Mercury and selenium in harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) in Norwegian waters

Journal Article · Thu Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/etc.5620120714· OSTI ID:5696768

Teigen, S W; Skaare, J U; Sand, G ^[1]; Bjorge, A ^[2]; Degre, E ^[3]

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1. Norwegian College of Veterinary Medicine, Oslo (Norway). National Veterinary Inst.
2. Norwegian Inst. for Nature Research, Oslo (Norway)
3. Univ. of Oslo (Norway). Dept. of Marine Zoology and Chemistry

Concentrations of mercury and selenium have been determined in liver and kidney of 92 harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) caught along the Norwegian coast. The hepatic and renal mercury concentrations ranged from 0.26 to 9.9 and 0.15 to 3.5 [mu]g g[sup [minus]1], respectively, whereas the corresponding selenium concentrations ranged from 0.74 to 14.2 and 0.60 to 8.6 [mu]g g[sup [minus]1], respectively. No significant differences in mean concentrations of mercury and selenium were found between females and males within the same age classes. However, the concentrations were positively correlated with age. The present results revealed a decreasing mercury concentration gradient from south to north along the Norwegian coast. In all age classes, a significant, positive correlation between the concentrations of mercury and selenium was found in both liver and kidney, the molar mercury-to-selenium ratio being 0.9660 and 0.2151, respectively. Implications of these findings for the biochemical and toxicological behavior of mercury and selenium in the harbor porpoise are considered.

• OSTI ID: 5696768
• Journal Information: Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry; (United States), Vol. 12:7; ISSN 0730-7268
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CETACEANS
SENSITIVITY
MERCURY
BIOLOGICAL ACCUMULATION
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
NORWAY
WATER POLLUTION
SELENIUM
AGE DEPENDENCE
COASTAL WATERS
TISSUE DISTRIBUTION
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DISTRIBUTION
ELEMENTS
EUROPE
MAMMALS
METALS
POLLUTION
SCANDINAVIA
SEMIMETALS
SURFACE WATERS
VERTEBRATES
WESTERN EUROPE
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology