Distribution and Total Burdens of Chlorinated Hydrocarbons in Bodies of Striped Dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba)

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As the first of a series of studies on the ecology and bioaccumulation of striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), whole-body burdens of chlorinated hydrocarbons such as PCBs, DDT compounds, HCH isomers and HCB in striped dolphins were estimated by detailed biometric measurements of organs and tissues, and determination of chlorinated hydrocarbon concentrations in them. The majority (over 90%) of the chlorinated hydrocarbon burden in the bodies of striped dolphins, excluding the fetus, was in their blubber which comprised on average 17.3% of the body weight. So, it is justifiable to think that the residual amounts of chlorinated hydrocarbons in their blubber are usable in place of those in their whole-bodies. This enabled us to easily determine the chlorinated hydrocarbon burdens and concentrations on a whole-body basis from the concentrations in the blubber. The approach presented here for estimating the whole-body burdens of residual chemicals should be useful for studies on the dynamics and fates of chlorinated hydrocarbons in food chains, especially in large-sized marine mammals.