, Barrow, USA.
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20
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Abstract
Climate change is already affecting Arctic species including infectious disease agents and greater changes are expected. Some infectious diseases are already increasing but future changes are difficult to predict because of the complexity of host-agent-environment relationships. However mechanisms related to climate change that will influence disease patterns are understood. Warmer temperatures will benefit free living bacteria and parasites whose survival and development is limited by temperature. Warmer temperatures could promote survivability, shorter development rates and transmission. Insects such as mosquitoes and ticks that transmit disease agents may also benefit from climate change as well as the diseases they spread. Climate change will have significant impacts on biodiversity. Disease agents of species that benefit from warming will likely become more prevalent. Host species stressed by changing environmental conditions may be more vulnerable to disease agents. Warming could lead to increased agriculture and other economic opportunities in the Arctic bringing people, domestic food animals, pets and invasive species and their disease agents into Northern regions. Climate warming may also favor the release of persistent environmental pollutants some of which can affect the immune system and may favor increased rates of some diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Bradley
- Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, Alaska 99508, USA.
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21
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O'Hara TM, Hoekstra PF, Hanns C, Backus SM, Muir DCG. Concentrations of selected persistent organochlorine contaminants in store-bought foods from northern Alaska. Int J Circumpolar Health 2016; 64:303-13. [PMID: 16277115 DOI: 10.3402/ijch.v64i4.18008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES We address marine and terrestrial mammal blubber, liver, muscle, kidney, heart, tongue, maktak and maktaaq (epidermis and blubber from bowhead, beluga whales, respectively), and fish muscle and livers, as commonly consumed tissues in subsistence communities across northern Alaska in the context of organochlorine (OC) contamination of store-bought foods. Human exposure to contaminants from biota, as part of a subsistence diet, has been superficially evaluated in numerous studies (focused on liver and blubber), but are limited in the type of tissues analyzed, and rarely consider the contaminants in the alternatives (i.e., store-bought foods). STUDY DESIGN Concentrations from published literature on selected persistent organochlorine contaminants (OCs) in eight tissues of the bowhead whale and other biota (1) were compared to store-bought foods evaluated in this study. RESULTS As expected, store-bought foods had lower concentrations of OCs than some tissues of the marine mammals (especially blubber, maktak, and maktaaq). However, blubber is rarely eaten alone and should not be used to give consumption advice unless considered as a portion of the food item (i.e., maktak). This study indicates that the store-bought food alternatives have detectable OC concentrations (e.g., < 0.01 to 22.5 ng/g w.w. for hexachlorobenzene) and, in many cases, have greater OC concentrations than some subsistence food items. Many wildlife tissues had OC concentrations similar to those quantified in local store-bought food. CONCLUSIONS Switching from the traditional diet to western store-bought foods will not always reduce exposure to OCs. However, raw blubber-based products are clearly more contaminated with OCs due to lipid content. A detailed profile of traditional/country foods and western foods consumed by subsistence communities of northern Alaska is required to address chronic exposure in more detail for the diverse sources of foods (subsistence use and commercially available) and the widely varying concentrations of contaminants reported therein. This should be combined with biomonitoring people dependent upon subsistence foods. Further assessment of essential and non-essential elements, emerging contaminants (e.g. brominated flame retardants), etc. should be conducted in order to improve our understanding of the differences and similarities between wildlife and store-bought foods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Wildlife Management, North Slope Borough, Barrow, Alaska, USA.
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Harley JR, Bammler TK, Farin FM, Beyer RP, Kavanagh TJ, Dunlap KL, Knott KK, Ylitalo GM, O'Hara TM. Using Domestic and Free-Ranging Arctic Canid Models for Environmental Molecular Toxicology Research. Environ Sci Technol 2016; 50:1990-1999. [PMID: 26730740 PMCID: PMC5290708 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5b04396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/05/2023]
Abstract
The use of sentinel species for population and ecosystem health assessments has been advocated as part of a One Health perspective. The Arctic is experiencing rapid change, including climate and environmental shifts, as well as increased resource development, which will alter exposure of biota to environmental agents of disease. Arctic canid species have wide geographic ranges and feeding ecologies and are often exposed to high concentrations of both terrestrial and marine-based contaminants. The domestic dog (Canis lupus familiaris) has been used in biomedical research for a number of years and has been advocated as a sentinel for human health due to its proximity to humans and, in some instances, similar diet. Exploiting the potential of molecular tools for describing the toxicogenomics of Arctic canids is critical for their development as biomedical models as well as environmental sentinels. Here, we present three approaches analyzing toxicogenomics of Arctic contaminants in both domestic and free-ranging canids (Arctic fox, Vulpes lagopus). We describe a number of confounding variables that must be addressed when conducting toxicogenomics studies in canid and other mammalian models. The ability for canids to act as models for Arctic molecular toxicology research is unique and significant for advancing our understanding and expanding the tool box for assessing the changing landscape of environmental agents of disease in the Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- John R. Harley
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 900 Yukon Drive Room 194, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-6160, United States
| | - Theo K. Bammler
- Center for Ecogenetics and Environmental Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, 4225 Roosevelt Way NE #100, Seattle, Washington 98105 United States
| | - Federico M. Farin
- Center for Ecogenetics and Environmental Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, 4225 Roosevelt Way NE #100, Seattle, Washington 98105 United States
| | - Richard P. Beyer
- Center for Ecogenetics and Environmental Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, 4225 Roosevelt Way NE #100, Seattle, Washington 98105 United States
| | - Terrance J. Kavanagh
- Center for Ecogenetics and Environmental Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health Sciences, University of Washington, 4225 Roosevelt Way NE #100, Seattle, Washington 98105 United States
| | - Kriya L. Dunlap
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 900 Yukon Drive Room 194, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-6160, United States
| | - Katrina K. Knott
- Memphis Zoo, 2000 Prentiss Place, Memphis, Tennessee 38112, United States
| | - Gina M. Ylitalo
- Environmental Fisheries and Sciences Division, Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, 2725 Montlake Boulevard E. Seattle, Washington 98112-2013, United States
| | - Todd M. O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska, Fairbanks, 901 Koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775-7750, United States
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Gribble MO, Karimi R, Feingold BJ, Nyland JF, O'Hara TM, Gladyshev MI, Chen CY. Mercury, selenium and fish oils in marine food webs and implications for human health. J Mar Biol Assoc U K 2016; 96:43-59. [PMID: 26834292 PMCID: PMC4720108 DOI: 10.1017/s0025315415001356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2015] [Accepted: 07/23/2015] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Humans who eat fish are exposed to mixtures of healthful nutrients and harmful contaminants that are influenced by environmental and ecological factors. Marine fisheries are composed of a multitude of species with varying life histories, and harvested in oceans, coastal waters and estuaries where environmental and ecological conditions determine fish exposure to both nutrients and contaminants. Many of these nutrients and contaminants are thought to influence similar health outcomes (i.e., neurological, cardiovascular, immunological systems). Therefore, our understanding of the risks and benefits of consuming seafood require balanced assessments of contaminants and nutrients found in fish and shellfish. In this paper, we review some of the reported benefits of fish consumption with a focus on the potential hazards of mercury exposure, and compare the environmental variability of fish oils, selenium and mercury in fish. A major scientific gap identified is that fish tissue concentrations are rarely measured for both contaminants and nutrients across a range of species and geographic regions. Interpreting the implications of seafood for human health will require a better understanding of these multiple exposures, particularly as environmental conditions in the oceans change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew O. Gribble
