Lipid metabolites as indicators of body condition in highly contaminant-exposed belugas from the endangered St. Lawrence Estuary population (Canada).

The endangered St. Lawrence Estuary (SLE) beluga population is declining and has shown no sign of recovery over the past decades despite several protective measures. Changes in the availability of food resources and exposure to organohalogen contaminants have been suggested as potential factors limiting the recovery of this population. Studies on SLE belugas have suggested that contaminant exposure may perturb energy metabolism, however, whether this translates into changes in energy reserves (lipid composition) and body condition is unknown. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationships between body condition and concentrations of organohalogens (polychlorinated biphenyls, organochlorine pesticides, and flame retardants) and a range of lipid metabolites (fatty acids, acylcarnitines, lysophosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylcholines, and sphingomyelins) in blubber samples collected from 51 SLE beluga carcasses recovered between 1998 and 2016 for which the cause of mortality was documented. Blubber Σfatty acid concentrations in SLE belugas significantly decreased between 1998 and 2016, suggesting a decline in energy reserves over the past two decades. Concentrations of several phosphatidylcholine analogues were greater in blubber of beluga males and/or females that were in poor body condition compared to those in good body condition. Moreover, concentrations of phosphatidylcholine acyl-alkyl C32:2 were greater in females that died from primary starvation (poor body condition). Greater concentrations of Σemerging flame retardants were also found in blubber of SLE beluga females that were in poorer body condition. This study suggests that the use of membrane lipids including phosphatidylcholine concentrations may be a good indicator of body condition and energy reserve status in blubber of marine mammals.