TY - JOUR
T1 - First health and pollution study on harbor seals (Phoca vitulina) living in the German Elbe estuary
AU - Kakuschke, Antje
AU - Valentine-Thon, Elizabeth
AU - Griesel, Simone
AU - Gandrass, Juergen
AU - Perez Luzardo, Octavio
AU - Dominguez Boada, Luis
AU - Zumbado Pena, Manuel
AU - Almeida Gonzalez, Maira
AU - Grebe, Mechthild
AU - Proefrock, Daniel
AU - Erbsloeh, Hans-Burkhard
AU - Kramer, Katharina
AU - Fonfara, Sonja
AU - Prange, Andreas
PY - 2010/11
Y1 - 2010/11
N2 - The Elbe is one of the major rivers releasing pollutants into the coastal areas of the German North Sea. Its estuary represents the habitat of a small population of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina). Only little is known about the health status and contamination levels of these seals. Therefore, a first-ever seal catch was organized next to the islands of Neuwerk and Scharhorn in the region of the Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park. The investigations included a broad set of health parameters and the analysis of metals and organic pollutants in blood samples. Compared to animals of other Wadden Sea areas, the seals showed higher gamma-globulin levels, suggesting higher concentrations of pathogens in this near-urban area, elevated concentrations for several metals in particular for V, Sn, Pb, and Sr, and comparable ranges for chlorinated organic contaminants, except for elevated levels of hexachlorobenzene, which indicates characteristic inputs from the Elbe. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
AB - The Elbe is one of the major rivers releasing pollutants into the coastal areas of the German North Sea. Its estuary represents the habitat of a small population of harbor seals (Phoca vitulina). Only little is known about the health status and contamination levels of these seals. Therefore, a first-ever seal catch was organized next to the islands of Neuwerk and Scharhorn in the region of the Hamburg Wadden Sea National Park. The investigations included a broad set of health parameters and the analysis of metals and organic pollutants in blood samples. Compared to animals of other Wadden Sea areas, the seals showed higher gamma-globulin levels, suggesting higher concentrations of pathogens in this near-urban area, elevated concentrations for several metals in particular for V, Sn, Pb, and Sr, and comparable ranges for chlorinated organic contaminants, except for elevated levels of hexachlorobenzene, which indicates characteristic inputs from the Elbe. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
U2 - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2010.07.011
DO - 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2010.07.011
M3 - Article (Academic Journal)
C2 - 20701929
VL - 60
SP - 2079
EP - 2086
JO - Marine Pollution Bulletin
JF - Marine Pollution Bulletin
SN - 0025-326X
IS - 11
ER -