Livelli di inquinanti organici persistenti in stenelle (Stenella coeruleoalba) spiaggiate nel nord Sardegna = Concentration of persistent organic pollutants in striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) stranded in North Sardinia

Long-lived apex predators, such as marine mammals, are particularly at risk from effects of persistent organic pollutants (POPs),e.g. polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dichlorodiphenylethanes (e.g. DDT), due to bioaccumulation and biomagnification. POPs are lipophilic compounds that tend to accumulate in the lipid-rich blubber. In marine mammals, POPs enter the body almost exclusively through the diet. In the present study, the levels of PCBs and DDTs in the blubber of striped dolphin stranded in North Sardinia were determined. Our results showed that pollutant concentration are related to age and sex of the individuals. Considering the well known harmful consequences of bioaccumulation of POPs in marine mammals, further studies are needed to determine which POPs might be linked to effects on health.