Contaminants and diseases of marine animals

2000/03/01 Elhuyar Zientzia Iturria: Elhuyar aldizkaria

• Ingurumena

So far it was thought that PBCs could be responsible for the death of dolphins and whales, but now evidence has also been found. Two researchers from the London Zoology Institute have analyzed the mazopas that live in the English channel and the North Sea and concluded that both PBC and mercury are the cause of the diseases of these animals.

In the body of 33 mazopas killed by diseases, an average of 31.1 mg of PBC per kg of fat was observed, 17.5 mg more than in 34 mastics that died trapped in the nets of ships. According to the researchers, a high number of PBC and diseases may have a cause-effect relationship, as laboratory tests have shown that these substances affect the immune system of other marine mammals.

Another study has measured the amounts of mercury in the liver of the dungeons and, once again, higher levels of mercury have been found in disease-dead pots: 12.3 mg/kg. Researchers are studying the possible synergistic effects between mercury and PBC.