Environment: Pollutants found in skin and blubber of English Channel dolphins. eurekalert.org. September 12, 2019. High levels of pollutants, such as industrial fluids and mercury, may have accumulated in the blubber and skin of one of the largest coastal populations of dolphins in Europe, a study in Scientific Reports indicates. Mercury concentrations found in 82 […]
Study finds glyphosate in cat and dog food. eurekalert.org. October 24, 2018.A new Cornell study published this month in Environmental Pollution finds that glyphosate, the active herbicidal ingredient in widely used weed killers like Roundup, was present at low levels in a variety of dog and cat foods the researchers purchased at stores. Before you […]
Thirteen bald eagles were found dead in a field. This is what killed them. By Karin Brulliard and Dana Hedgpeth. nptelegraph.com. June 21, 2018. The 13 bald eagles were found lifeless on a Maryland farm more than two years ago, many with wings splayed, bodies intact, and talons clenched. Several were too young to have […]
Toxicological trivia from August 19, 2016: The llama (Lama glama) is a domesticated South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since the Pre-Columbian era.In a previous trivia (298) we got an article on Neriun oleander poisoning in llamas in an farm in the province of Buenos Aires. In […]
Contamination from marine mammals may hamper recovery of California condors.sciencedaily.com. August 08, 2016. Summary: Biologists have discovered high levels of pesticides and other contaminants from marine mammals in the tissues of endangered California condors living near the coast that they say could complicate recovery efforts for the largest land bird in North America.Biologists have discovered […]
Cell-based tests promise respite for lab animals: study. phys.org, January 26, 2016. Scientists in the United States said Tuesday they were developing a faster, more efficient way of gauging the toxicity of chemicals, which may reduce the need for animal testing.Using human cells in Petri dishes in the lab, they tested about 10,000 different types […]
Births down and deaths up in Gulf dolphins. sciencedaily.com. November 04, 2015.Study looks at impacts of Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill. Summary: Scientists are reporting a high rate of reproductive failure in dolphins exposed to oil from the Deepwater Horizon spill. The team has monitored these bottlenose dolphins in heavily oiled Barataria Bay for five years […]
Toxicological Trivia of October 28, 2015: An estuary is a partly enclosed coastal body of brackish water with one or more rivers or streams flowing into it, and with a free connection to the open sea.[ Estuaries form a transition zone between river environments and maritime environments. They are subject both to marine influences—such as […]
Toxicological trivia from October 23, 2015: Researchers report that some animals in Central Illinois are being exposed to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and pesticides that were banned in the U.S. in the 1970s and ’80s. Their analysis appears in the journal Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety. The Illinois Department of Natural Resources collected 23 animals between 2009 […]
World’s turtles face plastic deluge danger.sciencedaily.com. September 14, 2015. Summary: More than half the world’s sea turtles have ingested plastic or other human rubbish, an international study has revealed. The study found the east coasts of Australia and North America, Southeast Asia, southern Africa, and Hawaii were particularly dangerous for turtles due to a combination […]
Molting elephant seals add mercury to coastal seawater.sciencedaily.com. September 07, 2015. Researchers traces elevated mercury levels in coastal seawater near Año Nuevo State Reserve to hair shed by elephant seals in annual molt.Summary:As fish-eating predators at the top of the marine food chain, elephant seals accumulate high concentrations of mercury in their bodies. A new […]
Toxicological trivia from August 19, 2015: The llama (Lama glama) is a domesticated South American camelid, widely used as a meat and pack animal by Andean cultures since pre-Hispanic times.They are abundant Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Peru.Llamas which are well-socialized and trained to halter and lead after weaning are very friendly and pleasant to […]
Toxicological Trivia from July 08, 2015: in August 2012 an article published in the journal Environment International, by Damià Barceló and other authors, which considers "surprising" finding of pyrethroid insecticides in dolphins, and also is discussed accumulation of these contaminants. The highest concentrations were found in the offspring of these mammals, which is considered unprepared […]
WSPA – Collars Not Cruelty. World Animal Protection US. September 07, 2011.Twenty million dogs are brutally killed every year. That’s 38 every minute. They die in horrific ways including poisoning, beating and electrocution. The video shown here contains disturbing images of this cruelty, but the real tragedy is that killing dogs doesn’t stop the spread […]
Toxicological trivia from April 29, 2015: In May 2012 we published a talk about the theme ‘Lead Hunting in wild waterfowl from Santa Fe‘. The summary mentioned that: "The negative impacts of pollution with this heavy metal, particularly in wetlands, have been documented worldwide, and its association with health problems for wildlife, the environment and […]
Ocean fish pathological changes may be caused by human pollution. fis.com. A team of researchers has found certain deep-water marine fish in the Bay of Biscay west of France may develop pathological issues as a result of human-caused pollution. These scientists, from Oregon State University (OSU); the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science in […]
Lawsuit Alleges Purina ‘Beneful’ Dog Food Contains Toxins Used In Antifreeze. cbslocal.com.February 25, 2015. A Northern California man has filed a class-action lawsuit against Purina, claiming that thousands of dogs have fallen ill or died due to the company’s dog food. Specifically, the lawsuit, which is also filed against Purina’s parent company, Nestle, alleges that […]
Toxicological trivia from November 19, 2014: The control systems of canines in Argentina unfortunately are non-selective and probably have been responsible for the greater removal of foxes. The first method is the toxic baits or poisons, which for decades were symbolized by strychnine sulfate. The fox in the picture is:a) Red fox;b) Gray Fox;c) Black […]
Toxicological trivia from November 12, 2014: The people of Japanese dolphin-hunting village depicted in the Oscar-winning documentary "The Cove" have dangerously high mercury levels, probably because of their consumption of whale and dolphin meat. Mercury levels above the national average but subsequent analysis showed no negative consequences, says the National Institute for Minamata Disease. The […]
Safe Use of Flea and Tick Products in Pets. fda.gov. June 23, 2014. Flea bites may be more than an itchy annoyance to some dogs and cats. They can cause flea allergy dermatitis—an allergic reaction to proteins in flea saliva. And a pet’s constant scratching can cause permanent hair loss or other skin problems. Fleas […]
Sodium nitrite that’s used to kill wild pigs also cures bacon, jerky, hot dogs.examiner.com. June 22, 2014. The chemical used to cure bacon, beef jerky, some hot dogs, and various types of deli meats, sodium nitrite, has been approved as a poison to use to dispatch wild pigs that eat food from people’s yards and […]
Toxic toads threaten ‘ecological disaster’ for Madagascar. By Daniel Cressey. nature.com. May 28, 2014. Researchers plead for action against invasive amphibian already poisoning native species.The unique wildlife of Madagascar is facing an invasion of toxic toads that could devastate the island’s native species. Snakes feeding on the toads are especially at risk of poisoning, as […]
Elephant seals’ CO as high as heavy human smokers’. By Kathryn Knight. jeb.biologists.org.May 15, 2014.Carbon monoxide (CO) is a silent killer. Produced by incomplete combustion, the colourless, odourless gas binds to the oxygen carrying protein – haemoglobin – in the blood of smokers and fire victims, insidiously clogging the protein to prevent it from transporting […]
Plastic pollution: Another threat for seabirds.sciencedaily.com. May 13, 2014.Summary: Plastic ingestions affects around 94% of Cory’s shearwaters on the Catalan coast, according to new research. In the case of Yelkouan shearwaters and Balearic shearwaters, scientists show that 70% of studied birds were affected by plastic ingestion.According to a study published on Marine Pollution Bulletin plastic […]