Utility of Fur as a Biomarker for Persistent Organic Pollutants in Australian Fur Seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus)
January 2018
in “
Science of the total environment
”
TLDR Australian fur seals' fur shows high levels of pollutants, which may be linked to hair loss in young female seals.
The study investigated the utility of fur as a biomarker for persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Australian fur seals, particularly focusing on a population at Lady Julia Percy Island. The research aimed to validate a methodology for determining concentrations of various POPs in fur and to assess the relationship between POPs in fur and blubber. The study found that fur samples from both alopecic (n=43) and control (n=43) seals contained detectable levels of POPs, with significantly higher concentrations of dioxin-like PCBs (dl-PCBs) in alopecic seals. This suggested that fur could be a viable non-invasive matrix for monitoring POPs exposure in pinnipeds, highlighting the widespread presence of these toxicants in the marine ecosystem and their potential role in endocrine disruption leading to alopecia.
