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Concentrations of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins and Furans (PCDD/Fs), and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) as Functions of Sample Depth in Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) Blubber
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Concentrations of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins and Furans (PCDD/Fs), and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) as Functions of Sample Depth in Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) Blubber

  • Michael Ikonomou1,
  • Sierra Rayne2 &
  • Norman Crewe1 

Nature Precedings (2007)Cite this article

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Abstract

Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs), and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were examined as a function of depth in killer whale (Orcinus orca) blubber samples. Lipid-normalized concentrations of PCBs, PCDD/Fs, and PBDEs did not display significant variation with depth in three distinct blubber layers (outer, central, and inner). Significantly more variation in contaminant concentrations were observed with depth on a wet weight basis for the killer whale sample. The current study indicates that non-invasive microdart biopsy sampling methods commonly used for monitoring contaminants in marine mammals yield representative details on contaminant burdens for chlorinated and brominated aromatic compounds in marine mammal blubber, regardless of the quantity and type of blubber sampled, provided that lipid normalization is performed on resulting analytical determinations.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fisheries and Oceans Canada https://www.nature.com/nature

    Michael Ikonomou & Norman Crewe

  2. University of Victoria https://www.nature.com/nature

    Sierra Rayne

Authors
  1. Michael Ikonomou
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  2. Sierra Rayne
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  3. Norman Crewe
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Ikonomou, M., Rayne, S. & Crewe, N. Concentrations of Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs), Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins and Furans (PCDD/Fs), and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ethers (PBDEs) as Functions of Sample Depth in Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) Blubber. Nat Prec (2007). https://doi.org/10.1038/npre.2007.638.1

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  • Received: 07 August 2007

  • Accepted: 10 August 2007

  • Published: 10 August 2007

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/npre.2007.638.1

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Keywords

  • Killer whale
  • Orcinus orca
  • Halogenated aromatic contaminants
  • Depth profiles
  • Microdart sampling
  • Blubber
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