RESUMO
The whitemouth croaker (Micropogonias furnieri) is one of the most commercially important species along the Atlantic coast of South America. Moreover, some of its biological traits (long life span, inshore feeding, high trophic position) make this species a suitable sentinel of coastal pollution. Here, we investigated contamination by multiple legacy and emerging organic pollutants, such as brominated and chlorinated flame retardants, polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs) and polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), in whitemouth croakers from two estuaries (Guanabara and Sepetiba Bays) located in industrialized and urbanized areas in Rio de Janeiro State, Southeastern Brazil. Furthermore, we assessed how biological and ecological features could explain the observed contamination patterns. Regarding brominated flame retardants, concentrations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) varied from 7.6 to 879.7â¯pgâ¯g-1 wet weight (w.w.), with high contribution of tetra-, penta-, hexa- and deca-BDEs. The sum of chlorinated flame retardants (dechlorane-related compounds, ΣDRC) ranged from Assuntos
Monitoramento Ambiental
, Perciformes/metabolismo
, Poluentes Químicos da Água/metabolismo
, Animais
, Brasil
, Dibenzofuranos Policlorados
, Dioxinas
, Retardadores de Chama
, Éteres Difenil Halogenados
, Hidrocarbonetos Clorados
, Dibenzodioxinas Policloradas
, Compostos Policíclicos
RESUMO
Lead was ubiquitous on Caribbean sugar plantations, where it was used extensively in the production of sugar and rum. Previous studies suggest that skeletal lead contents can be used to identify African-born individuals (as opposed to Creoles) among slave burials found in the New World. To test this hypothesis, we measured lead concentrations in enamel samples from 26 individuals from the Newton Plantation cemetery in Barbados, which was in use from around 1660 to 1820, and compared the results with enamel (87) Sr/(86) Sr measurements that had been previously obtained for the same population. Results show a clear association between low (i.e., below 1 ppm) enamel lead concentrations and higher enamel (87) Sr/(86) Sr ratios which have previously been interpreted as being indicative of African birth, suggesting that individuals with low enamel lead levels were indeed born in Africa as opposed to the New World. Based on these results, we propose that enamel lead measurements provide an effective and inexpensive way to determine African birth from skeletal remains. Furthermore, the lead measurements can provide useful insights into the health status and childhood environment of enslaved Africans during the colonial period.