Heavy metals in dolphins stranded on the French Atlantic coast.

Heavy metal concentrations (total and organic Hg, Ti, Cr, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) were determined in the muscle, liver and kidney of 36 dolphins stranded on the French Atlantic coast between 1977 and 1990: 29 common dolphins Delphinus delphis, five bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus and two striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba. Total Hg concentration in the liver increased with age, while relative methylmercury concentration decreased, reflecting the existence of a slow demethylation process. To a lower extent, a similar pattern was observed in the kidney and muscle. No age-related increase was found for other heavy metals, although the highest levels for Cd and Cr were always found in adults. No difference in contamination could be detected between the 1977-1980 and 1984-1990 periods.