High levels of what in whales?

Researchers assisted by the Ocean Alliance have discovered alarmingly high levels of chromium contamination in sperm whales, according to research published this week in the journal Chemosphere. The Ocean Alliance ship the Odyssey collected 361 skin samples from sperm whales all over the world over a period of five years. These samples were then analyzed by scientists at the University of Southern Maine. Virtually all the samples contained chromium, and samples from some regions contained levels typically only seen in humans who have had high occupational exposure.

The high levels of chromium that the researchers found don't bode well for whales or humans. Chromium is a known carcinogen. It has become more prevalent in the environment mostly due to human activities, although there are natural sources. Whales take in chromium either through the air or through fish consumption - activities humans also participate in regularly. Thus chromium contamination in whales could indicate that humans are at risk for chromium contamination as well. It also indicates that chromium pollution is extremely widespread, with high levels found in whales even in the South Pacific.

Sperm whales, like humans, are at the top of the food chain. This study provides sobering but important information about the level of pollution present in the marine environment, and how that pollution might effect large mammals.

MV Ushuaia Runs Aground

The MV Ushuaia, a tourist cruise ship, ran aground in Cape Anna, Antarctica on December 4. Fortunately, all the passengers are safe and are on their way home. It also appears that a small fuel spill has also been contained and won't harm nearby penguin and blue-eyed shags. But we don't really have any clear information on how much fuel has been spilled and what plans are in place to prevent more fuel from leaking.

The main problem, as ASOC sees it, is that tourism continues to grow in Antarctica with little oversight by the Antarctic Treaty Parties. The MV Ushuaia had an experienced crew and a ship in good condition, as well as favorable weather conditions. But as tourism expands, new companies lacking in experience will no doubt enter the industry. Tour operators are also trying to bring ships with thousands of passengers (many cruises now are in the hundreds, the Ushuaia had under 200 passengers) into the Antarctic. These ships carry heavy fuel oil that could be extremely harmful to marine life. More people, bigger ships, and less experience could create very serious problems in the event of an accident.

The treacherous Antarctic environment requires extreme caution from travelers. Now is the time for the Antarctic Treaty system and the International Maritime Organization to develop and enforce regulations that will protect humans and the environment.

Pesticide contamination in Antarctic krill

A new study published recently in the journal Science of the Total Environment provides a very necessary "baseline assessment" of the level of organohalogen compounds (POCs) present in Antarctic krill. The paper itself is a bit dense for the nonscientist, but is very important. POCs comprise chemicals such as pesticides, PCBs, and other compounds that are considered pollutants. While the levels of POCs have been studied extensively in the Northern Hemisphere, they have not been researched as extensively in the Southern Hemisphere. Now that Southern Hemisphere countries are using these compounds in greater amounts, it is important to know how they are affecting marine life. The researchers found that some chemicals, such as PCBs, were lower in Antarctic krill than in their Artic counterparts. The main contaminants in the Antarctic krill samples were organochlorine pesticides.

Pesticides, including DDT, do have some benefits. Some credit DDT for helping reduce the burden of malaria in the developing world, and others credit pesticides with helping increase agricultural productivity. Nevertheless, these compounds do tend to accumulate in the environment, and tend to accumulate in greater amounts at the top of the food chain, which can have devastating impacts on some organisms, particularly another important source of human food - fish. This study provides precisely the kind of information that will help policymakers weigh the costs and benefits of using pesticides. The baseline established will provide useful data for understanding the impact of increasing pesticide use around the world.

POPs and Whales

Research demonstrates that persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) show up in the tissues of whales, in some cases after they have been banned. POPs, which are neurotoxins, include chemicals such as DDT, dioxins, and PCBs. Scientists believe that these pollutants evaporate into the air on land, and when that air subsequently condenses, the POPs enter the ocean and are absorbed by marine life such as krill. Since whales consume large amounts of krill, they then take up large amounts of pollutants.

The presence of POPs in whale blubber is worrisome because of the toxicity of these chemicals. As whales travel around the ocean, they often burn blubber for fuel, releasing POPs into the bloodstream and potentially affecting the whales' ability to reproduce.

This research adds to the difficulty of determining safe levels of chemicals for the environment. Even when scientists cannot prove that exposure causes immediate human health problems, policymakers must consider the broader impact of chemicals on whole ecosystems to get a true picture of the potential impact of a particular substance.

Penguins - A Sentinel Species?

In a recent article in the New York Times, P. Dee Boersma, a longtime penguin researcher, warns that the declining numbers of some penguin species bode poorly for the marine environment as a whole. Threats to penguins include overfishing, pollution, and climate change. Although these animals may live far away, their problems cannot be ignored. Check out some more articles about the impact of environmental problems on penguins here, and here.