Assessment of Exposure to Essential and Non-Essential Elements through Concentrations in Tissues of Chelonia mydas (Green turtles) from the South Atlantic, Northeast Brazil.

This study aimed to evaluate the exposure of Chelonia mydas (green turtles) inhabiting the south coast of Pernambuco, Northeast Brazil, to essential and toxic elements. Concentrations of Al, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, and Zn were determined in shell, muscle, liver, and kidney samples from 43 individuals using ICP-OES. Element concentrations varied according to tissue type. Specifically, the average concentrations of Al in shell (1064 mg kg-1 d.w.) and Fe in liver (2069 mg kg-1 d.w.) were the highest, whereas Al, Co, Cr, and Mo in muscle were the lowest and fell below the method's limit of quantification (LOQ). Meanwhile, Pb was above the LOQ only in muscle (average of 4.1 mg kg-1 d.w.). Cadmium levels were markedly elevated, with average concentrations of 0.15, 0.29, 12, and 49 mg kg-1 d.w. in shell, muscle, liver, and kidney, respectively; furthermore, concentrations in muscle, liver, and kidney were well above the limits established by Brazilian legislation (0.05, 0.5, and 1.0 mg kg-1, respectively). High levels of Cd may be linked to the presence of fertilizers in coastal areas, the ingestion of contaminated food, and chronic exposure. Notably, fibropapillomatosis (FP) showed a significant relationship with shell Cu content, demonstrating that this metal is linked to the etiology and development of FP. Overall, multi-elemental profiling of sea turtle tissues can serve as a cost-effective surveillance tool for marine ecosystem monitoring and for detecting anthropogenic impacts on sea turtle health.