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Pharmaceutical residues in stranded dolphins in the Bay of Biscay.

Author information

Affiliations

  • 1. School of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country, Spain.
      Authors
    • Alzola-Andres M 1
    (1 author)
  • 2. Department of Wildlife, Fish and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden; University of South Bohemia in Ceske Budejovice, Faculty of Fisheries and Protection of Waters, South Bohemian Research Center of Aquaculture and Biodiversity of Hydrocenoses, Zatisi 728/II, Vodnany, Czech Republic.
      Authors
    • Cerveny D 2
    (1 author)
  • 3. Osakidetza Basque Health Service, Debagoiena Integrated Health Organisation, Pharmacy Service, Nafarroa Hiribidea 16, 20500 Arrasate, Gipuzkoa, Spain.
      Authors
    • Domingo-Echaburu S 3
    (1 author)
  • 4. Biscay Bay Environmental Biospecimen Bank (BBEBB), Research Centre for Experimental Marine Biology and Biotechnology (PiE-UPV/EHU), University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Areatza 47, 48620 Plentzia, Basque Country, Spain; CBET+ Research Group, Department of Zoology and Animal Cell Biology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Research Centre for Experimental Marine Biology and Biotechnology PIE, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Sarriena z/g, Leioa, Basque Country, Spain.
      Authors
    • Lekube X 4
    (1 author)
  • 5. AMBAR Elkartea Organisation, Ondarreta Ibilbidea z/g, 48620 Plentzia, Bizkaia, Spain.
      Authors
    • Ruiz-Sancho L 5
    (1 author)
    • Show all (8)

ORCIDs linked to this article

Show all (6)

The Science of the Total Environment, 17 Nov 2023, 912:168570
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168570 PMID: 37979850 

Abstract 

There is a growing concern about the presence of pharmaceuticals on the aquatic environment, while the marine environment has been much less investigated than in freshwater. Marine mammals are suitable sentinel species of the marine environment because they often feed at high trophic levels, have unique fat stores and long lifespan. Some small delphinids in particular serve as excellent sentinel species for contamination in the marine environment worldwide. To the best of our knowledge, no pharmaceuticals have been detected or reported in dolphins so far. In the present study, muscle, liver and blubber samples from three common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) and seven striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) stranded along the Basque Coast (northern Spain) were collected. A total of 95 pharmaceuticals based on detectability and predicted ability to bioaccumulate in fish were included in the liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) analysis. At least one pharmaceutical was found in 70 % of the individuals. Only three of the 95 monitored pharmaceuticals were detected in dolphin's tissues. Very low concentrations (<1 ng/g) of orphenadrine and pizotifen were found in liver and promethazine in blubber. Herein, the gap in the knowledge regarding the study organisms and marine environments with respect to pharmaceutical pollution, which demands further research to understand if pharmaceuticals are a threat for these apex predators, is highlighted and discussed.

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Read article at publisher's site: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.168570

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