Trace element concentration in blubber biopsies of Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) from Madagascar: gender differences and correlation between different elements

Contaminants monitoring in wild, large cetaceans may be performed using internal organs of stranded animals. Although extremely valuable, data obtained from dead animals can be biased by poor health conditions, modifying the concentrations of pollutants. Blubber biopsies represent the most feasible sampling technique from free ranging Mysticetes but are little used for trace elements quantification. Few data exist on trace elements in blubber, being this tissue not considered as a site of accumulation. Anyway, accumulation does occur in this tissue. Detected values are in the same range of magnitude of those observed in toothed whales (bottlenose, striped and common dolphins, harbour and Dall’s porpoises). Hg, Cd and As values are among the lowest determined, while Pb is the highest oneSome correlations have been detected among trace elements, excepted for Cd. These correlations can reflect different exposure levels and/or accumulation capacity and elimination pathways.