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Organochlorine Pesticides and Polychlorinated Biphenyls in the Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue of Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) of the White, Kara and Bering Seas

  • MARINE BIOLOGY
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Oceanology Aims and scope

Abstract

The OCP and PCB contents in the tissues of beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) from the Russian Arctic have been studied for the first time. Skin and subcutaneous adipose tissue samples collected in the White, Kara, and Bering seas in 2012–2017 were analyzed for the animals of different age and sex (n = 22). 4,4'-DDE dominated among the OCPs analyzed; the main PCB congeners were PCB-138+PCB-158 and PCB-153 + PCB-168, which was also typical of other Arctic marine mammals. The highest concentrations and widest range of these compounds were found in beluga whales from the White Sea (4,4'-DDE: 3778.3 ± 4856.3 ng/g lipids; ranging as 33.2–16 007.8 ng/g lipids; PCB-138 + PCB-158: 1270.1 ± 1528.8 ng/g lipids; ranging as 127.6–4957.4 ng/g lipids; PCB-153 + PCB-168: 1144.1 ± 1230.2 ng/g lipids; ranging as 113.0–4515.2 ng/g lipids). The lowest concentration was found in the beluga whales from the Anadyr estuary of the Bering sea (4,4'-DDE: 1003.3 ± 1422.1 ng/g lipids; ranging as 186.0–3125.0 ng/g lipids; PCB-138 + PCB-158: 95.0 ± 99.2 ng/g lipids; ranging as 29.9–242.1 ng/g lipids; PCB-153 + PCB-168: 114.8 ± 118.8 ng/g lipids; ranging as 35.4–290.9 ng/g lipids). The biological parameters of the sampled animals, the features of PCB and OCP transport pathways, as well as regional environmental pollution, were considered the main reasons for the observed geographical variability of pollutant concentrations in beluga whales.

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ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors are grateful to the staff of the Kenozersky National Park and Chukotka Department of the Pacific Branch of Russian Federal Research Institute of Fisheries and Oceanography (VNIRO) for the assistance in sample collecting.

Funding

The study was performed within a state task (topic no. 0149-2019-0009). Chemical analysis of samples was supported by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia

    V. V. Krasnova, A. D. Chernetsky, E. M. Panova & R. A. Belikov

  2. Research and Expedition Center for the Study of Marine Mammals, Moscow, Russia

    A. N. Boltunov

  3. Office of the Governor and Government of Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Anadyr, Russia

    D. I. Litovka

  4. Murmansk Marine Biological Institute, Russian Academy of Sciences, Murmansk, Russia

    V. N. Svetochev

  5. Research and Production Association Typhoon, Federal Service for Hydrometeorology and Environmental Monitoring, Obninsk, Russia

    D. P. Samsonov

  6. Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research, Russian Academy of Sciences, Arkhangelsk, Russia

    V. V. Andrianov

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  1. V. V. Krasnova
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  2. A. D. Chernetsky
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  3. E. M. Panova
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  4. A. N. Boltunov
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  5. D. I. Litovka
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  6. V. N. Svetochev
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  7. D. P. Samsonov
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  9. V. V. Andrianov
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Correspondence to V. V. Krasnova.

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Krasnova, V.V., Chernetsky, A.D., Panova, E.M. et al. Organochlorine Pesticides and Polychlorinated Biphenyls in the Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue of Beluga Whales (Delphinapterus leucas) of the White, Kara and Bering Seas. Oceanology 61, 80–93 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0001437021010100

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