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First report of heavy metal presence in muscular tissue of loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758) from the Balearic Sea (Balearic Islands, Spain)

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Abstract

The concentrations of cadmium (Cd), mercury (Hg) and lead (Pb) were determined in muscular tissue of eleven loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) from the Balearic Islands (Spain, Western Mediterranean). The metal levels found in the present study were similar or lower than concentrations detected in Andalusia (mainland Spain), Italy, Canary Islands (Spain) or Japan. As the main source of metals in the loggerhead turtle is the diet, low metal burdens could be explained by its opportunistic feeding way. No significant differences were found in metal concentrations between juveniles and subadults in any of the heavy metals analysed. Furthermore, no significant correlation was detected between heavy metal concentrations and straight carapace length (SCL) of the studied individuals. These results could derive from the homogeneity in age and size of the turtles sampled, so further studies including adults are needed in order to assess the heavy metal accumulation with turtle growth.

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Acknowledgments

The present work was carried out under the frame of the master’s thesis of MFS at the University of the Balearic Islands. The master’s thesis was realized within the framework of a collaboration agreement between the University of the Balearic Islands and the Palma Aquarium Foundation for the promotion of activities for the conservation of the marine environment. The authors would like to thank Palma Aquarium Foundation for the samples and data provided throughout their work in the recovery of marine turtles.

Funding

This study was partially supported by the Institute of Health Carlos III (Project CIBEROBN CB12/03/30038).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Interdisciplinary Ecology Group, Biology Department, University of the Balearic Islands, Ctra. Valldemossa km 7.5, 07122, Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain

    Maria Febrer-Serra, Nil Lassnig & Samuel Pinya

  2. Palma Aquarium Foundation, Carrer Manuela de los Herreros i Sorà 21, 07610, Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain

    Emanuela Renga & Gloria Fernández

  3. Laboratory of neurophysiology, Biology Department and IdisBa, University of the Balearic Islands, E-07122, Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain

    Silvia Tejada

  4. CIBEROBN (Physiopathology of Obesity and Nutrition), University of the Balearic Islands, Ctra. Valldemossa km 7.5, 07122, Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain

    Silvia Tejada & Antoni Sureda

  5. Research Group on Community Nutrition and Oxidative Stress (NUCOX) and IdisBa, University of the Balearic Islands, Ctra. Valldemossa km 7.5, 07122, Palma, Balearic Islands, Spain

    Xavier Capó & Antoni Sureda

  6. Natural Sciences Museum of the Balearic Islands, Ctra Palma – Sóller km 30, 07100, Sóller, Balearic Islands, Spain

    Samuel Pinya

Authors
  1. Maria Febrer-Serra
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  2. Emanuela Renga
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  3. Gloria Fernández
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  4. Nil Lassnig
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  5. Silvia Tejada
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  6. Xavier Capó
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  7. Samuel Pinya
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  8. Antoni Sureda
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Contributions

Conceptualization (Silvia Tejada, Xavier Capó, Samuel Pinya, Antoni Sureda); methodology (Maria Febrer-Serra, Nil Lassnig, Samuel Pinya, Antoni Sureda); formal analysis and investigation (Maria Febrer-Serra, Nil Lassnig); writing—original draft preparation (Maria Febrer-Serra), writing—review and editing (Silvia Tejada, Xavier Capó, Samuel Pinya, Antoni Sureda), funding acquisition (Antoni Sureda); Resources (Emanuela Renga, Gloria Fernández, Silvia Tejada, Samuel Pinya, Antoni Sureda); Supervision (Silvia Tejada, Samuel Pinya, Antoni Sureda).

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Correspondence to Samuel Pinya.

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Febrer-Serra, M., Renga, E., Fernández, G. et al. First report of heavy metal presence in muscular tissue of loggerhead turtles Caretta caretta (Linnaeus, 1758) from the Balearic Sea (Balearic Islands, Spain). Environ Sci Pollut Res 27, 39651–39656 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-020-10464-1

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