Toxic metals and selenium in blood from pilot whales (Globicephala melas) and sperm whales (Physeter catodon)

Mercury, lead, cadmium and selenium were measured in blood from pilot whale s (Globicephala melas) caught at the Faroe Islands and in blood from four s perm whales (Physeter catodon) stranded in Denmark, The median whole-blood concentration of mercury in pilot whales was 229 mu g/l with a positive cor relation to the corresponding selenium concentrations. Blood concentrations of mercury and cadmium up to 2421 and 31 100 mu g/l, respectively, were fo und in the sperm whales. Cadmium concentration averaged 500-1000 times high er in stranded sperm whales than in the pilot whales. The mercury and cadmi um concentrations dramatically exceed levels which are associated with seve re toxicity in several other mammal species. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.