- Department of Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Roxanne Karimi
- School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY, USA
| | - Beth J. Feingold
- Department of Environmental Health Sciences, University at Albany School of Public Health, State University of New York, Rensselaer, NY, USA
| | - Jennifer F. Nyland
- Department of Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, University of South Carolina School of Medicine, Columbia, SC, USA
| | - Todd M. O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Natural Science and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA
| | - Michail I. Gladyshev
- Institute of Biophysics of Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences, Akademgorodok, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
- Siberian Federal University, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
| | - Celia Y. Chen
- Department of Biological Sciences – Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, USA
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Peterson SH, McHuron EA, Kennedy SN, Ackerman JT, Rea LD, Castellini JM, O'Hara TM, Costa DP. Evaluating Hair as a Predictor of Blood Mercury: The Influence of Ontogenetic Phase and Life History in Pinnipeds. Arch Environ Contam Toxicol 2016; 70:28-45. [PMID: 26149950 DOI: 10.1007/s00244-015-0174-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2015] [Accepted: 06/05/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) biomonitoring of pinnipeds increasingly utilizes nonlethally collected tissues such as hair and blood. The relationship between total Hg concentrations ([THg]) in these tissues is not well understood for marine mammals, but it can be important for interpretation of tissue concentrations with respect to ecotoxicology and biomonitoring. We examined [THg] in blood and hair in multiple age classes of four pinniped species. For each species, we used paired blood and hair samples to quantify the ability of [THg] in hair to predict [THg] in blood at the time of sampling and examined the influence of varying ontogenetic phases and life history of the sampled animals. Overall, we found that the relationship between [THg] in hair and blood was affected by factors including age class, weaning status, growth, and the time difference between hair growth and sample collection. Hair [THg] was moderately to strongly predictive of current blood [THg] for adult female Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus), adult female California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), and adult harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), whereas hair [THg] was poorly predictive or not predictive (different times of year) of blood [THg] for adult northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris). Within species, except for very young pups, hair [THg] was a weaker predictor of blood [THg] for prereproductive animals than for adults likely due to growth, variability in foraging behavior, and transitions between ontogenetic phases. Our results indicate that the relationship between hair [THg] and blood [THg] in pinnipeds is variable and that ontogenetic phase and life history should be considered when interpreting [THg] in these tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah H Peterson
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA.
| | - Elizabeth A McHuron
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
| | - Stephanie N Kennedy
- Division of Wildlife Conservation, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks, AK, 99701, USA
- Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 757750, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Joshua T Ackerman
- U.S. Geological Survey, Western Ecological Research Center, Dixon Field Station, 800 Business Park Drive, Suite D, Dixon, CA, 95620, USA
| | - Lorrie D Rea
- Institute of Northern Engineering, Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 755910, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - J Margaret Castellini
- Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 757750, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 757750, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Daniel P Costa
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California, Santa Cruz, 100 Shaffer Road, Santa Cruz, CA, 95060, USA
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McGrew AK, O'Hara TM, Stricker CA, Margaret Castellini J, Beckmen KB, Salman MD, Ballweber LR. Ecotoxicoparasitology: Understanding mercury concentrations in gut contents, intestinal helminths and host tissues of Alaskan gray wolves (Canis lupus). Sci Total Environ 2015; 536:866-871. [PMID: 26283618 PMCID: PMC4807146 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.07.106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2015] [Revised: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 07/23/2015] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Some gastrointestinal helminths acquire nutrients from the lumen contents in which they live; thus, they may be exposed to non-essential elements, such as mercury (Hg), during feeding. The objectives of this study were: 1) determine the total mercury concentrations ([THg]) in Gray wolves (Canis lupus) and their parasites, and 2) use stable isotopes to evaluate the trophic relationships within the host. [THg] and stable isotopes (C and N) were determined for helminths, host tissues, and lumen contents from 88 wolves. Sixty-three wolves contained grossly visible helminths (71.5%). The prevalence of taeniids and ascarids was 63.6% (56/88) and 20.5% (18/88), respectively. Nine of these 63 wolves contained both taeniids and ascarids (14.3%). All ascarids were determined to be Toxascaris leonina. Taenia species present included T. krabbei and T. hydatigena. Within the GI tract, [THg] in the lumen contents of the proximal small intestine were significantly lower than in the distal small intestine. There was a significant positive association between hepatic and taeniid [THg]. Bioaccumulation factors (BAF) ranged from <1 to 22.9 in taeniids, and 1.1 to 12.3 in T. leonina. Taeniid and ascarid BAF were significantly higher than 1, suggesting that both groups are capable of THg accumulation in their wolf host. δ13C in taeniids was significantly lower than in host liver and skeletal muscle. [THg] in helminths and host tissues, in conjunction with stable isotope (C and N) values, provides insight into food-web dynamics of the host GI tract, and aids in elucidating ecotoxicoparasitologic relationships. Variation of [THg] throughout the GI tract, and between parasitic groups, underscores the need to further evaluate the effect(s) of feeding niche, and the nutritional needs of parasites, as they relate to toxicant exposure and distribution within the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley K McGrew
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1619, USA
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1619, USA; Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | - Craig A Stricker
- U. S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Denver, CO 80225, USA
| | - J Margaret Castellini
- Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
| | | | - Mo D Salman
- Animal Population Health Institute, Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1644, USA
| | - Lora R Ballweber
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1619, USA
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26
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Moses SK, Harley JR, Lieske CL, Muir DCG, Whiting AV, O'Hara TM. Variation in bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants based on octanol-air partitioning: Influence of respiratory elimination in marine species. Mar Pollut Bull 2015; 100:122-127. [PMID: 26440545 PMCID: PMC4679492 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2015.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2015] [Revised: 09/09/2015] [Accepted: 09/15/2015] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Risk assessments of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are often based on octanol-water (KOW) partitioning dynamics and may not adequately reflect bioaccumulation in air-breathing organisms. It has been suggested that compounds with low KOW and high octanol-air partitioning (KOA) coefficients have the potential to bioaccumulate in air-breathing organisms, including marine mammals. Here we evaluate differences in concentrations of POPs for two trophically matched Arctic species, spotted seal (Phoca largha) and sheefish (Stenodus leucichthys). We compared concentrations of 108 POPs in matched tissues (liver and muscle) across three ranges of KOW. We found a significant positive correlation between POP concentration and log KOA in spotted seal tissues for low log KOW compounds (log KOW <5.5, p<0.05). This provides further evidence for empirical models and observed bioaccumulation patterns in air-breathing organisms, and highlights the potential for bioaccumulation of these compounds in Arctic marine mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara K Moses
- Biological Services Division, Environmental Section, Great Lakes Indian Fish and Wildlife Commission, 72682 Maple Street, Odanah, WI 54861, USA
| | - John R Harley
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 900 Yukon Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.
