Elements in liver tissues of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus)

Livers from 20 bowhead whales taken in subsistence hunts at Barrow, Alaska, were analyzed for essential and non-essential elements. Concentrations of essential elements were similar to those found in other cetaceans. Non-esse ntial element concentrations were generally comparable to other baleen whal es and very low compared to most odontocetes. One deviation from this patte rn was a relatively high level of hepatic cadmium that may be related to sp ecific dietary factors of this krill-dependent species. No sex-related diff erences were found in element concentrations. Hepatic cadmium and mercury i ncreased with animal length, and significant positive interelement correlat ions were found between copper/zinc and mercury/selenium. We found a mercur y-to-seleniumm ratio much lower (1:40) than the frequently reported ratio o f one to one. The data suggest that further studies of the postulated mercu ry-detoxifying role of selenium are warranted.