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July 4th, 2025
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Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes, UMR 7619 METIS
ecology
biorxiv

Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phthalate diesters in a threatened freshwater turtle Emys orbicularis: effects of age, sex, and temporal variation

Merleau, L.-A.Open in Google Scholar•Lourdais, O.Open in Google Scholar•Olivier, A.Open in Google Scholar•Vittecoq, M.Open in Google Scholar•Alliot, F.Open in Google Scholar•Traore, S.Open in Google Scholar•Leray, C.Open in Google Scholar•Goutte, A.Open in Google Scholar

Freshwater ecosystems constitute major sinks for organic contaminants, increasing pressure on already threatened environments and jeopardising the unique biodiversity they harbour. In addition to the persistence of legacy compounds, pollutants of various families are being released into the environment, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and phthalate diesters (PAEs). Heretofore, these pollutants have received insufficient attention in freshwater vertebrates, particularly in reptiles, considering their potential to trigger detrimental effects on organisms. During two years (2019 and 2020), we quantified plasma levels of 46 compounds from 6 chemical families in two monitored populations of the European pond turtle (Emys orbicularis) in the Camargue wetland, France. PAHs and PAEs were often found concomitantly and with similar occurrences and levels in the two populations. We observed similar inter-annual variations in PAHs and PAEs with differences between males and females, highlighting the need for a better understanding of the role of sex in the exposure pathway and the toxicokinetics of contaminants, especially in turtles. The negative relationship between PAH levels and age, as well as the high intra-individual variation in levels of both contaminant families, provides further evidence of limited bioaccumulation of these pollutants in the blood of E. orbicularis. This could be explained by the metabolic biotransformation of parent compounds and the need to quantify the levels of PAH metabolites and phthalate monoesters. Finally, our work highlights the need for long-term monitoring and assessment of the potential maternal transfer of these contaminants in order to determine the risks for the conservation of turtle populations that are already exposed to a wide range of contaminants.

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