| | - Camilla L Lieske
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 905 N Koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7220, USA
| | - Derek C G Muir
- Aquatic Ecosystem Protection Research Division, Environment Canada, Burlington, ON L7R 4A6, Canada
| | | | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 901 Koyukuk Drive, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
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Correa L, Castellini JM, Quakenbush LT, O'Hara TM. Mercury and selenium concentrations in skeletal muscle, liver, and regions of the heart and kidney in bearded seals from Alaska, USA. Environ Toxicol Chem 2015; 34:2403-2408. [PMID: 26013477 DOI: 10.1002/etc.3079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [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: 12/13/2014] [Revised: 02/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/20/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Mean concentrations of total mercury ([THg]) and selenium ([TSe]) (mass and molar-based) were determined for 5 regions of the heart and 2 regions of the kidney of bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus) harvested in Alaska, USA, in 2010 and 2011. Mean [THg] and [TSe] of bearded seal liver and skeletal muscle tissues were used for intertissular comparison. The Se:Hg molar ratios were used to investigate elemental associations and potential antioxidant protection against Hg toxicosis. Age was an important factor in [THg] and Se:Hg molar ratios in heart and kidney. Small but statistically significant differences in mean [THg] occurred among some of the 5 heart regions (p < 0.05). Mean [THg] was highest in liver, 3.057 µg/g, and lowest in heart left ventricle, 0.017 µg/g. Mean [THg] ranked: liver > kidney cortex > kidney medulla > skeletal muscle > heart left ventricle (p < 0.001). Mean [TSe] was highest in liver, 3.848 µg/g, and lowest in heart left ventricle, 0.632 µg/g. Mean [TSe] ranked: liver > kidney cortex > kidney medulla > skeletal muscle > heart left ventricle (p < 0.001). The Se:Hg molar ratios were significantly greater than 1.0 in all tissues (p < 0.001) and represented baselines for normal [TSe] under relatively low [THg]. Mean Se:Hg molar ratios ranked: heart left ventricle > kidney medulla > kidney cortex (p < 0.001).
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucero Correa
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
| | - J Margaret Castellini
- School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
| | | | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA
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28
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Harley J, Lieske C, Bhojwani S, Castellini JM, López JA, O'Hara TM. Mercury and methylmercury distribution in tissues of sculpins from the Bering Sea. Polar Biol 2015; 38:1535-1543. [PMID: 28154451 PMCID: PMC5283796 DOI: 10.1007/s00300-015-1716-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Fish skeletal muscle is often used to monitor mercury concentrations and is used by regulatory agencies to develop fish consumption advisories. However, the distribution of mercury species (MeHg+ and THg) in muscle tissue and other organs is not well understood in a number of fish species. Here we evaluate the spatial distribution of THg and MeHg+ in skeletal muscle and internal organs (heart, liver, and kidney) of 19 sculpin representing three species: Myoxocephalus scorpius (shorthorn sculpin n = 13), Myoxocephalus jaok (plain sculpin, n = 4), and Megalocottus platycephalus (belligerent sculpin, n = 2). Four subsamples of muscle were taken along the lateral aspect of each fish, from muscle A (cranial) to muscle D (caudal). Using Games-Howell post hoc procedure to compare mean concentrations of all tissues, muscle samples were significantly different from internal organs, although there was no difference between muscle-sampling locations. THg concentrations (ww) were higher in muscle (muscle A through D mean ± SD, 0.30 ± 0.19 mg/kg) than that in heart (0.06 ± 0.05 mg/kg), kidney (0.08 ± 0.06 mg/kg), and liver (0.09 ± 0.08 mg/kg). Percent MeHg+ decreased with age in both skeletal muscle and organs (p < 0.05). In contrast to some previous reports for other fish species, this study found significantly higher THg concentrations in muscle than in the liver. This study highlights the importance of using muscle samples when evaluating potential Hg exposure in risk assessments for piscivorous wildlife and human populations, and assumptions related to organ mercury concentrations should be examined with care.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Harley
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 900 Yukon Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-6160, USA
| | - Camilla Lieske
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 905 N Koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7220, USA
| | - Shaina Bhojwani
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 905 N Koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7220, USA
| | - J Margaret Castellini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 901 Koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA
| | - J Andrés López
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 905 N Koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7220, USA; University of Alaska Museum of the North, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 907 Yukon Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960, USA
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 901 Koyukuk Dr, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA
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Van Hoomissen S, Gulland FMD, Greig DJ, Castellini JM, O'Hara TM. Blood and Hair Mercury Concentrations in the Pacific Harbor Seal (Phoca vitulina richardii) Pup: Associations with Neurodevelopmental Outcomes. Ecohealth 2015; 12:490-500. [PMID: 25814195 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-015-1021-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [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: 05/21/2014] [Revised: 12/06/2014] [Accepted: 02/06/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Monomethylmercury (MeHg(+)) is an environmental pollutant, which at sufficiently high exposures, has induced neurotoxicosis in several animal species, including humans. Adverse neurological effects due to gestational exposure are of particular concern as MeHg(+) readily crosses the blood-brain and placental barriers. The degree to which environmental concentrations in marine prey affect free-living piscivorous wildlife, however, remains largely undetermined. We examined associations of gestational exposures to mercury on neurodevelopment and survival using hair and blood concentrations of total mercury ([THg]) in a stranded population of Pacific harbor seal pups from central California. A positive association was determined for the presence of abnormal neurological symptoms and increasing [THg] in blood (P = 0.04), but not hair. Neither hair nor blood [THg] was significantly associated with survival, or the neurodevelopmental milestone 'free-feeding', which was measured from the onset of hand-assisted feeding to the time at which pups were able to consume fish independently. Both hair and blood [THg] exceeded threshold values considered potentially toxic to humans and other mammalian wildlife species. The higher [THg] in blood associated with abnormal neurological symptoms may indicate an adverse effect of this pollutant on neurodevelopment in harbor seal pups. These data have broader implications with respect to human health and public policy as harbor seals and humans consume similar fish species, and it is possible that safeguard levels established for marine mammals could also extend to human populations that regularly consume fish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samala Van Hoomissen
- School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, 420 Delaware St SE Mmc88, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
- , 8601 Lincoln Blvd. #3317, Los Angeles, CA, 90045, USA.
