Abstract
This study assessed the exposure of free-ranging Amazon River dolphins (Inia geoffrensis) to phthalate esters (PAE) in a remote area of the Brazilian Amazon. Blubber samples were analyzed for four PAEs - dimethyl phthalate, diethyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, and di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate - and cholesterol contents to evaluate potential metabolic disturbances. All dolphins were contaminated with at least two PAEs, with DEHP (242.16ng/μL) and DBP (191.62ng/μL) being the most frequent, detected in 93% and 79% of the sample, respectively. Significant positive correlations were found between DBP and DEP (r=0.857), DEHP and DEP (r=0.794), and DBP and body length (r=0.642), suggesting bioaccumulation. Despite the cholesterol data not showing a correlation with the other findings, these results highlight PAE pollution in a supposedly pristine environment and their potential impact on the health and conservation of Amazon River dolphins' health and Amazonian ecosystem.
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