Elements and emerging contaminants in body tissues of the Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus from the Madeira Archipelago
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The Mediterranean monk seal Monachus monachus stands out as one of the most threatened pinniped species globally. In the European Atlantic, the Madeira Archipelago serves as the last stronghold for a small, isolated subpopulation of <30 individuals. Yet, its contaminant burden remains unknown, despite the known potential impacts on immune and endocrine function, reproductive success, and mortality risk. In this study, 25 essential and non-essential elements and 18 emerging organic contaminants (EOCs), namely 7 phthalates (PAEs) and 11 organic UV filters (oUVFs), were analyzed in different tissues (elements: liver, muscle, intestine, and kidney; EOCs: muscle) of 2 necropsied Mediterranean monk seals from Madeira, exploring baseline levels and assessing contaminant exposure profiles. Potentially toxic elements (Pb, Hg, and Cu) were detected at their highest concentrations in the liver (0.57 ± 0.14, 0.15 ± 0.11, and 2.43 ± 0.41 mg kg -1 ww, respectively), although the detected values remained below the recognized toxicity thresholds reported for other mammals. Three EOCs were detected in the muscle tissue: di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) below the quantification limit, and methylene bis- benzotriazolyl tetramethylbutylphenol (MBP/UV-360) and octocrylene (OC) at 17.33 ± 6.31 and 4.14 ± 0.55 ng g -1 ww, respectively. This study represents one of the first assessments of contaminant levels in Mediterranean monk seals from Madeira, and, to our knowledge, the first report of PAEs and oUVFs in tissue samples of this species. Our findings document the occurrence of selected inorganic and organic contaminants in this critically vulnerable subpopulation, highlighting the emerging threat of anthropogenic pollutants and providing essential information for future monitoring and conservation strategies.
Source: Endangered Species Research
DOI: 10.3354/esr01552
Language: English
Subfield: Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life below water
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,671
Awards: G126549820, G2578609259, Rede de Infraestruturas em Investigação Aquática, G298144591, G3804113219, G3811734797, Centro de Ciências do Mar e do Ambiente, Centro Interdisciplinar de Investigação Marinha e Ambiental, G533511466, G5454278309, G5684269747, G5955501538, G8031259502, G8130582016, UV-Filters from insular ocean-cities: Impact on the marine sustainability.
OpenAlex ID: W7204998475