| | - Frances M D Gulland
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito, CA, 94965, USA
| | - Denise J Greig
- The Marine Mammal Center, 2000 Bunker Road, Fort Cronkhite, Sausalito, CA, 94965, USA
| | - J Margaret Castellini
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Natural Science and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Natural Science and Mathematics, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, 99775, USA
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Furin CG, von Hippel FA, Postlethwait J, Buck CL, Cresko WA, O'Hara TM. Developmental timing of perchlorate exposure alters threespine stickleback dermal bone. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2015; 219:36-44. [PMID: 25753171 PMCID: PMC4508210 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.02.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2014] [Revised: 02/04/2015] [Accepted: 02/21/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Adequate levels of thyroid hormone are critical during development and metamorphosis, and for maintaining metabolic homeostasis. Perchlorate, a common contaminant of water sources, inhibits thyroid function in vertebrates. We utilized threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) to determine if timing of perchlorate exposure during development impacts adult dermal skeletal phenotypes. Fish were exposed to water contaminated with perchlorate (30mg/L or 100mg/L) beginning at 0, 3, 7, 14, 21, 42, 154 or 305days post fertilization until sexual maturity at 1year of age. A reciprocal treatment moved stickleback from contaminated to clean water on the same schedule providing for different stages of initial exposure and different treatment durations. Perchlorate exposure caused concentration-dependent significant differences in growth for some bony traits. Continuous exposure initiated within the first 21days post fertilization had the greatest effects on skeletal traits. Exposure to perchlorate at this early stage can result in small traits or abnormal skeletal morphology of adult fish which could affect predator avoidance and survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoff G Furin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508, USA; Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 902 N. Koyukuk Dr., P.O. Box 757000, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.
| | - Frank A von Hippel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508, USA.
| | - John Postlethwait
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, 1254 University of Oregon 222 Huestis Hall, Eugene, OR 97403, USA.
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508, USA.
| | - William A Cresko
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, 312 Pacific Hall, Eugene, OR 97403, USA.
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 757750, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA.
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Furin CG, von Hippel FA, Postlethwait JH, Buck CL, Cresko WA, O'Hara TM. Developmental timing of sodium perchlorate exposure alters angiogenesis, thyroid follicle proliferation and sexual maturation in stickleback. Gen Comp Endocrinol 2015; 219:24-35. [PMID: 25865142 PMCID: PMC4508251 DOI: 10.1016/j.ygcen.2015.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2014] [Revised: 03/15/2015] [Accepted: 04/03/2015] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Perchlorate, a common aquatic contaminant, is well known to disrupt homeostasis of the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis. This study utilizes the threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) fish to determine if perchlorate exposure during certain windows of development has morphological effects on thyroid and gonads. Fish were moved from untreated water to perchlorate-contaminated water (30 and 100mg/L) starting at 0, 3, 7, 14, 21, 42, 154 and 305 days post fertilization until approximately one year old. A reciprocal treatment (fish in contaminated water switched to untreated water) was conducted on the same schedule. Perchlorate exposure increased angiogenesis and follicle proliferation in thyroid tissue, delayed gonadal maturity, and skewed sex ratios toward males; effects depended on concentration and timing of exposure. This study demonstrates that perchlorate exposure beginning during the first 42 days of development has profound effects on stickleback reproductive and thyroid tissues, and by implication can impact population dynamics. Long-term exposure studies that assess contaminant effects at various stages of development provide novel information to characterize risk to aquatic organisms, to facilitate management of resources, and to determine sensitive developmental windows for further study of underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoff G Furin
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508, USA; Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 902 N. Koyukuk Dr., P.O. Box 757000, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.
| | - Frank A von Hippel
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508, USA.
| | - John H Postlethwait
- Institute of Neuroscience, University of Oregon, 1254 University of Oregon, 324 Huestis Hall, Eugene, OR 97403, USA.
| | - C Loren Buck
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, 3211 Providence Dr., Anchorage, AK 99508, USA
| | - William A Cresko
- Institute of Ecology and Evolution, University of Oregon, 312 Pacific Hall, Eugene, OR 97403, USA.
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 757750, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7750, USA.
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32
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McHuron EA, Harvey JT, Castellini JM, Stricker CA, O'Hara TM. Selenium and mercury concentrations in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) from central California: health implications in an urbanized estuary. Mar Pollut Bull 2014; 83:48-57. [PMID: 24823685 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.04.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [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: 01/09/2014] [Revised: 04/12/2014] [Accepted: 04/16/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
We measured total selenium and total mercury concentrations ([TSe] and [THg]) in hair (n=138) and blood (n=73) of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) from California to assess variation by geography and sex, and inferred feeding relationships based on carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur stable isotopes. Harbor seals from Hg-contaminated sites had significantly greater [THg], and lesser [TSe] and TSe:THg molar ratios than seals from a relatively uncontaminated site. Males had significantly greater [THg] than females at all locations. Sulfur stable isotope values explained approximately 25% of the variability in [THg], indicating increased Hg exposure for seals with a greater use of estuarine prey species. Decreased [TSe] in harbor seals from Hg-contaminated regions may indicate a relative Se deficiency to mitigate the toxic effects of Hg. Further investigation into the Se status and the potential negative impact of Hg on harbor seals from Hg-contaminated sites is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A McHuron
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USA.
