Copper concentrations were determined in muscle, liver, kidney, spleen and lung tissues of three dolphin species. Dolphins of Tursiops truncatus (young and adult), Stenella coeruleoalba and Grampus griseus were stranded along the Croatian coast. Concentrations in tissues of all three dolphin species were highest in the liver (4.92-16.5 μg/g) followed by kidney (2.85-5.29 μg/g). Similar levels were measured in muscle, spleen and lung in range 1.13-3.67 μg/g. Statistics analysis showed significant differences of Cu concentrations for muscle (p = 0.008), kidney (p = 0.04) and liver (p = 0.02) between the three dolphin species. Also, for all three species significant differences between tissue types of the same species were determined (p < 0.001, all). However, there were no significant differences in Cu levels of the same tissues between males and females within same species. Also, significant differences of body length and weight between three dolphin were found (p < 0.001, both).
Keywords: Copper; Croatian Adriatic coast; Dolphins; Tissues.