Toxic Whales

Sperm whales, feeding in places like the Arctic and Antarctic, are showing high levels of toxic and heavy metals, according to a $5 million study.

Sperm whales, feeding in places like the Arctic and Antarctic, are showing high levels of toxic and heavy metals, according to a $5 million study by Ocean Alliance, an American research and conservation group. The whales ingested pollutants that may have been produced by humans thousands of miles away. High levels of cadmium, aluminum, chromium, lead, silver, mercury and titanium were found in tissue samples taken by dart gun from nearly 1,000 whales over five years. Mercury levels were as high as 16 parts per million. Fish high in mercury, like shark and swordfish, typically have levels of about 1 part per million. Chromium, an industrial pollutant that causes cancer in humans, was found in all but two of the 361 sperm whale samples.

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Shubhangi Swarup