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Selected Heavy Metals and Selenium in the Blood of Black Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas agasiizzi) from Sonora, Mexico

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Abstract

The concentration of heavy metals (Zn, Cd, Ni, Cu, Mn) and selenium (Se) was analyzed in blood collected from 12 black turtles (Chelonia mydas agasiizzi) captured in Canal del Infiernillo, Punta Chueca, Mexico. The most abundant metals were Zn (63.58 μg g−1) and Se (7.66 μg g−1), and Cd was the lower (0.99 μg g−1). The sequential concentrations of trace metals were Zn > Se > Cu > Mn > Ni > Cd. In conclusion, this information is important as a baseline when using blood as tissue analysis of heavy metals; however, these levels could represent recent exposure in foraging grounds of black turtles in the Sea of Cortez.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by CIIDIR-SIN IPN, GRUPO TORTUGUERO and EcoHealth Alliance (formerly known as Wildlife Trust). The first author acknowledges the participation of the Seri community, Tiburon Island, Sonora, México. This research was performed under Mexican regulation and laws under a permit provided by SEMARNAT (Secretaría de Medio Ambiente and Recursos Naturales) Permit number SGPA/DGVS/03481/09. Partial funding was provided by Project SIP-IPN 20090831 from Instituto Politecnico Nacional.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Programa para el Doctorado en Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias Químico-Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico

    C. P. Ley-Quiñónez, A. A. Zavala-Norzagaray, J. G. Réndon-Maldonado & A. Canizales-Román

  2. CIIDIR-SIN, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Guasave, Sinaloa, Mexico

    A. A. Zavala-Norzagaray, T. L. Espinosa-Carreón & D. C. Escobedo-Urías

  3. Departamento de vectores y zoonosis, delegación sanitaria No. IV, Servicios de Salud de Sinaloa No. IV, Escobedo # 1026, Col. Las Vegas, C. P. 80010, Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico

    C. P. Ley-Quiñónez

  4. CICIMAR, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico

    M. L. Leal-Acosta

  5. Centro Universitario de la Costa, Universidad de Guadalajara, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico

    C. E. Hart

  6. Department of Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, Fairfax, VA, USA

    A. A. Aguirre

  7. Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation, Front Royal, VA, USA

    A. A. Aguirre

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  1. C. P. Ley-Quiñónez
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  2. A. A. Zavala-Norzagaray
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  5. A. Canizales-Román
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  6. D. C. Escobedo-Urías
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  7. M. L. Leal-Acosta
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  8. C. E. Hart
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  9. A. A. Aguirre
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Correspondence to C. P. Ley-Quiñónez.

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Ley-Quiñónez, C.P., Zavala-Norzagaray, A.A., Réndon-Maldonado, J.G. et al. Selected Heavy Metals and Selenium in the Blood of Black Sea Turtle (Chelonia mydas agasiizzi) from Sonora, Mexico. Bull Environ Contam Toxicol 91, 645–651 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-013-1114-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00128-013-1114-4

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