Case studies on longitudinal mercury content in humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) baleen

Details

• Journal Title:
  Heliyon
• Personal Author:
  Lowe, Carley L. ; Jordan-Ward, Renee ; Hunt, Kathleen E. ; Rogers, Matthew C. ; Werth, Alexander J. ; Gabriele, Chris ; Neilson, Janet ; von Hippel, Frank A. ; Buck, C. Loren
• NOAA Program & Office:
  NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) ; AFSC (Alaska Fisheries Science Center)
• Description:
  Quantification of contaminant concentrations in baleen whales is important for individual and population level health assessments but is difficult due to large migrations and infrequent resighings. The use of baleen allows for a multiyear retrospective analysis of contaminant concentrations without having to collect repeated samples from the same individual. Here we provide case studies of mercury analysis using cold vapor atomic absorption spectroscopy in three individual humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), a 44.5-year-old female and two males aged ≥35 and 66 years, over approximately three years of baleen growth.
• Keywords:
  Baleen Mammal Marine Mercury Physiology Toxicology Whale
• Source:
  Heliyon, 8(1)
• DOI:
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08681
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Rights Information:
  CC BY-NC-ND
• Compliance:
  Submitted
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:042cfd911ec189590e1e8e617da24558716b04de033550835a0fa4e2515d6de1
• Download URL:
  https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/35737/noaa_35737_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 1000.82 KB ]