Anthropogenic contaminants in the marine environment often biodegrade slowly, bioaccumulate in organisms, and can cause reproductive, immune, and developmental effects on wildlife; however, their effects on cetacean health and behavior have not been extensively studied. This study aims to expand knowledge concerning concentrations and biological effects of endocrine disrupting contaminants and essential and non-essential inorganic elements in stranded cetaceans. We evaluated tissue samples and pathology data from 66 odontocetes that stranded in the southeastern United States during 2012– 2017. Using mass spectrometry blubber samples were analyzed for five endocrine disrupting contaminants (atrazine, bisphenol-A, diethyl phthalate, nonylphenol ethoxylate, triclosan), and liver samples were analyzed for 12 inorganic elements (As, Cd, Co, Cu, Mg, Mn, Fe, Pb, Hg, Se, Tl, Zn). Results from this study demonstrate that exposure to certain contaminants may be associated with subtle or sublethal cellular changes in free-ranging marine mammals that could contribute to health declines or stranding. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2019. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fau.edu/oai:fau.digital.flvc.org:fau_41372 |
| Contributors | Lo, Catherine Feng-Yu (author), Page-Karjian, Annie (Thesis advisor), Florida Atlantic University (Degree grantor), Charles E. Schmidt College of Science, Department of Biological Sciences |
| Publisher | Florida Atlantic University |
| Source Sets | Florida Atlantic University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation, Text |
| Format | 103 p., application/pdf |
| Rights | Copyright © is held by the author with permission granted to Florida Atlantic University to digitize, archive and distribute this item for non-profit research and educational purposes. Any reuse of this item in excess of fair use or other copyright exemptions requires permission of the copyright holder., http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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