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(18-76) Preliminary investigation on exposure and effects of environmental estrogens in Caretta caretta from the Mediterranean Sea. Fossi, Maria Cristina*,1, Corsolini, Simonetta2, Bonelli, Lucy Anna2, Casini, Silvia2, Ancora, Stefania3, Meschini, Paola4, Grosso, Fabio5, Rinelli, Paola6, Fasulo, Salvatore1, Focardi, Silvano2, 1 Università di Messina, Messina, Italy2 Università di Siena, Siena, Italy3 Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy4 Aquario Comunale "D.Cestoni", Livorno, Italy5 WWF Messina, Messina, Italy6 Istituto Sperimentale Talassografico CNR, Messina, Italy ABSTRACT- Increasing evidence is coming forward that some man-made environmental contaminants are impairing hormone activities in wildlife. Environmental estrogens and androgens, synthetic molecules that can interfere with reproductive processes, belong to various classes of contaminants which include organochlorines like DDT, PCBs, dioxins furans, pentachlorophenols, polychloronafthalenes, some fungicides, herbicides and alkyphenols, and are largely found in the Mediterranean. The goal of this pilot study is to develop and validate a series of "diagnostic" and "prognostic" tests based on "non-destructive" sampling techniques that will be used to evaluate the exposure and the effects of this compounds in specimens of Caretta caretta of the Mediterranean. Caretta caretta is suitable for this type of investigation not only because of its position in the trophic web but above all because it is a long-lived organism. Blood samples withdraw from Mediterranean specimens were analyzed for organochlorines (PCBs, DDT, PCNs, dioxins and furans) with estrogenic and androgenic potential and relative biomarker responses (vitellogenin, zona radiata proteins and porphyrins). Results obtained from the first batch of samples has provided some indications for a draft protocol on sea turtle ecotoxicological studies and may provide insights into unexplored phenomena in a species potentially susceptible to the negative effects of environmental contaminants that can alter reproductive processes. Key words: environmental estrogens, biomarker, C.caretta, Mediterranean |
