Toxic Metals and Selenium in Blood from Pilot Whales (Globicephala melas) and Sperm Whales (Physeter catodon) | Health & Environmental Research Online (HERO)

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Citation
Tags

HERO ID

3788762

Reference Type

Journal Article

Title

Toxic Metals and Selenium in Blood from Pilot Whales (Globicephala melas) and Sperm Whales (Physeter catodon)

Author(s)

Nielsen, JB; Nielsen, F; Jã¸Rgensen, PJ; Grandjean, P

Year

2000

Is Peer Reviewed?

Journal

Marine Pollution Bulletin
ISSN: 0025-326X
EISSN: 1879-3363

Volume

Issue

Page Numbers

348-351

DOI

10.1016/S0025-326X(99)00231-3

Web of Science Id

WOS:000086739200021

URL

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X99002313
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Abstract

Mercury, lead, cadmium and selenium were measured in blood from pilot whales (Globicephala melas) caught at the Faroe Islands and in blood from four sperm whales (Physeter catodon) stranded in Denmark. The median whole-blood concentration of mercury in pilot whales was 229 Î¼g/l with a positive correlation to the corresponding selenium concentrations. Blood concentrations of mercury and cadmium up to 2421 and 31 100 Î¼g/l, respectively, were found in the sperm whales. Cadmium concentration averaged 500â1000 times higher in stranded sperm whales than in the pilot whales. The mercury and cadmium concentrations dramatically exceed levels which are associated with severe toxicity in several other mammal species.

Keywords

mercury; cadmium; selenium; blood concentration; pilot whale (Globicephala melas); sperm whale (Physeter catodon)