Chemical contaminants (trace metals, persistent organic pollutants) in albacore tuna from western Indian and south-eastern Atlantic Oceans: Trophic influence and potential as tracers of populations

Type Article
Date 2017-10
Language English
Author(s) Chouvelon Tiphaine1, Brach-Papa ChristopheORCID1, 2, Auger Dominique1, Bodin Nathalie3, Bruzac Sandrine1, Crochet Sylvette1, Degroote Maxime3, Hollanda Stephanie J.4, Hubert Clarisse1, Knoery JoelORCID1, Munschy Catherine5, Puech Alexis6, Rozuel Emmanuelle1, Thomas Bastien1, West Wendy7, Bourjea JeromeORCID8, Nikolic Natacha6, 9
Affiliation(s) 1 : IFREMER, Unite Biogeochim & Ecotoxicol BE, LBCM, Rue Ile Yeu,BP 21105, F-44311 Nantes 03, France.
2 : IFREMER, Unite Littoral, LER PAC, Zone portuaire Bregaillon, BP 330, F-83507 La Seyne Sur Mer, France.
3 : IRD, UMR MARine Biodivers Exploitat & Conservat MARBEC, Victoria, Seychelles.
4 : SFA, Victoria, Mahe, Seychelles.
5 : IFREMER, Unite Biogeochim & Ecotoxicol BE, LBCO, Rue Ile Yeu,Bp 21105, F-44311 Nantes 03, France.
6 : IFREMER, DOI, Rue Jean Bertho,BP 60, F-97822 La Port, La Reunion, France.
7 : Dept Agr Forestry & Fisheries, Private Bag X2, ZA-8012 Cape Town, South Africa.
8 : IFREMER, UMR MARine Biodivers Exploitat & Conservat MARBEC, Ave Jean Monnet,BP 171, F-34203 Sete, France.
9 : ARBRE, F-97460 St Paul, La Reunion, France.
Source Science Of The Total Environment (0048-9697) (Elsevier Science Bv), 2017-10 , Vol. 596-597 , P. 481-495
DOI 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.04.048
WOS© Times Cited 42
Keyword(s) Top predator, Bioaccumulation, Inorganic elements, Organic contaminants, Stable isotopes, Intrinsic markers
Abstract

Albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga) is a highly commercial fish species harvested in the world's Oceans. Identifying the potential links between populations is one of the key tools that can improve the current management across fisheries areas. In addition to characterising populations' contamination state, chemical compounds can help refine foraging areas, individual flows and populations' structure, especially when combined with other intrinsic biogeochemical (trophic) markers such as carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes. This study investigated the bioaccumulation of seven selected trace metals – chromium, nickel, copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead – in the muscle of 443 albacore tunas, collected over two seasons and/or years in the western Indian Ocean (WIO: Reunion Island and Seychelles) and in the south-eastern Atlantic Ocean (SEAO: South Africa). The main factor that explained metal concentration variability was the geographic origin of fish, rather than the size and the sex of individuals, or the season/year of sampling. The elements Cu, Zn, Cd and Hg indicated a segregation of the geographic groups most clearly. For similar sized-individuals, tunas from SEAO had significantly higher concentrations in Cu, Zn and Cd, but lower Hg concentrations than those from WIO. Information inferred from the analysis of trophic markers (δ13C, δ15N) and selected persistent organic pollutants, as well as information on stomach contents, corroborated the geographical differences obtained by trace metals. It also highlighted the influence of trophic ecology on metal bioaccumulation. Finally, this study evidenced the potential of metals and chemical contaminants in general as tracers, by segregating groups of individuals using different food webs or habitats, to better understand spatial connectivity at the population scale. Limited flows of individuals between the SEAO and the WIO are suggested. Albacore as predatory fish also provided some information on environmental and food web chemical contamination in the different study areas.

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Chouvelon Tiphaine, Brach-Papa Christophe, Auger Dominique, Bodin Nathalie, Bruzac Sandrine, Crochet Sylvette, Degroote Maxime, Hollanda Stephanie J., Hubert Clarisse, Knoery Joel, Munschy Catherine, Puech Alexis, Rozuel Emmanuelle, Thomas Bastien, West Wendy, Bourjea Jerome, Nikolic Natacha (2017). Chemical contaminants (trace metals, persistent organic pollutants) in albacore tuna from western Indian and south-eastern Atlantic Oceans: Trophic influence and potential as tracers of populations. Science Of The Total Environment, 596-597, 481-495. Publisher's official version : https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2017.04.048 , Open Access version : https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00384/49532/