Publication Abstract

Persistent organohalogen compounds in marine mammals stranded or bycaught in the UK

RJ Law, CR Allchin and S. Morris

The UK has a collaborative marine mammal strandings programme, with participation from the Natural History Museum, the Institute of Zoology, SAC Veterinary Services, and CEFAS. Stranded and bycaught animals are taken for post-mortem investigation, and levels of infection and parasitism, causes of death and contaminant burdens are investigated. In this paper we present data for the routinely determined POPs (organochlorine pesticides, chlorobiphenyls and brominated diphenylethers), and also some initial data for the novel flame retardant compounds hexabromocyclododecane and tetrabromobisphenol-A. The investigation of possible links between infectious disease susceptibility and contaminant burden is also discussed.

Reference:

RJ Law, CR Allchin and S. Morris. 2003. Persistent organohalogen compounds in marine mammals stranded or bycaught in the UK. Organohalogen Compounds, 62: 224-227