Spatial and temporal variation of PCBs and organochlorine pesticides in the Antarctic minke whales, Balaenoptera bonaerensis, in the period 1987–2005. (May 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yasunaga, Genta; Fujise, Yoshihiro; Zenitani, Ryoko; Tanabe, Shinsuke; Kato, Hidehiro
• Is Part Of: Chemosphere. Volume 126(2015)
• Page Start: 11
• Page End: 17
• Publication Date: 2015-05
• Subjects: Antarctic minke whale -- Organochlorine -- HCH -- Monitoring -- Temporal trend; Pollution -- Periodicals; Pollution -- Physiological effect -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Periodicals; Atmospheric chemistry -- Periodicals; 551.511
• DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2014.12.074
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0045-6535

Abstract

Highlights: PCBs, DDTs, HCHs, HCB and CHLs levels were determined in Antarctic minke whales. Spatial trends of all OCs, except for DDTs, levels in the whales were observed. Almost all OCs levels in the whales decreased during 1987–2005. HCH levels in the whales were especially decreasing during the period. Abstract: Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), dichlorodiphenyl trichloroethane and its metabolites (DDTs), hexachlorocyclohexane isomers (HCHs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB) and chlordane compounds (CHLs) were determined in the blubber of males (20–25 years old) of Antarctic minke whales, Balaenoptera bonaerensis, from the International Whaling Commission (IWC) management Areas IV (70°–130°E) and V (130°E–170°W), south 60°S. The ranges of concentrations (ng g −1 lipid wt.) for each compound were, PCBs: 7.7–89; DDTs: 29–340; HCHs: 0.20–4.3; HCB: 75–430; CHLs: 10–120, which were much lower than those in common minke whales, Balaenoptera acutorostrata, from the northern hemisphere. The levels of PCBs, HCHs, HCB and CHLs in Area IV were significantly higher than those in Area V, while the levels of DDTs in both areas were similar. For comparing the fate among four pesticides in the Antarctic Ocean avoiding the effect of variance due to food intake, the ratios of the pesticides to PCBs, which has an extremely high chemical stability and environmental persistence, were examined. The HCHs/PCBs ratio decreased by a factor of about 20 in a span of 16 years in both Areas IV and V, while temporal trends of DDTs/PCBs, HCB/PCBs and CHLs/PCBs ratios were not observed. These results indicate that PCBs, DDTs, HCB and CHLs levels did not vary or slightly decreased in Areas IV and V during the study period. However HCHs levels clearly decreased. Spatial differences seems to be related to differences in food intake among whales, and temporal differences seems to be related to the length stay of OCs in the Antarctic Ocean.