| | - James T Harvey
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USA
| | - J Margaret Castellini
- Institute of Marine Science, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 757220, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7220, USA
| | - Craig A Stricker
- U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins Science Center, Denver Federal Center, Building 21, MS963, Denver, CO 80225, USA
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, P.O. Box 755940, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7000, USA
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33
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Correa L, Rea LD, Bentzen R, O'Hara TM. Assessment of mercury and selenium tissular concentrations and total mercury body burden in 6 Steller sea lion pups from the Aleutian Islands. Mar Pollut Bull 2014; 82:175-182. [PMID: 24661459 PMCID: PMC4123997 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.02.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2014] [Revised: 02/07/2014] [Accepted: 02/18/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Concentrations of total mercury ([THg]) and selenium ([TSe]) were measured in several tissue compartments in Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) pups; in addition we determined specific compartment and body burdens of THg. Compartmental and body burdens were calculated by multiplying specific compartment fresh weight by the [THg] (summing compartment burdens equals body burden). In all 6 pup tissue sets (1) highest [THg] was in hair, (2) lowest [THg] was in bone, and (3) pelt, muscle and liver burdens contributed the top three highest percentages of THg body burden. In 5 of 6 pups the Se:Hg molar ratios among compartments ranged from 0.9 to 43.0. The pup with the highest hair [THg] had Se:Hg molar ratios in 9 of 14 compartments that were ⩽ 0.7 potentially indicating an inadequate [TSe] relative to [THg].
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucero Correa
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Alaska Fairbanks, PO Box 755940, Fairbanks, AK 99775-5940, USA.
| | - Lorrie D Rea
- Division of Wildlife Conservation, Alaska Department of Fish and Game and Institute of Northern Engineering, Water and Environmental Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, PO Box 755910, Fairbanks, AK 99775-5910, USA
| | - Rebecca Bentzen
- Institute of Arctic Biology and Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, PO Box 757000, Fairbanks, AK 99775-5940, USA
| | - Todd M O'Hara
- Institute of Arctic Biology and Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Alaska Fairbanks, PO Box 757000, Fairbanks, AK 99775-5940, USA
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Todd M. O'Hara
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA
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35
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McGrew AK, Ballweber LR, Moses SK, Stricker CA, Beckmen KB, Salman MD, O'Hara TM. Mercury in gray wolves (Canis lupus) in Alaska: increased exposure through consumption of marine prey. Sci Total Environ 2014; 468-469:609-13. [PMID: 24056451 PMCID: PMC3870183 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.08.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2013] [Revised: 08/14/2013] [Accepted: 08/16/2013] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) bioaccumulates in the tissues of organisms and biomagnifies within food-webs. Gray wolves (Canis lupus) in Alaska primarily acquire Hg through diet; therefore, comparing the extent of Hg exposure in wolves, in conjunction with stable isotopes, from interior and coastal regions of Alaska offers important insight into their feeding ecology. Liver, kidney, and skeletal muscle samples from 162 gray wolves were analyzed for total mercury (THg) concentrations and stable isotopic signatures (δ(13)C, δ(15)N, and δ(34)S). Median hepatic THg concentrations were significantly higher in wolves with coastal access compared to wolves from interior Alaska. Stable isotope ratios, in conjunction with THg concentrations, provide strong evidence that coastal wolves are utilizing marine prey representing several trophic levels. The utilization of cross-ecosystem food resources by coastal wolves is clearly contributing to increased THg exposure, and may ultimately have negative health implications for these animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley K McGrew
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523-1619, USA.
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36
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Willacker JJ, von Hippel FA, Ackerly KL, O'Hara TM. Habitat-specific foraging and sex determine mercury concentrations in sympatric benthic and limnetic ecotypes of threespine stickleback. Environ Toxicol Chem 2013; 32:1623-1630. [PMID: 23456641 PMCID: PMC3684275 DOI: 10.1002/etc.2213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2012] [Revised: 01/14/2013] [Accepted: 02/20/2013] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Mercury (Hg) is a widespread environmental contaminant known for the neurotoxicity of its methylated forms, especially monomethylmercury, which bioaccumulates and biomagnifies in aquatic food webs. Mercury bioaccumulation and biomagnification rates are known to vary among species utilizing different food webs (benthic vs limnetic) within and between systems. The authors assessed whether carbon and nitrogen stable isotope values and total Hg (THg) concentrations differed between sympatric benthic and limnetic ecotypes and sexes of threespine stickleback fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus) from Benka Lake, Alaska, USA. The mean THg concentration in the limnetic ecotype was significantly higher (difference between benthic and limnetic means equals 26 mg/kg dry wt or 16.1%) than that of the benthic ecotype. Trophic position and benthic carbon percentage utilized were both important determinants of THg concentration; however, the 2 variables were of approximately equal importance in females, whereas trophic position clearly explained more of the variance than benthic carbon percentage in males. Additionally, strong sex effects (mean difference between females and males equals 45 mg/kg dry wt or 29.4%) were observed in both ecotypes, with female fish having lower THg concentrations than males. These results indicate that trophic ecology and sex are both important determinants of Hg contamination even within a single species and lake and likely play a role in governing Hg concentrations in higher trophic levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- James J Willacker
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska, USA.
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37
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Schillaci MA, Castellini JM, Stricker CA, Jones-Engel L, Lee BPYH, O'Hara TM. Variation in hair δ(13)C and δ (15)N values in long-tailed macaques (Macaca fascicularis) from Singapore. Primates 2013; 55:25-34. [PMID: 23729223 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-013-0361-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2013] [Accepted: 05/10/2013] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Much of the primatology literature on stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ(13)C) and nitrogen (δ(15)N) has focused on African and New World species, with comparatively little research published on Asian primates. Here we present hair δ(13)C and δ(15)N isotope values for a sample of 33 long-tailed macaques from Singapore. We evaluate the suggestion by a previous researcher that forest degradation and biodiversity loss in Singapore have led to a decline in macaque trophic level. The results of our analysis indicated significant spatial variability in δ(13)C but not δ(15)N. The range of variation in δ(13)C was consistent with a diet based on C3 resources, with one group exhibiting low values consistent with a closed canopy environment. Relative to other macaque species from Europe and Asia, the macaques from Singapore exhibited a low mean δ(13)C value but mid-range mean δ(15)N value. Previous research suggesting a decline in macaque trophic level is not supported by the results of our study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Schillaci
- Department of Anthropology, University of Toronto Scarborough, 1265 Military Trail, Toronto, ON, M1C 1A4, Canada,
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38
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Rea LD, Castellini JM, Correa L, Fadely BS, O'Hara TM. Maternal Steller sea lion diets elevate fetal mercury concentrations in an area of population decline. Sci Total Environ 2013; 454-455:277-282. [PMID: 23545490 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2013.02.095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2012] [Revised: 02/27/2013] [Accepted: 02/27/2013] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Total mercury concentrations ([THg]) measured in western Aleutian Island Steller sea lion pup hair were the highest maximum [THg] documented in this endangered species to date. Some pups exceeded concentrations at which other fish-eating mammals can exhibit adverse neurological and reproductive effects (21% and 15% pups above 20 and 30 μg/g in hair, respectively). Of particular concern is fetal exposure to mercury during a particularly vulnerable stage of neurological development in late gestation. Hair and blood [THg] were highly correlated and 20% of pups sampled in the western Aleutian Islands of Alaska exceeded mammalian risk thresholds established for each of these tissues. Higher nitrogen isotope ratios suggested that pups accumulated the highest [THg] when their dams fed on higher trophic level prey during late gestation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorrie D Rea
- Division of Wildlife Conservation, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Fairbanks, AK 99701, United States.
