Associations between trace elements and clinical health parameters in the North Pacific loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) from Baja California Sur, Mexico

作者：Paul Ley Quinonez Cesar; Alejandra Rossi Lafferriere Natalia; Leticia Espinoza Carreon Teresa; Edwina Hart Catherine; Hoyt Peckham Sherwood; Alonso Aguirre Alfredo; Alfredo Zavala Norzagaray Alan

来源：Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2017, 24(10): 9530-9537.

DOI：10.1007/s11356-017-8556-x

• Sea turtle
• Caretta caretta
• Biochemistry parameters
• Trace elements
• North Pacific loggerhead

This study investigated selected trace elements toxicity in sea turtles Caretta caretta population from Baja California Sur (BCS), Mexico, by analyzing associations among Zn, Se, Cu, As, Cd, Ni, Mn, Pb, and Hg with various biochemical parameters (packed cell volume, leukocytes, and selected blood parameters), and whether their concentrations could have an impact on the health status of sea turtles. Blood samples from 22 loggerhead (C. caretta) sea turtles from BCS, Mexico, were collected for trace elements on biochemistry parameter analyses. Significant associations among trace element levels and the biochemistry parameters were found: Cd vs ALP (R-2 = 0.874, p 0.001), As vs ALP (R-2 = 0.656, p 0.001), Mn vs ALP (R-2 = 0.834, p 0.001), and Ni vs LDH (R-2 = 0.587, p 0.001). This study is the first report of the biochemical parameters of the North Pacific loggerhead sea turtle (C. caretta) from Baja California Sur, Mexico, and it is the first to observe several associations with toxic and essential trace elements. Our study reinforces the usefulness of blood for the monitoring of the levels of contaminating elements and the results suggest that, based on the associations with health clinical parameters, high levels of Cd and As could be representing a risk to the North Pacific loggerhead population health.

• 出版日期2017-4