1. Mercury and selenium in the filter–feeding whale shark (Rhincodon typus) from two areas of the Gulf of California, Mexico
- Author
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Darren A. Whitehead, Abraham Vázquez-Haikin, Rogelio González-Armas, Felipe Galván-Magaña, Francesca Pancaldi, Martín F. Soto-Jiménez, Todd M. O'Hara, Ana J. Marmolejo-Rodríguez, and Federico Páez-Osuna
- Subjects
Male ,0106 biological sciences ,Biomagnification ,Endangered species ,chemistry.chemical_element ,010501 environmental sciences ,Aquatic Science ,Whale shark ,Oceanography ,01 natural sciences ,Zooplankton ,Selenium ,Animal science ,Animals ,Mexico ,0105 earth and related environmental sciences ,biology ,010604 marine biology & hydrobiology ,Endangered Species ,Mercury ,biology.organism_classification ,Pollution ,humanities ,Mercury (element) ,Filter feeding ,chemistry ,Bioaccumulation ,Sharks ,Female ,human activities ,Water Pollutants, Chemical - Abstract
Mercury and selenium were measured for first time in the endangered species whale shark (Rhyncodon typus) from two areas of the Gulf of California, Bahía Los Angeles (BLA) and Bahía La Paz (LAP) using dermal biopsies of seventy specimens. Additionally, nineteen zooplankton samples from LAP were analysed. Concentrations (ng/g, wet weight (ww)) in biopsies of BLA ranged from 1 to 40 for Hg and 100 to 680 for Se; while in LAP varied from 1 to 9 for Hg and 11 to 850 for Se. A positive correlation was found for Hg in BLA males biopsies with length. Hg and Se concentrations in the zooplankton from LAP were 1.6 ± 1.8 and 770 ± 930 ng/g, respectively. Hg biomagnification factor ranged from 0.8 to 5.3 in sharks. A molar excess of Se over Hg was found in the biopsies and the zooplankton.
- Published
- 2019
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