Dear colleagues, We are pleased to announce a new paper published recently in Marine Environmental Research: Lavery TJ, Kemper CM, Sanderson K, Schultz CG, Coyle P, Mitchell JG, Seuront L. 2009. Heavy metal toxicity of kidney and bone tissues in South Australian adult bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops aduncus). Marine Environmental Research, 67, 1 - 7. A PDF is available upon request: Trish.Lavery@flinders.edu.au ABSTRACT Metallothioneins (MT) concentration, renal damage, and bone malformations were investigated in 38 adult observed in dolphins showing evidence of more advanced renal damage. No significant differences in metal or selenium concentrations in the liver were observed between groups differing in level of bone malformations. Some dolphins displayed evidence of toxicity and knowledge of metal toxicity pathways were used to elucidate the cause of these abnormalities. Two dolphins had high metal burdens, high MT concentrations, renal damage, and evidence of bone malformations, indicating possible severe and prolonged metal toxicity. One dolphin showed evidence of renal damage, but the lack of any other symptoms suggests that this was unlikely to be caused by metal toxicity. We recommend examining a range of metal toxicity symptoms simultaneously to aid in distinguishing metal toxicity from unrelated aetiologies. The current work follows from a previous paper which documented high levels of some metals in South Australian bottlenose dolphins: Lavery TJ, Butterfield N, Kemper CM, Reid T, Sanderson K. 2008. Metals and selenium in the liver and bone of three dolphin species from South Australia, 1988 - 2004. Science of the Total Environment, 390, 77 - 85. Kindest thanks for your interest, Trish J Lavery PhD candidate Flinders University Trish.Lavery@flinders.edu.au https://www.scieng.flinders.edu.au/biology/people/academic/mitchell_j/msl/ms... http://www.scieng.flinders.edu.au/biology/people/postgrad/lavery_t/index.htm... aduncus carcasses to determine any associations with cadmium, copper, zinc, mercury, lead and selenium. Significantly higher concentrations of cadmium, copper, and zinc in the liver were Stay connected to the people that matter most with a smarter inbox. Take a look http://au.docs.yahoo.com/mail/smarterinbox