US EPA

3800320 

Journal Article 

Do heavy metal concentrations pose a threat to marine turtles from the Mediterranean Sea? 

Godley, BJ; Thompson, DR; Furness, RW 

1999 

1 

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

BIOSIS/99/20713 

38 

6 

497-502 

English 

10.1016/S0025-326X(98)00184-2 

WOS:000081120000018 

BIOSIS COPYRIGHT: BIOL ABS. Concentrations of heavy metals (Hg, Cd and Pb) were determined in internal organs and nest contents of green turtles Chelonia mydas and loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta from northern Cyprus, eastern Mediterranean Sea. Concentrations of mercury in liver tissue were higher in loggerhead turtles (median 2.41 mug g-1 dry weight) than in green turtles (0.55 mug g-1 dry weight). Preliminary data suggest cadmium concentrations to be highest in kidney tissue of loggerhead turtles (median 30.50 mug g-1 latively high in loggerhead turtle hatchlings (up to 10.56 mug g-1 dry weight). When measurable, concentrations of all three metals tended to be higher in loggerhead turtle nest contents than in green turtle nest contents. Results presented here are consistent with inter-specific differences in diet and trophic status. Heavy metal burdens in loggerhead turtles and green turtles from the Mediterranean are similar or lower than corresponding concentrations in turtles from Japan and 

marine turtles; Mediterranean; heavy metals; Caretta caretta; Chelonia mydas; mercury; cadmium; lead