US EPA

3799435 

Journal Article 

Bioaccumulation of Toxic Metals in Loggerhead Turtles from Mediterranean Sea Coast, Egypt 

Abdallah, MAM; Abd-Allah, MAM 

2011 

MEDITERRANEAN COASTAL FOUNDATION-MEDCOAST FOUNDATION 

AKYAKA 

569-+ 

WOS:000315976500054 

Heavy metal concentrations in the different tissues of marine turtles are presented; the most frequently monitored elements are mercury, cadmium and lead. Concentrations of Hg, Cd, Pb and As in different organs and tissues (liver, kidney, muscle tissue, fat tissue and blood) of loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta from south eastern Mediterranean Sea were determined. The highest levels of cadmium and arsenic were found in kidney (Cd: 61.17 mu g g(-)1; As: 0.051 mu g g(-)1 dry weight). For lead the highest level was found in muscle tissue (35.80 mu g g(-)1). Mercury tended to be higher in liver than in other tissues and organs (0.253 mu g g(-)1 dry weight) which showed a higher accumulation of this element. Fat tissue generally displayed the lowest trace element burdens. The concentrations of As remained low in all the considered tissues, possibly the result of low trophic level in sea turtles. In contrast, the diet of loggerhead turtles would result in a significant exposure to Pb. This is the first study into metal accumulation in tissues of loggerhead turtle from Egyptian Mediterranean coastline. 

Ozhan, E; 

978-605-88990-6-3 

10th International Conference on the Mediterranean Coastal Environment 

Rhodes, GREECE