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Updated: May 4, 2026
Necropsy-based Wild Fish Health Assessment
Published on: September 11, 2018
Global assessment of oceanic lead pollution using sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) as an indicator species
Laura C Savery1, Sandra S Wise1, Carolyne Falank1
1Wise Laboratory of Environmental and Genetic Toxicology, University of Southern Maine, P.O. Box 9300, 96 Falmouth St., Portland, ME 04104, USA; Maine Center for Toxicology and Environmental Health, University of Southern Maine, P.O. Box 9300, 96 Falmouth St., Portland, ME 04104, USA; Department of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Southern Maine, 178 Science Building, Portland, ME 04104, USA.
Abstract:
Lead (Pb) is an oceanic pollutant of global concern. Anthropogenic activities are increasing oceanic levels, but to an unknown extent. The sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) has a global distribution and high trophic level. The aim of this study was to establish a global baseline of oceanic Pb concentrations using free-ranging sperm whales as an indicator species. Skin biopsies (n=337) were collected during the voyage of the Odyssey (2000-2005) from 17 regions considering gender and age. Pb was detectable in 315 samples with a global mean of 1.6 ug/gww ranging from 0.1 to 129.6 ug/gww. Papua New Guinea, Bahamas and Australia had the highest regional mean with 6.1, 3.4, and 3.1 ug/gww, respectively. Pb concentrations were not significantly different between sex and age in males. This is the first global toxicological dataset for Pb in a marine mammal and confirms Pb is widely distributed with hotspots in some regions.
