Health Status of Stranded Common Bottlenose Dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) and Contamination by Immunotoxic Pollutants: A Threat to the Pelagos Sanctuary—Western Mediterranean Sea
Between 2019 and 2021, 21 bottlenose dolphins were found stranded dead along the Ligurian Pelagos Sanctuary coast (Italy). For 11 animals, out of a total of 14 recovered, the cause of death was classified as natural, anthropic, or not determined based on gross and histological pathology and ancillar...
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2023-04-01
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| author | Carla Grattarola Lorenzo Minoia Federica Giorda Guia Consales Francesca Capanni Ilaria Ceciarini Enrica Franchi Davide Ascheri Fulvio Garibaldi Alessandro Dondo Maria Goria Laura Serracca Katia Varello Loretta Masoero Cristina Esmeralda Di Francesco Cristina Casalone Letizia Marsili |
| author_facet | Carla Grattarola Lorenzo Minoia Federica Giorda Guia Consales Francesca Capanni Ilaria Ceciarini Enrica Franchi Davide Ascheri Fulvio Garibaldi Alessandro Dondo Maria Goria Laura Serracca Katia Varello Loretta Masoero Cristina Esmeralda Di Francesco Cristina Casalone Letizia Marsili |
| author_sort | Carla Grattarola |
| collection | DOAJ |
| container_title | Diversity |
| description | Between 2019 and 2021, 21 bottlenose dolphins were found stranded dead along the Ligurian Pelagos Sanctuary coast (Italy). For 11 animals, out of a total of 14 recovered, the cause of death was classified as natural, anthropic, or not determined based on gross and histological pathology and ancillary testing. Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were examined in their blubber, and results were discussed according to their toxicological properties. All specimens showed the following trend: PCBs > DDTs >> HCB, and the levels of cancerogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic organochlorine compounds (T-OCs) were >50% of total OCs. Immunosuppressant organochlorine compound (IS-OC) levels in 10 out of 11 animals were above 50% of the total OCs. PCB levels always exceeded the threshold of 17 mg/kg lipid weight for PCB-induced adverse health effects. The results suggest that bottlenose dolphins living in the Pelagos Sanctuary undergo a high level of exposure to pathogens and OCs, betraying the designation of the Cetacean Sanctuary and, consequently, of a region created for their conservation. Immune dysfunction and infectious disease susceptibility appear to be highly connected with high levels of OC xenobiotics. These data are useful to understand health and mortality trends in cetacean populations, as well as for developing policies for cetacean conservation and management in this important protected area of the Mediterranean. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e0d61556274a4997a00a99a1c2106004 |
| institution | Directory of Open Access Journals |
| issn | 1424-2818 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| spelling | doaj-art-e0d61556274a4997a00a99a1c21060042025-08-19T22:05:08ZengMDPI AGDiversity1424-28182023-04-0115456910.3390/d15040569Health Status of Stranded Common Bottlenose Dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) and Contamination by Immunotoxic Pollutants: A Threat to the Pelagos Sanctuary—Western Mediterranean SeaCarla Grattarola0Lorenzo Minoia1Federica Giorda2Guia Consales3Francesca Capanni4Ilaria Ceciarini5Enrica Franchi6Davide Ascheri7Fulvio Garibaldi8Alessandro Dondo9Maria Goria10Laura Serracca11Katia Varello12Loretta Masoero13Cristina Esmeralda Di Francesco14Cristina Casalone15Letizia Marsili16Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, ItalyDepartment of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, ItalyDepartment of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, ItalyDepartment of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, ItalyDepartment of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, ItalyDepartment of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, ItalyDelfini del Ponente APS, Via Regione Bussi 27, 18100 Imperia, ItalyDISTAV, University of Genoa, Corso Europa 26, 16132 Genoa, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, ItalyFaculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Strada Provinciale 18 Località Piano d’Accio, 64100 Teramo, ItalyIstituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Piemonte, Liguria e Valle d’Aosta, 10154 Torino, ItalyDepartment of Physical, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Siena, Via Mattioli, 4, 53100 Siena, ItalyBetween 2019 and 2021, 21 bottlenose dolphins were found stranded dead along the Ligurian Pelagos Sanctuary coast (Italy). For 11 animals, out of a total of 14 recovered, the cause of death was classified as natural, anthropic, or not determined based on gross and histological pathology and ancillary testing. Hexachlorobenzene (HCB), dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs), and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were examined in their blubber, and results were discussed according to their toxicological properties. All specimens showed the following trend: PCBs > DDTs >> HCB, and the levels of cancerogenic, mutagenic, and teratogenic organochlorine compounds (T-OCs) were >50% of total OCs. Immunosuppressant organochlorine compound (IS-OC) levels in 10 out of 11 animals were above 50% of the total OCs. PCB levels always exceeded the threshold of 17 mg/kg lipid weight for PCB-induced adverse health effects. The results suggest that bottlenose dolphins living in the Pelagos Sanctuary undergo a high level of exposure to pathogens and OCs, betraying the designation of the Cetacean Sanctuary and, consequently, of a region created for their conservation. Immune dysfunction and infectious disease susceptibility appear to be highly connected with high levels of OC xenobiotics. These data are useful to understand health and mortality trends in cetacean populations, as well as for developing policies for cetacean conservation and management in this important protected area of the Mediterranean.https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/4/569common bottlenose dolphin<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>ItalyMediterranean Seapersistent organic pollutants (POPs)PCBs |
| spellingShingle | Carla Grattarola Lorenzo Minoia Federica Giorda Guia Consales Francesca Capanni Ilaria Ceciarini Enrica Franchi Davide Ascheri Fulvio Garibaldi Alessandro Dondo Maria Goria Laura Serracca Katia Varello Loretta Masoero Cristina Esmeralda Di Francesco Cristina Casalone Letizia Marsili Health Status of Stranded Common Bottlenose Dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) and Contamination by Immunotoxic Pollutants: A Threat to the Pelagos Sanctuary—Western Mediterranean Sea common bottlenose dolphin <i>Tursiops truncatus</i> Italy Mediterranean Sea persistent organic pollutants (POPs) PCBs |
| title | Health Status of Stranded Common Bottlenose Dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) and Contamination by Immunotoxic Pollutants: A Threat to the Pelagos Sanctuary—Western Mediterranean Sea |
| title_full | Health Status of Stranded Common Bottlenose Dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) and Contamination by Immunotoxic Pollutants: A Threat to the Pelagos Sanctuary—Western Mediterranean Sea |
| title_fullStr | Health Status of Stranded Common Bottlenose Dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) and Contamination by Immunotoxic Pollutants: A Threat to the Pelagos Sanctuary—Western Mediterranean Sea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Health Status of Stranded Common Bottlenose Dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) and Contamination by Immunotoxic Pollutants: A Threat to the Pelagos Sanctuary—Western Mediterranean Sea |
| title_short | Health Status of Stranded Common Bottlenose Dolphins (<i>Tursiops truncatus</i>) and Contamination by Immunotoxic Pollutants: A Threat to the Pelagos Sanctuary—Western Mediterranean Sea |
| title_sort | health status of stranded common bottlenose dolphins i tursiops truncatus i and contamination by immunotoxic pollutants a threat to the pelagos sanctuary western mediterranean sea |
| topic | common bottlenose dolphin <i>Tursiops truncatus</i> Italy Mediterranean Sea persistent organic pollutants (POPs) PCBs |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/15/4/569 |
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