PCBs and other chlorinated organic contaminants in tissues of Juvenile Kemp's Ridley Turtles ( Lepidochelys kempi)

Abstract

Concentrations of PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) and chlorinated pesticides were measured in liver and body fat samples of juvenile Kemp's ridley sea turtles ( Lepidochelys kempi). These turtles were killed in the fall or early winter by rapid seasonal temperature drops and were collected on the eastern shores of Long Island from 1980 to 1989. These endangered organisms contained average PCB concentrations (on a wet weight basis) ranging from 655 ng/g in 1980 to 272 ng/g in 1989 in the liver samples, and 1250 ng/g in 1985 to 476 ng/g in 1989 in body fat. The average liver concentrations were four to ten times higher than those found in the livers of other sea turtles. The highest PCB concentration found in a Kemp's ridley turtle was more than a factor of 20 below those reported to cause reproductive effects in snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) from freshwater environments. Average yearly concentrations of other compounds in the tissues of Kemp's ridley turtles ranged from 137 to 386 ng/g (wet weight) for p, p′-DDE and from 27.5 to 129 ng/g (wet weight) for trans-nonachlor. Strong correlations were found between liver and body fat concentrations for PCBs ( r 2 = 0.90), p, p′-DDE ( r 2= 0.80) and trans-nonachlor ( r 2= 0.93) which suggested that either tissue may be used for monitoring these contaminants in Kemp's ridley turtles.