scholarly journals Juvenile harbor porpoises in the UK are exposed to a more neurotoxic mixture of polychlorinated biphenyls than adults

2020 ◽  
Vol 708 ◽  
pp. 134835 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosie S. Williams ◽  
David J. Curnick ◽  
Jonathan L. Barber ◽  
Andrew Brownlow ◽  
Nicholas J. Davison ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polychlorinated Biphenyls ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Harbor Porpoises

scholarly journals Juvenile harbor porpoises in the UK are exposed to a more neurotoxic mixture of polychlorinated biphenyls than adults

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosie Williams
Keyword(s):  
Polychlorinated Biphenyls ◽  
Health Risks ◽  
Complex Mixtures ◽  
Animal Tissues ◽  
Adult Females ◽  
Congener Profiles ◽  
The Individual ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Harbor Porpoises ◽  
Individual Congener

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are a group of 209 persistent and bio-accumulative toxic pollutants present as complex mixtures in human and animal tissues. Harbor porpoises accumulate some of the highest levels of PCBs because they are long-lived mammals that feed at a high trophic level. Studies typically use the sum of a suite of individual chlorobiphenyl congeners (CBs) to investigate PCBs in wildlife. However, toxic effects and thresholds of CB congeners differ, therefore population health risks of exposure may be under or over-estimated dependent on the congener profiles present. In this study, we found congener profiles varied with age, sex and location, particularly between adult females and juveniles. We found that adult females had the highest proportions of octa-chlorinated congeners whilst juveniles had the highest proportions of tri- and tetra-chlorinated congeners. This is likely to be a consequence of pollutant offloading between mothers and calves during lactation. Analysis of the individual congener toxicities found that juveniles were exposed to a more neurotoxic CB mixture at a time when they were most vulnerable to its effects. These findings are an important contribution towards our understanding of variation in congener profiles and the potential effects and threats of PCB exposure in cetaceans.

Levels of Polychlorinated Biphenyls Are Still Associated with Toxic Effects in Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) Despite Having Fallen below Proposed Toxicity Thresholds

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 2277-2286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosie Williams ◽  
Mariel ten Doeschate ◽  
David J. Curnick ◽  
Andrew Brownlow ◽  
Jonathan L. Barber ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polychlorinated Biphenyls ◽  
Toxic Effects ◽  
Phocoena Phocoena ◽  
Harbor Porpoises

A Significant Downturn in Levels of Hexabromocyclododecane in the Blubber of Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) Stranded or Bycaught in the UK: An Update to 2006

2008 ◽  
Vol 42 (24) ◽  
pp. 9104-9109 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin J. Law ◽  
Philippe Bersuder ◽  
Jon Barry ◽  
Bryony H. Wilford ◽  
Colin R. Allchin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Phocoena Phocoena ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Harbor Porpoises

RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN POLYCHLORINATED BIPHENYLS AND HEALTH STATUS IN HARBOR PORPOISES (PHOCOENA PHOCOENA) STRANDED IN THE UNITED KINGDOM

2005 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul D. Jepson ◽  
Peter M. Bennett ◽  
Robert Deaville ◽  
Colin R. Allchin ◽  
John R. Baker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Health Status ◽  
Polychlorinated Biphenyls ◽  
Phocoena Phocoena ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Harbor Porpoises

Dioxins and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in fish oil dietary supplements: Occurrence and human exposure in the UK

2006 ◽  
Vol 23 (9) ◽  
pp. 939-947 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. R. Fernandes ◽  
M. Rose ◽  
S. White ◽  
D. N. Mortimer ◽  
M. Gem
Keyword(s):  
Polychlorinated Biphenyls ◽  
Fish Oil ◽  
Dietary Supplements ◽  
Human Exposure ◽  
The Uk

Temporal Trends and Controlling Factors for Polychlorinated Biphenyls in the UK Atmosphere (1991−2008)

2010 ◽  
Vol 44 (21) ◽  
pp. 8068-8074 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jasmin K. Schuster ◽  
Rosalinda Gioia ◽  
Andrew J. Sweetman ◽  
Kevin C. Jones
Keyword(s):  
Polychlorinated Biphenyls ◽  
Temporal Trends ◽  
Controlling Factors ◽  
The Uk

The relationship between polychlorinated biphenyls in blubber and levels of nematode infestations in harbour porpoises, Phocoena phocoena

Parasitology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 132 (4) ◽  
pp. 565-573 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. BULL ◽  
P. D. JEPSON ◽  
R. K. SSUNA ◽  
R. DEAVILLE ◽  
C. R. ALLCHIN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Polychlorinated Biphenyls ◽  
Marine Mammal ◽  
Positive Association ◽  
Post Mortem ◽  
Phocoena Phocoena ◽  
Significant Positive Association ◽  
Data Set ◽  
Parasitic Worm ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Relationship

Post-mortem examinations of harbour porpoises, Phocoena phocoena, regularly reveal heavy parasitic worm burdens. These same post-mortem records show varying levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) accumulating in the blubber of porpoises. Although a number of papers have documented geospatial and temporal changes of PCBs and their detrimental effects on marine mammal health, as yet none have examined their role in determining nematode burdens in wild marine mammal populations. Using a data set consisting of harbour porpoises stranded in the UK between 1989 and 2002, we found a significant, positive association between PCB levels and nematode burdens, although the nature of the relationship was confounded with porpoise sex, age and cause of death. It was also apparent that individuals with the heaviest infestations of nematodes did not have the highest PCB level: while PCBs are important, they are clearly not the sole determinants of nematode burdens in wild populations of the harbour porpoise around the UK.

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