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Pollutants in marine mammals: a literature review and recommendations for research. Final report

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5701499
A review of the published literature and of selected unpublished data on the distributions and concentrations of pollutants in marine mammals has shown that all marine mammal populations are now exposed to a certain level of anthropogenic chemicals. Relationships, however, between observed pollutant levels and documented effects have remained difficult to prove. The pollutants include petroleum and petroleum-derived compounds, radioactive isotopes, certain trace elements and heavy metals, and synthetic organic compounds, particularly chlorinated hydrocarbons. The present data base is inadequate to show whether those petroleum compounds that may be present in seawater and filter-feeding organisms are sufficiently persistent to accumulate in marine mammal tissues. Mortality of individuals of those species which depend on their pelage for thermoregulation can be expected to occur in the event of oil spills.
Research Organization:
California Univ., Berkeley (USA). Bodega Bay Inst. of Pollution Ecology
OSTI ID:
5701499
Report Number(s):
PB-290728
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020900 -- Petroleum-- Environmental Aspects
520200 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
520300 -- Environment
Aquatic-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
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63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
ANIMALS
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
AROMATICS
CHLORINATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
CHLORINATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
DOCUMENT TYPES
ECOSYSTEMS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HALOGENATED ALIPHATIC HYDROCARBONS
HALOGENATED AROMATIC HYDROCARBONS
ISOTOPES
MAMMALS
METALS
MORTALITY
ORGANIC CHLORINE COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC HALOGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM
PETROLEUM FRACTIONS
PETROLEUM RESIDUES
POLLUTION
RADIOISOTOPES
REPRODUCTION
REVIEWS
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
TOXICITY
TRACE AMOUNTS
VERTEBRATES
WATER POLLUTION