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Van Hemert C, Armién AG, Blake JE, Handel CM, O'Hara TM. Macroscopic, histologic, and ultrastructural lesions associated with avian keratin disorder in black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus). Vet Pathol 2013; 50:500-13. [PMID: 23399850 DOI: 10.1177/0300985812469637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
An epizootic of beak abnormalities (avian keratin disorder) was recently detected among wild birds in Alaska. Here we describe the gross, histologic, and ultrastructural features of the disease in 30 affected adult black-capped chickadees (Poecile atricapillus). Grossly, there was elongation of the rhamphotheca, with varying degrees of lateral deviation, crossing, and gapping between the upper and lower beak. Not uncommonly, the claws were overgrown, and there was alopecia, scaling, and crusting of the skin. The most prominent histopathologic features in the beak included epidermal hyperplasia, hyperkeratosis, and core-like intrusions of necrotic debris. In affected birds, particularly those with moderate to severe beak overgrowth, there was remodeling of premaxillary and mandibular bones and various dermal lesions. Lesions analogous to those found in beaks were present in affected claws, indicating that this disorder may target both of these similar tissues. Mild to moderate hyperkeratosis occurred in other keratinized tissues, including skin, feather follicles, and, occasionally, sinus epithelium, but typically only in the presence of microbes. We did not find consistent evidence of a bacterial, fungal, or viral etiology for the beak lesions. The changes observed in affected birds did not correspond with any known avian diseases, suggesting a potentially novel hyperkeratotic disorder in wild birds.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Van Hemert
- United States Geological Survey, Alaska Science Center, 4210 University Dr, Anchorage, AK 99508, USA.
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McHuron EA, Harvey JT, Castellini JM, O'Hara TM. Hair sampling location in harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) affects selenium and mercury concentrations: implications for study design of trace element determination in pinnipeds. Mar Pollut Bull 2012; 64:2519-2522. [PMID: 23017952 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2012.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2012] [Revised: 08/20/2012] [Accepted: 08/29/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Hair is used to determine trace elements exposure and status of pinnipeds because it is an excretory route for many elements and can be collected non-lethally. Despite increased use, there have been few studies on how sampling designs and procedures (e.g., hair type, collection site) affect results. The objective of this study was to determine whether concentrations of an essential (selenium; Se) and non-essential element (mercury; Hg) differed between hair samples collected from two body locations on harbor seals (Phoca vitulina). Concentrations of Se and total Hg (THg) differed between mid-dorsal midline and neck samples, and although the absolute differences were relatively small (Δ(absolute) Se = 0.69 μg g(-1), Δ(absolute) THg = 2.86 μg g(-1)), the relative differences were large (Δ(relative) Se = 49%, Δ(relative) THg = 17%). These differences highlight the need to standardize the collection site for trace element determination in pinnipeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A McHuron
- Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, 8272 Moss Landing Road, Moss Landing, CA 95039, USA.
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41
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Castellini JM, Rea LD, Lieske CL, Beckmen KB, Fadely BS, Maniscalco JM, O'Hara TM. Mercury concentrations in hair from neonatal and juvenile Steller Sea Lions (Eumetopias jubatus): implications based on age and region in this northern Pacific marine sentinel piscivore. Ecohealth 2012; 9:267-277. [PMID: 22815134 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-012-0784-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2012] [Revised: 06/13/2012] [Accepted: 06/24/2012] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Mercury is a global contaminant of concern for the fetus and the neonate of piscivores. Methylmercury, produced within marine ecosystems, is of particular concern as a readily absorbed neurotoxicant transported across the blood brain barrier and transplacentally. In the North Pacific Ocean, Steller sea lions are broadly distributed apex predators and, as such, integrate complex food webs and the associated exposure and possible adverse effects of toxic and infectious agents. Hair, including lanugo, was examined using regional and age groupings to assess mercury concentrations in young Alaskan Steller sea lions. The highest concentrations of mercury occurred in the youngest animals, likely via in utero exposure. Based on the adverse developmental outcomes of methylmercury toxicity this specific cohort is of concern. Regionally, higher concentrations of mercury were observed in the endangered western population of Steller sea lions and mirrored patterns observed in human biomonitoring studies of Alaskan coastal communities. These data have broader implications with respect to human and ecosystem health as Steller sea lions rely on similar prey species and foraging areas as those targeted by commercial fisheries and subsistence users and are therefore valuable sentinels of marine ecosystem health.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Margaret Castellini
- Institute of Marine Science, School of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7220, USA.
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Knott KK, Boyd D, Ylitalo GM, O'Hara TM. Lactational transfer of mercury and polychlorinated biphenyls in polar bears. Chemosphere 2012; 88:395-402. [PMID: 22464860 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2012.02.053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2011] [Revised: 01/12/2012] [Accepted: 02/20/2012] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
We examined concentrations of total mercury (tHg, inorganic and methylated forms) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in blood and milk from free-ranging Southern Beaufort-Chukchi Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus) to assess maternal transfer of contaminants during lactation and the potential health risk to nursing young. Concentrations of contaminants in the blood of dependent and juvenile animals (ages 1-5 years) ranged from 35.9 to 52.2 μg kg(-1) ww for tHg and 13.9 to 52.2 μg kg(-1) ww (3255.81-11067.79 μg kg(-1) lw) for ΣPCB(7)s, similar to those of adult females, but greater than adult males. Contaminant concentrations in milk ranged from 5.7 to 71.8 μg tHg kg(-1)ww and 160 to 690 μg ΣPCB(11)s kg(-1) ww (547-5190 μg kg(-1) lw). The daily intake levels for tHg by milk consumption estimated for dependent young were below the tolerable daily intake level (TDIL) of tHg established for adult humans. Although the daily intake levels of PCBs through milk consumption for cubs of the year exceeded the TDIL thresholds, calculated dioxin equivalents for PCBs in milk were below adverse physiological thresholds for aquatic mammals. Relatively high concentrations of non-dioxin like PCBs in polar bear milk and blood could impact endocrine function of Southern Beaufort-Chukchi Sea polar bears, but this is uncertain. Transfer of contaminants during mid to late lactation likely limits bioaccumulation of dietary contaminants in female polar bears during spring. As polar bears respond to changes in their arctic sea ice habitat, the adverse health impacts associated with nutritional stress may be exacerbated by tHg and PCBs exposure, especially in ecologically and toxicologically sensitive polar bear cohorts such as reproductive females and young.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina K Knott
- Institute of Arctic Biology and Department of Biology and Wildlife, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.
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Lieske CL, Moses SK, Castellini JM, Klejka J, Hueffer K, O'Hara TM. Toxicokinetics of mercury in blood compartments and hair of fish-fed sled dogs. Acta Vet Scand 2011; 53:66. [PMID: 22152014 PMCID: PMC3264498 DOI: 10.1186/1751-0147-53-66] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2011] [Accepted: 12/07/2011] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding mercury (Hg) distribution in blood and the importance of hair as an excretory pathway is critical for evaluating risk from long term dietary Hg exposure. The major objective of this study was to characterize changes in total Hg concentrations in specific blood compartments and hair over time due to long term piscivory. METHODS Eight sled dogs (Canis lupus familiaris) were fed either a fish and kibble diet (n = 4), or a fish-free control diet (n = 4) for 12 weeks. Concentrations of Hg were monitored throughout the exposure period, and for 10 weeks post exposure, until Hg concentrations in all blood compartments of one of the exposed dogs dropped below detection limit. Additionally, foreleg hair was sampled during acclimation and weeks 0 and 12. RESULTS Hg was detected primarily in whole blood and packed cells, although it was sporadically detected at low concentrations in plasma and serum in two of the fish fed dogs. Dogs ingested an estimated average of 13.4 ± 0.58 μg Hg per kg body weight per day. Hg was detectable in whole blood and packed cells within a week of exposure. Detected concentrations continued to rise until plateauing at approximately 3-6 weeks of exposure at a mean of 9.2 ± 1.97 ng/g (ppb) in whole blood. Hg concentration decreased post exposure following 1st order elimination. The mean half-life (t1/2) in whole blood for Hg was 7 weeks. Mean Hg in hair for the fish-fed dogs at week 12 was 540 ± 111 ppb and was significantly greater (about 7-fold) than the Hg hair concentration for the control dogs. The hair to blood ratio for Hg in fish-fed dogs was 59.0 ± 7.6:1. CONCLUSIONS This study found the sled dog model to be an effective method for investigating and characterizing blood Hg distribution (whole blood, serum, plasma, packed cells) and toxicokinetics associated with a piscivorous diet, especially for Hg-exposed fur bearing mammals (such as polar bears). Although hair excretion and hair to blood Hg ratios were not similar to human concentrations and ratios, the sled dog toxicokinetics of Hg in blood, was more similar to that of humans than traditional laboratory animals (such as the rat).
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Van Hemert C, Handel CM, Blake JE, Swor RM, O'Hara TM. Microanatomy of passerine hard-cornified tissues: Beak and claw structure of the black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus). J Morphol 2011; 273:226-40. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.11023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2011] [Revised: 07/17/2011] [Accepted: 08/31/2011] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Bernhardt RR, von Hippel FA, O'Hara TM. Chronic perchlorate exposure causes morphological abnormalities in developing stickleback. Environ Toxicol Chem 2011; 30:1468-78. [PMID: 21465539 PMCID: PMC3251219 DOI: 10.1002/etc.521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2010] [Revised: 11/12/2010] [Accepted: 02/07/2011] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Few studies have examined the effects of chronic perchlorate exposure during growth and development, and fewer still have analyzed the effects of perchlorate over multiple generations. We describe morphological and developmental characteristics for threespine stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) that were spawned and raised to sexual maturity in perchlorate-treated water (G(1,2003)) and for their offspring (G(2,2004)) that were not directly treated with perchlorate. The G(1,2003) displayed a variety of abnormalities, including impaired formation of calcified traits, slower growth rates, aberrant sexual development, poor survivorship, and reduced pigmentation that allowed internal organs to be visible. Yet these conditions were absent when the offspring of contaminated fish (G(2,2004)) were raised in untreated water, suggesting a lack of transgenerational effects and that surviving populations may be able to recover following remediation of perchlorate-contaminated sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard R Bernhardt
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, Alaska, USA.
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Hueffer K, O'Hara TM, Follmann EH. Adaptation of mammalian host-pathogen interactions in a changing arctic environment. Acta Vet Scand 2011; 53:17. [PMID: 21392401 PMCID: PMC3061946 DOI: 10.1186/1751-0147-53-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2011] [Accepted: 03/11/2011] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Many arctic mammals are adapted to live year-round in extreme environments with low winter temperatures and great seasonal variations in key variables (e.g. sunlight, food, temperature, moisture). The interaction between hosts and pathogens in high northern latitudes is not very well understood with respect to intra-annual cycles (seasons). The annual cycles of interacting pathogen and host biology is regulated in part by highly synchronized temperature and photoperiod changes during seasonal transitions (e.g., freezeup and breakup). With a warming climate, only one of these key biological cues will undergo drastic changes, while the other will remain fixed. This uncoupling can theoretically have drastic consequences on host-pathogen interactions. These poorly understood cues together with a changing climate by itself will challenge host populations that are adapted to pathogens under the historic and current climate regime. We will review adaptations of both host and pathogens to the extreme conditions at high latitudes and explore some potential consequences of rapid changes in the Arctic.
