Total and subcellular Ti distribution and detoxification processes in Pontoporia blainvillei and Steno bredanensis dolphins from Southeastern Brazil.

Titanium (Ti), used in many dailyuse products, such as shampoos and sunscreen filters, in the form of TiO nanoparticles (NPs), may elicit adverse marine biota effects. Marine mammal Ti data is scarce, and subcellular distribution and detoxification information is non-existent. Ti concentrations and metalloprotein detoxification in Pontoporia blainvillei and Steno bredanensis dolphins from Southeastern Brazil were assessed.

PCB and PBDE contamination in Tursiops truncatus and Stenella frontalis, two data-deficient threatened dolphin species from the Brazilian coast.

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDE) levels were assessed in the liver and muscle of two data-deficient threatened dolphin species, the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus, n = 4) and the Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis, n = 6), sampled off the Southeastern Brazilian coast. PCB concentrations were greater in liver compared to muscle, with males presenting higher concentrations than females. The three main detected PCB congeners were PCBs 138, 153 and 180.

Mercury, selenium and stable isotopes in four small cetaceans from the Southeastern Brazilian coast: Influence of feeding strategy.

Dolphins are good bioindicators of the contamination status of marine ecosystems, since their dietary and habitat plasticity in both coastal and offshore ecotypes provide information on the trace elements levels originated from natural and anthropogenic sources. In this context, this study aimed to investigate provides mercury (Hg), selenium (Se) levels, trophic ecology and feeding environments of four small cetaceans (Tursiops truncatus, Steno bredanensis, Sotalia guianensis and Pontoporia blainvillei) inhabiting the central-northern coast of Rio de Janeiro State, southeastern Brazil. For the latter, δN and δC stable isotopes were used as indicators in this regard.

PCB and PBDE levels in a highly threatened dolphin species from the Southeastern Brazilian coast.

In the Northern coast of Rio de Janeiro State is located the major urban centers of the oil and gas industry of Brazil. The intense urbanization in recent decades caused an increase in human use of the coastal areas, which is constantly impacted by agricultural, industrial and wastewater discharges. Franciscana dolphin (Pontoporia blainvillei) is a small cetacean that inhabits coastal regions down to a 30 m depth.

The Manx shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) as a candidate sentinel of Atlantic Ocean health.

Introduction: Seabirds have been historically used to monitor environmental contamination. The aim of the present study was to test the suitability of a species belonging to the Procellariiformes group, the Manx shearwater, Puffinus puffinus, as a sentinel of environmental health, by determining contaminant levels (trace metals and organochlorine compounds) from carcass tissues and by isolating Vibrio spp. and Aeromonas spp.

(210)Polonium and (210)lead content of marine birds from Southeastern Brazil.

In this study, we report the (210)Po and (210)Pb concentrations of bone, muscle and liver samples that were obtained from twelve different marine bird species stranded on beaches in the central-north region of Rio de Janeiro State. Both radionuclides were highly concentrated in the liver samples; however, the lowest mean (210)Po/(210)Pb activity ratio (1.3) was observed in bones compared with liver and muscle (16.

Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) as marine ecosystem sentinels: ecotoxicology and emerging diseases.

Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) are small cetaceans that inhabit coastal regions down to a 50 m depth. As a coastally distributed species, they are exposed to a variety of human-induced risks that include passive fishing nets, persistent environmental pollution, and emerging diseases. As a top predatorS.

Small cetaceans found stranded or accidentally captured in southeastern Brazil: bioindicators of essential and non-essential trace elements in the environment.

Essential (Cu, Mn, Se and Zn) and non-essential (Cd and Hg) elements were analyzed in the hepatic tissue of 22 individuals of seven different species of small cetaceans (Feresa attenuata; Orcinus orca; Pontoporia blainvillei; Sotalia guianensis; Stenella frontalis; Steno bredanensis; Tursiops truncatus) accidentally caught in fishing nets or found stranded along the northern coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, between 2001 and 2010. Atlantic spotted dolphin (S. frontalis) showed the highest levels of Cd (20.

Mercury status of the Amazon Continental Shelf: Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis, Van Benédén 1864) as a bioindicator.

Total mercury (Hg) was analyzed in muscle tissue of 27 accidentally captured Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) in order to evaluate Hg contamination levels present in the Amazon Continental Shelf, in Amapá state, North Brazil. The samples showed a mean concentration of 0.4 ± 0.

210Polonium content of small cetaceans from Southeastern Brazil.

The (210)Po concentration of muscle and liver samples obtained from dolphins stranded on beaches in the Southeastern region of Rio de Janeiro State was analyzed in the present study. The samples were primarily obtained from "Franciscana" (Pontoporia blainvillei) and "Guiana" dolphins (Sotalia guianensis); however, samples from four other species were also evaluated. The (210)Po concentration of muscle samples obtained from "Franciscana" dolphins (66.

Guiana dolphins (Sotalia guianensis, Van Benédén 1864) as indicators of the bioaccumulation of total mercury along the coast of Rio de Janeiro state, Southeastern Brazil.

Total mercury (Hg) was determined in muscle tissue of 20 Guiana dolphins stranded along the coast of Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, with a mean of 1.07 μg/g wet weight. Mercury concentrations were positively related to body length, possibly related to the capacity of the dolphins to bioaccumulate this element throughout life.

[The interface of public healthcare with the health of the oceans: proliferation of disease, socio-economic impacts and beneficial relationships].

Over the past decades, human activities have had a heavy impact on the marine environment, causing alterations in ecological processes. The relationship between the health of the oceans, human activities and public healthcare is already generally accepted, though the mechanisms involved are still under scientific scrutiny. These relationships include a focus on climate change, toxic algal blooms, microbial and chemical contamination in marine waters and bioinvasion by exotic species.