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The larval form of the Phyllobothriidea cestode was found in the blubber of a Cape fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus) from a zoo in Japan. Bladder-bearing larval cestodes with a scolex have been occasionally reported from blubbers of pinnipeds and morphologically identified as Clistobothrium delphini (formerly known as Phyllobothrium delphini) or rarely Clistobothrium grimaldii (Monorygma grimaldii). Although the larvae here morphologically resembled C. delphini, the 28S rDNA sequence was 100% (1,430/1,430 bp) homologous to the registered sequence of C. grimaldii (GenBank Accession No. KU724058). This discrepancy between morphological and molecular analyses confirms the difficulty of identifying C. delphini and C. grimaldii larvae based solely on morphology, and the need for molecular data to elucidate the morphological variations in Clistobothrium parasites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The concentrations of PCB congeners in the blubber and liver of male and female Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus; SSLs) collected from the Shakotan Peninsula and the Nemuro Strait, Hokkaido, Japan in 2008 and 2010 were measured by HRGC–HRMS, in order to express the concentration profiles in SSLs at these regions. #153 predominated in both organs, followed by #138, #99 and #118. In males, #28 and #31 were concentrated particularly in the blubber, while #177 and #199 were accumulated specifically in the liver. The differences in these concentration profiles might be expressed by the differences in the organs and their functions. The concentrations of #99, #118, #138, #153, and #180 in the blubber appeared to correspond significantly with the differences between genders. The details of the surveys on PCB congeners in SSLs could clarify the differences in the residue levels of individual congeners for organs and genders. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Blubber samples were analyzed for anthropogenic and natural persistent organohalogens in nine killer whales (Orcinus orca) stranded on the northern coast of Japan in 2005. Anthropogenic organohalogens were dominated by DDTs (40–240 µg/g lipid weight (lw)), PCBs (19–68 µg/g lw), and chlordanes (trans-nonachlor, 15–80 µg/g lw). Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were detected at a range of 0.22–0.64 µg/g lw (BDE-47, 42–74% of ΣPBDE). For natural organohalogens, mixed halogenated dimethylbipyrroles (Br4Cl2-DBP, 6.4–26 µg/g lw), heptachlorinated methylbipyrrole (Cl7-MBP, 0.5–1.9 µg/g lw), two methoxylated tetrabromodiphenyl ethers (6-MeO-BDE47, 0.11–0.58 µg/g lw; 2''-MeO-BDE68, 0.02–0.06 µg/g lw), and dimethoxylated tetrabromobiphenyl (2,2''-diMeO-BB80, 0.06–0.20 µg/g lw) were present. These concentrations in the blubber were higher in calves than in lactating females, indicating that large quantities of the persistent organohalogens transferred from the mother to the calf through lactation. The mother-to-calf transfer ratios of PCBs and PBDEs were significantly decreased with increasing number of halogen substituents, suggesting that higher halogenated congeners are less transferable. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Organohalogen contaminants including PCBs, DDTs, CHLs, HCHs, HCB, PBDEs and HBCDs were determined in striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) found stranded at Gogo-shima (n =6, 2003) and collected from Taiji (n =15, 1978–1992) in Japan. All target compounds were significantly detected in all the specimens, indicating ubiquitous contamination of oceanic cetaceans in northwest Pacific Ocean. Examination of body distribution of organohalogens in the six specimens from Gogo-shima showed no significant difference in concentrations among the analyzed tissues, except for brain, which had lower levels possibly due to the existence of blood–brain barrier. For evaluating temporal trends, archived blubber samples of adult male stripped dolphins collected in 1978, 1979, 1986 and 1992 were analyzed. Concentrations of PCBs, DDTs and HCHs did not change significantly during 1978–2003. In contrast, remarkable increasing trends of PBDEs and HBCDs were observed, suggesting growing consumption in Japan and surrounding countries in recent years. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorine compounds (OCs) were determined in the blubber of 55 melon-headed whales (Peponocephala electra) mass stranded along the Japanese coasts since 1982. DDTs and PCBs were predominant in all the specimens investigated. In whales that died during the latest event in 2006, concentrations of PBDEs (190–510ng/g lipid wt) were approximately two orders of magnitude lower than DDTs and PCBs, but comparable with HCHs and HCB. Maternal transfer of PBDEs to offspring through the whole reproductive process was estimated to be 85% of the mother''s body burden, while that occurring during gestation was much lower (2.6–3.5%). Concentrations of PCBs, DDTs, and HCB were lower in melon-headed whales stranded after the year 2000 than those stranded in 1982, whereas PBDE and CHL levels showed a temporal increase during the past 20years, suggesting that the peak of their usage and contamination occurred after the year 1982. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We measured the concentrations of butyltin (BT) and phenyltin (PT) compounds in blubber, liver, lung, and muscle of seven stranded killer whales ( Orcinus orca) collected from Rausu, Hokkaido, Japan. BTs in blubber ( n = 6), liver ( n = 4), lung ( n = 1), and muscle ( n = 4) of adult whale were in the range of 37–90, 385–676, 15, and 26–53 μg kg−1 wet weight, respectively. Concentrations of PTs in blubber, liver, lung, and muscle were <1 to 58, <1 to 14, 7 and <1 to 4 μg kg−1 wet weight, respectively. Detected frequencies of PTs were low in all tissues. Higher percentages of monobutyltin (MBT) in blubber, lung, and muscle were observed, while the percentage of dibutyltin (DBT) was high in liver. Detected frequencies of triphenyltin (TPT) were highest among tissues. Total BT concentrations in blubber and liver of a whale calf were lower than those in adult whales. MBT and DBT in the liver of the calf were the same (42%). MBT in blubber was the dominant compound among BTs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2014–2019, a total of 31 blubber samples were collected from spotted seals (Phoca largha) in the western Sea of Japan. The samples were analyzed by gas chromatography to determine level of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). The concentration of hexachlorocyclohexane and its isomers (∑HCH) ranged from 389 to 50,070 ng/g lipid weght; the concentration of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and its metabolites (∑DDT), ranged from 62,720 to 1,110,930 ng/g lipid wt. Transfer of HCH and DDT from mother to pup during pregnancy and lactation was documented. The OCP concentration in blubber of spotted seals from the western Sea of Japan is one to two orders of magnitude higher than in spotted seals inhabiting waters off the Japan coast. Organochlorines detected in the western Sea of Japan likely come from some countries of Southeast Asia still using OCPs in the agriculture sector. • The highest OCP level was found in spotted seals pups after weaning • Spotted seals show one of the highest OCP levels among North Pacific pinnipeds • OCPs are transferred from spotted seal mothers to pups during pregnancy and lactation • OCPs continue to enter the western Sea of Japan due to their use in agriculture [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]