Distribution of copper in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans using green turtles (Chelonia mydas) as a bioindicator.

Marine pollution by trace elements is a global concern due to potential toxicity to species and ecosystems. Copper is a fundamental trace element for many organisms; however, it becomes toxic at certain concentrations. The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) is a good sentinel species, due to its circumglobal distribution, long life cycle, coastal habits when juvenile, and is subject to environmental pollution.

Pantropical distribution of zinc in green turtles (Chelonia mydas): marine vertebrates as sentiel species.

Pollution is one of the biggest threats to marine life and trace elements are among the most toxic pollutants in this environment. Zn is an essential trace element for biota but becomes toxic at high concentrations. Sea turtles are good bioindicators of trace element pollution, due to their longevity and cosmopolitan distribution that allow bioaccumulation for years in their tissues.

Cadmium in tissues of green turtles (Chelonia mydas): A global perspective for marine biota.

Unlabelled: Cadmium (Cd) is a metal of toxicological interest because of its potential high toxicity to organisms and ability to biomagnify. Evaluating concentrations of Cd in organisms on a large spatial scale can provide insights to its global distribution. This study examined Cd concentrations in kidney and liver tissues of 137 specimens of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) collected in Australia, Brazil, Hawaii, Japan, and the continental United States (Gulf of Mexico).