Metals in the stomach contents and brain, gonad, kidney, and liver tissues of subsistence-harvested northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) from Icy Strait, Alaska

Kristin L Brown; Shannon Atkinson; Christoff G Furin; Franz J Mueter; Robert Gerlach

doi:10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112183

Metals in the stomach contents and brain, gonad, kidney, and liver tissues of subsistence-harvested northern sea otters (Enhydra lutris kenyoni) from Icy Strait, Alaska

Mar Pollut Bull. 2021 May:166:112183. doi: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112183. Epub 2021 Feb 26.

Authors

Kristin L Brown¹, Shannon Atkinson², Christoff G Furin³, Franz J Mueter⁴, Robert Gerlach⁵

Affiliations

¹ College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 17101 Point Lena Loop Rd., Juneau, AK 99801, USA. Electronic address: kristin.brown@alaska.edu.
² College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 17101 Point Lena Loop Rd., Juneau, AK 99801, USA. Electronic address: skatkinson@alaska.edu.
³ Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Environmental Health, Office of the State Veterinarian, 5251 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Anchorage, AK 99507, USA. Electronic address: christoff.furin@alaska.gov.
⁴ College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences, University of Alaska Fairbanks, 17101 Point Lena Loop Rd., Juneau, AK 99801, USA. Electronic address: fmueter@alaska.edu.
⁵ Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation, Division of Environmental Health, Office of the State Veterinarian, 5251 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Ave., Anchorage, AK 99507, USA. Electronic address: bob.gerlach@alaska.gov.

PMID: 33647846
DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2021.112183

Abstract

Southeast Alaska sea otters (Enhydra lutris) have had a rapid rise in their population. As they feed primarily on sessile prey, they are excellent sentinels for examining metals contamination. Objectives of this study on sea otters were to determine: (1) concentrations of metals in different tissues; (2) whether metals biomagnify from stomach contents (i.e., the prey) to other tissues; (3) whether selenium and mercury concentrations indicate an overall health benefit or risk; and (4) if metals concentrations in tissues vary with body size. Brain, kidney, gonad, liver, and stomach contents were collected from freshly harvested sea otters in Icy Strait, Alaska, and analyzed for arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), copper (Cu), lead (Pb), total mercury (THg), and selenium (Se). Metals concentrations varied significantly, and some were biomagnified, with livers and kidneys harboring the highest concentrations. Lead and arsenic appeared to be readily excreted. This study represents baseline metals concentrations to assist in monitoring the health of sea otters.

Keywords: Biomagnification factor; Enhydra lutris kenyoni; Metals; Sea otters; Selenium health benefit value; Southeast Alaska.

MeSH terms

Alaska
Animals
Brain
Gastrointestinal Contents
Gonads
Kidney
Liver
Otters*