Baseline studies of health status in north Atlantic Baleen whale populations
- Univ. of Florida, Gainesville (USA)
This study investigated the health status of fin and sei whale populations of the central North Atlantic to establish a baseline for comparison with stranded whales in more heavily contaminated coastal zones. Systematic necropsy examinations were conducted on 150 fin whales and 42 sei whales caught by commercial whalers off the west coast of Iceland. Gas chromatographic measurements showed detectable tissue levels of organochlorine pesticides, but these levels were low, ranging from 0.2 ppb (gamma-BHC) to 1540 ppb (p,p{prime} DDE). Relevant to the comparative evaluation of contaminant effects was the finding that both the fin and sei whale, despite very similar life histories, suffered from a distinct complement of natural disease problems. From the high incidence and contaminative route of transmission of the major parasitic diseases found, it is predicted that population-level health effects, including increments in mortality rate potentially caused by environmental contamination, will increase with population density.
- OSTI ID:
- 7068983
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8909236-; CODEN: ACWCA
- Journal Information:
- Preprints of Papers Presented at National Meeting, Division of Water, Air and Waste Chemistry, American Chemical Society; (USA), Vol. 28:2; Conference: JAERI/EPA workshop on residual radiation and recycle criteria, St. Michaels, MD (USA), 27-28 Sep 1989; ISSN 0099-7293
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
COASTAL WATERS
CONTAMINATION
MAMMALS
PARASITIC DISEASES
WATER POLLUTION
BIOLOGICAL INDICATORS
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
ATLANTIC OCEAN
BASELINE ECOLOGY
DISEASE INCIDENCE
GAS CHROMATOGRAPHY
POPULATION DENSITY
ANIMALS
CHROMATOGRAPHY
DISEASES
ECOLOGY
INFECTIOUS DISEASES
POLLUTION
SEAS
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SURFACE WATERS
VERTEBRATES
540320* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)
560300 - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology