Evaluation of muscle tissue as a non-lethal proxy for liver and brain organic contaminant loads in an elasmobranch, the Bonnethead Shark (Sphyrna tiburo)

Abstract

Elasmobranch ecotoxicological investigations are complicated because accessing organs that accumulate organic contaminants is usually lethal. Several metrics among liver, muscle, and brain were evaluated to determine their relative organic contaminant loads and the efficacy of using muscle as a non-lethal proxy for liver. Liver contained the highest concentrations (368–4020 ng/g wet weigth [ww]) and greatest estimated total load of contaminants. Brain had higher toxin concentrations than muscle (4.18–84.2 ng/g ww versus 0.94–4.73 ng/g ww). Liver and brain were similar to each other in terms of contaminant detection occurrence and signature overlap, whereas muscle poorly reflected those of liver and brain. However, the identity of contaminants detected in muscle constituted those that substantially contributed to summed liver and brain concentrations. Thus, studies utilizing muscle as a non-lethal liver alternative to study organic contaminant exposure in elasmobranchs should craft questions with care, considering its limited ability to serve as an accurate proxy.