Levels of non-dioxin-like PCBs (NDL-PCBs) in liver of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) from the Tyrrhenian Sea (Southern Italy)

Mauro Esposito; Silvia Canzanella; Doriana Iaccarino; Teresa Bruno; Emanuele Esposito; Fabio Di Nocera; Michele Arienzo; Luciano Ferrara; Pasquale Gallo

doi:10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136393

Levels of non-dioxin-like PCBs (NDL-PCBs) in liver of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) from the Tyrrhenian Sea (Southern Italy)

Chemosphere. 2022 Dec;308(Pt 2):136393. doi: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136393. Epub 2022 Sep 9.

Authors

Mauro Esposito¹, Silvia Canzanella², Doriana Iaccarino³, Teresa Bruno³, Emanuele Esposito³, Fabio Di Nocera³, Michele Arienzo⁴, Luciano Ferrara⁵, Pasquale Gallo³

Affiliations

¹ Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute, 2 - Portici, Italy; Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l'Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, IZS Mezzogiorno, Portici, Italy.
² Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute, 2 - Portici, Italy; Centro di Referenza Nazionale per l'Analisi e Studio di Correlazione tra Ambiente, Animale e Uomo, IZS Mezzogiorno, Portici, Italy. Electronic address: silvia.canzanella@izsmportici.it.
³ Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Del Mezzogiorno, Via Salute, 2 - Portici, Italy.
⁴ Department of Earth Sciences, Environment and Resources, University of Naples Federico II, Via Vicinale Cupa Cintia 21, 80126, Naples, Italy.
⁵ Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Vicinale Cupa Cintia 21, 80126, Naples, Italy.

PMID: 36096300
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2022.136393

Abstract

The levels of six non-dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs 28, 52, 101, 138, 153, and 180) were determined in the liver of 84 loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) stranded along the coasts of the Tyrrhenian Sea in Campania Region (Southern Italy), from 2017 to 2021. The average value of the sum (∑₆PCB_IND) was 28.0 ± 52.2 ng/g (w.w.). The hexachlorobiphenyls PCB 153 and PCB 138 and the heptachlorobiphenyl PCB 180 were the main contributors to the ∑₆PCB_IND. A weak positive correlation was found between CCL and highly chlorinated PCBs, with adult females having lower PCB concentrations than juvenile females and adult males. This study provides more comprehensive information on the levels of NDL-PCB in Mediterranean loggerhead turtles and sets the basis for assessing anthropogenic impacts on this species.

Keywords: Environmental toxicology; Persistent organic pollutants; Polychlorinated biphenyls; Sea turtle; Wildlife toxicology.

MeSH terms

Animals
Female
Italy
Liver / chemistry
Male
Polychlorinated Biphenyls* / analysis
Turtles*
Water Pollutants, Chemical* / analysis

Substances

Water Pollutants, Chemical
Polychlorinated Biphenyls