Metal Levels in Striped Dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) and Common Dolphins (Delphinus delphis) Stranded along the Sicilian Coastlines of the Mediterranean Sea.

Simple Summary: Dolphins, top predators able to accumulate high levels of environmental contaminants, are used as sentinel species of marine pollution. In this study, the content of metals and metalloids (Hg, Pb, Cd, As, Se and Zn) has been evaluated through ICP-MS analysis in several organs/tissues (liver, muscle, lung, kidney and skin) of striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) and common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) stranded along the Sicilian coastlines of the Mediterranean Sea. The results confirm the exposure of both dolphin species to metals and metalloids, with the highest Hg content correlated to the pollution of the environment where they lived. Significant differences were observed in metals distribution in different organs/tissues analyzed and confirmed by the comparative analysis of metals according to sex and state of development of both dolphin species. These data underline the important role of Stenella coeruleoalba and Delphinus delphis as sentinels of the aquatic environment for assessment of the trend of metals pollution in coastal ecosystems and, indirectly, the health of aquatic species of the Mediterranean Sea. Dolphins, top predators of the aquatic food chain, are used as sentinel species of marine pollution as they are sensitive to environmental changes and able to accumulate a large content of contaminants. Several EU directives promote study of marine mammalians as bio-indicators to evaluate the presence of contaminants in the aquatic environment, such as the Mediterranean Sea, which is rich in environmental pollutants due to its geographic and geo-morphological characteristics. The aim of this study was to evaluate the content of toxic and essential metals and metalloids (Hg, Pb, Cd, As, Se and Zn), through ICP-MS analysis, in organs/tissues (liver, muscle, lung, kidney and skin) of striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) and common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) stranded along the Sicilian coastlines of the Mediterranean Sea. The results confirm the exposure of dolphins to toxic metals and metalloids, with the highest Hg levels observed in skin and liver, although a low Metal Pollution Index (MPI) was found in all samples of both dolphin species. From a comparative analysis of trace metals and metalloids according to sex and state of development, the highest levels of Cd and As were found in females vs. males and adults vs. juveniles, except for Pb in both species, and significant differences were observed between the two species, size of specimens, and organs/tissues analyzed. The highest Hg levels were correlated to those of essential metals Se and Zn, expressed as molar ratios, to evaluate the potential synergic effect of these detoxifying elements against Hg toxicity. This study confirms the rule of Stenella coeruleoalba and Delphinus delphis as valid sentinel species of the Mediterranean Sea, to verify the trend of metals pollution in this aquatic environment and, consequently, the health of these marine species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]