FIRE-EARTH Presentation: You Call this Marine Life?

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PCB contamination: UK killer whale Lulu had 20 times the expected level of PCB

[Prepared by FIRE-EARTH Science Team.]

• Report available from FIRE-EARTH PULSARS.

Background:

Lulu the killer whale was found dead on the Isle of Tiree in Scotland in 2016 after becoming entangled in fishing lines.

Tests have since revealed that her body contained 20 times the expected level of banned chemicals polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs.

“The threshold where we think that there is some form of physiological effect caused by PCBs is around 20-40mg/kg stored within the tissues,” said Dr. Andrew Brownlow, head of the Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme and veterinary pathologist at Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC).

“Lulu had a level of PCBs of 957mg/kg – and this has put her as one of the most contaminated individuals we have ever looked at.”

The “shocking level” of toxic chemicals “puts her as one of the most contaminated animals on the planet in terms of PCB burden, and does raise serious questions for the long-term survivability of this group [of only eight remaining UK killer whales.]”

 

 

 

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