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Trace element concentrations in nesting flatback turtles (Natator depressus) from Curtis Island, Queensland, Australia

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-19, 08:37 authored by Ikonomopoulou, MP, Olszowy, H, Limpus, C, Francis, R, Whittier, J
The blood and eggs of the flatback turtle (Natator depressus) sampled when nesting at Curtis Island, Queensland, Australia. In the blood, zinc was present at the highest concentration of 151.15 ± 1.45 μg/L followed by copper (7.74 ± 0.09 μg/L). Lead was found only in some individuals. The measured trace elements in the blood were maternally transferred into the eggs. Other metals and metalloids detected in eggs were chromium, manganese, arsenic and selenium. Eggs showed a more complex trace element profile than blood, suggesting that they provided more representative tissues for determining maternal levels of trace element accumulation in N. depressus. Intra-clutch variation was over 15% for most of the studied trace elements suggesting one egg is not in sufficient to determine trace element accumulation within a clutch. Copper was the only element which was positively correlated with breeding age. Furthermore, no detectable levels of tin compound derivates were measured in N. depressus..

History

Publication title

Marine Environmental Research

Volume

71

Pagination

10-16

ISSN

0141-1136

Department/School

School of Natural Sciences

Publisher

Elsevier Ltd

Place of publication

United Kingdom

Rights statement

Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd.

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Marine biodiversity

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    University Of Tasmania

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