Organochlorine in Franciscana Dolphin from São Paulo Coast, Brazil: A Case of
Study of an Endangered Species in a Developing Country off South Atlantic.
Mariana B. Alonso1, 2, Carolina P. Bertozzi1,3, Juliana Marigo1,4, Fernanda Marcatto1, Satie Taniguchi2,
Rosalinda C. Montone2
(1) Projeto BioPesca, SP, Brasil. R. Paraguai, 241. Praia Grande, SP, Brasil, 11702-070. Corresponding
author, e-mail: [email protected].
(2) Laboratório de Química Orgânica Marinha (Marine Organic Chemical Laboratory), Instituto
Oceanográfico da Universidade de São Paulo- IOUSP (Oceanographic Institute of São Paulo University).
Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, São Paulo, Brasil, 05508-900.
(3) Laboratório de Ecologia Reprodutiva e do Recrutamento (Reproductive Ecology and Recruitment
Laboratory), Instituto Oceanográfico da Universidade de São Paulo- IOUSP (Oceanographic Institute of São
Paulo University). Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, São Paulo, Brasil, 05508-900.
(4) LGMM and LAPSA, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-Fundação Oswaldo Cruz IOC-FIOCRUZ (Oswaldo Cruz
Institute and Foundation), Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
Organochlorines are one of the main pollutant groups that affect the ecosystems due to their
persistence and toxicity. There are many studies concerning these compounds in marine
mammals around the world, nevertheless the South Atlantic Ocean remains poorly known.
Franciscana dolphin, Pontoporia blainvillei, is the most impacted cetacean off the eastern
coast of South America by human activities. The Santos Estuary (23º55’S, 46º20’W) in São
Paulo State, southeastern Brazil, South Atlantic Ocean, represents the most important
Brazilian example of environmental degradation by hydric and atmospheric pollution from
industrial origin in coastal areas. The biggest Port of Latin America and the biggest
industrial Pole of the country are located in this area. The aim of this work was evaluate the
occurrence of organochlorine in the blubber samples of 53 franciscana dolphins, including
calves, juveniles and adults from both sexes (29 males and 24 females) collected on São
Paulo coast. Organochlorine concentrations were higher in males when comparing to
females with the same sexual maturity. PCBs were the predominant compounds on lipid
weight basis (0.3 – 42.2 ug g ), followed by DDTs (0.1 – 7.2 ug g ), Mirex (< 0.007 – 0.25
ug g- ), HCB (< 0.002 – 0.15 ug g ), CHLs (n.d. – 0.1 ug g ), and HCHs (n.d. – 0.05 ug g ).
The ratio DDTs/PCBs was lesser than 0.6 indicating a major industrial than agricultural
contribution in the study area. PCBs concentrations in this study presented the major values
to franciscana in all of its distribution (Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina), showing the high
industrial influence on São Paulo coast. PCBs, Mirex and HCB values found in this study
were comparable to the values found in coastal cetaceans from developed countries in north
hemisphere.
-1
1
-1
-1
-1
-1
Key words: Pesticides, PCBs, Franciscana dolphin (Pontoporia blainvillei), South Atlantic.
1