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Kirk CM, Amstrup S, Swor R, Holcomb D, O'Hara TM. Morbillivirus and Toxoplasma exposure and association with hematological parameters for southern Beaufort Sea polar bears: potential response to infectious agents in a sentinel species. Ecohealth 2010; 7:321-31. [PMID: 20607348 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-010-0323-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2010] [Accepted: 05/08/2010] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Arctic temperatures are increasing in response to greenhouse gas forcing and polar bears have already responded to changing conditions. Declines in body stature and vital rates have been linked to warming-induced loss of sea-ice. As food webs change and human activities respond to a milder Arctic, exposure of polar bears and other arctic marine organisms to infectious agents may increase. Because of the polar bear's status as arctic ecosystem sentinel, polar bear health could provide an index of changing pathogen occurrence throughout the Arctic, however, exposure and monitoring protocols have yet to be established. We examine prevalence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii, and four morbilliviruses (canine distemper [CDV], phocine distemper [PDV], dolphin morbillivirus [DMV], porpoise morbillivirus [PMV]) including risk factors for exposure. We also examine the relationships between antibody levels and hematologic values established in the previous companion article. Antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii and morbilliviruses were found in both sample years. We found a significant inverse relationship between CDV titer and total leukocytes, neutrophils, monocytes, and eosinophils, and a significant positive relationship between eosinophils and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies. Morbilliviral prevalence varied significantly among age cohorts, with 1-2 year olds least likely to be seropositive and bears aged 5-7 most likely. Data suggest that the presence of CDV and Toxoplasma gondii antibodies is associated with polar bear hematologic values. We conclude that exposure to CDV-like antigen is not randomly distributed among age classes and suggest that differing behaviors among life history stages may drive probability of specific antibody presence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra M Kirk
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.
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Kirk CM, Amstrup S, Swor R, Holcomb D, O'Hara TM. Hematology of southern Beaufort Sea polar bears (2005-2007): biomarker for an Arctic ecosystem health sentinel. Ecohealth 2010; 7:307-320. [PMID: 20617361 DOI: 10.1007/s10393-010-0322-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2010] [Accepted: 05/08/2010] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Declines in sea-ice habitats have resulted in declining stature, productivity, and survival of polar bears in some regions. With continuing sea-ice declines, negative population effects are projected to expand throughout the polar bear's range. Precise causes of diminished polar bear life history performance are unknown, however, climate and sea-ice condition change are expected to adversely impact polar bear (Ursus maritimus) health and population dynamics. As apex predators in the Arctic, polar bears integrate the status of lower trophic levels and are therefore sentinels of ecosystem health. Arctic residents feed at the apex of the ecosystem, thus polar bears can serve as indicators of human health in the Arctic. Despite their value as indicators of ecosystem welfare, population-level health data for U.S. polar bears are lacking. We present hematological reference ranges for southern Beaufort Sea polar bears. Hematological parameters in southern Beaufort Sea polar bears varied by age, geographic location, and reproductive status. Total leukocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, and serum immunoglobulin G were significantly greater in males than females. These measures were greater in nonlactating females ages ≥5, than lactating adult females ages ≥5, suggesting that females encumbered by young may be less resilient to new immune system challenges that may accompany ongoing climate change. Hematological values established here provide a necessary baseline for anticipated changes in health as arctic temperatures warm and sea-ice declines accelerate. Data suggest that females with dependent young may be most vulnerable to these changes and should therefore be a targeted cohort for monitoring in this sentinel.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra M Kirk
- Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA.
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Moses SK, Whiting AV, Muir DCG, Wang X, O'Hara TM. Organic nutrients and contaminants in subsistence species of Alaska: concentrations and relationship to food preparation method. Int J Circumpolar Health 2010; 68:354-71. [PMID: 19917188 DOI: 10.3402/ijch.v68i4.17368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES To determine nutrient and contaminant concentrations, document concentration changes related to common preparation methods and provide a basic risk-benefit analysis for select subsistence foods consumed by residents of Kotzebue, Alaska. STUDY DESIGN Eleven organic nutrients and 156 persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were measured in foods derived from spotted seals and sheefish. METHODS Nutrients in foodstuffs were compared to Daily Recommended Intake criteria. POPs were compared to Tolerable Daily Intake Limits (TDIL). RESULTS Cooking, as well as absence/presence of skin during sheefish processing, altered nutrient and contaminant concentrations in seals and fish. Sheefish muscle and seal blubber were particularly rich in omega-3 fatty acids and seal liver in vitamin A. Seal liver exceeded the recommended upper limit for vitamin A. POP contribution to TDIL was >25% in all tissues except blubber, in which 4 POPS were present at >25% TDIL. No POPs exceeded TDIL in a serving of any tissue studied. The most prominent concerns identified were levels of vitamin A in spotted seal liver and certain POPs in blubber, warranting consideration when determining how much and how often these foods should be consumed. CONCLUSIONS Preparation methods altering tissues from their raw state significantly affect nutrient and contaminant concentrations, thus direct evaluation of actual food items is highly recommended to determine risk-benefits ratios of traditional diets. Traditional foods provide essential nutrients with very limited risk from contaminants. We encourage the consumption of traditional foods and urge public health agencies to develop applicable models to assess overall food safety and quality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara K Moses
- Department of Biology and Wildlife and Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775-7000, USA.
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Cardona-Marek T, Knott KK, Meyer BE, O'Hara TM. Mercury concentrations in Southern Beaufort Sea polar bears: variation based on stable isotopes of carbon and nitrogen. Environ Toxicol Chem 2009; 28:1416-1424. [PMID: 19226182 DOI: 10.1897/08-557.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2008] [Accepted: 01/19/2009] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Total Hg concentration was measured in hair and whole blood of 52 adult Southern Beaufort Sea polar bears (Ursus maritimus) captured in the spring of 2005. Stable isotopic signatures (i.e., 13C/12C, delta13C; 15N/14N, delta15N) in hair and two blood compartments (packed blood cells/clot and serum) were determined to assess the variation of Hg concentrations among polar bears in relation to their feeding ecology and other biological factors. Concentrations of Hg in hair and blood (2.2-23.9 microg/g dry wt and 0.007-0.213 microg/g wet wt, respectively) were within the range of values previously reported for polar bears in Canada and East Greenland. Mercury concentration in hair from females was higher than that in hair from males, and concentration was related to interactions between delta13C, delta15N, and longitude of capture location. Mercury concentrations in hair were inversely correlated to delta13C in hair and blood, suggesting that polar bears with greater total Hg concentrations fed more on pelagic prey, such as ringed seals or beluga whale, than on benthic prey. Variability in Hg concentrations in polar bear hair and blood may be the result of intraspecific or regional variation in prey selection rather than strictly trophic level interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tamara Cardona-Marek
- Wildlife Toxicology Laboratory, Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska 99775, USA
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