Paper published in a book (Scientific congresses and symposiums)
Heavy metal and endocrine disrupter impact on marine mammals
Das, Krishna; Siebert, Ursula
2007 • In Cielikiewicz, Witold; Connolly, Niamh; Ollier, Gilleset al. (Eds.) Proceedings of the EurOCEAN 2004. European Conference on Marine Science and Ocean Technology
[en] Due to their top position in the trophic network, their long life span and their low rate of
pollutant elimination, marine mammals can accumulate high levels of chemicals, such as
organic compounds and heavy metals. In the North Sea, high levels of mercury, PCBs, methyl
sulfonyl PCBs, perfluorinated organochemicals, DDT and toxaphene have been found in the
liver and blubber of the harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena and the harbour seal Phoca
vitulina. Such compounds may affect the immune and the endocrine systems of these species
leading to e.g. an increase susceptibility to infectious diseases, cancers, reproductive and other
endocrine dysfunctions.
Research center :
MARE - Centre Interfacultaire de Recherches en Océanologie - ULiège
