Distribution of heavy metals in tissues of stranded Loggerhead Turtles (Caretta caretta) on Kazanli Beach, Turkey

The mean concentrations of metals (mu g g(-1) dry wt) measured in the tissue of six dead-stranded female loggerhead turtles from Kazanli beach, Mersin, Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey followed these patterns: Zn>As>Cu>Pb>Mn>Cd>Cr in the muscle tissue and Zn>As>Cu>Mn>Cd>Pb>Cr in the liver tissue. The mean concentrations of Zn and As were higher in the muscle tissue than in the liver tissue. However, the remaining elements were higher in the liver than in the muscle. A significant difference was found between the muscle and liver tissues only for Pb (p<0.05). There was a highly negative linear relationship between turtle size and As in the muscle tissue (p<0.05). The average levels of As in both sampled tissues may be more likely to affect the health of turtles. The concentrations of heavy metals in turtle tissues may depend mainly on their feeding habits and may be indicative of chronic exposure in the areas where they feed. The six turtles, found on the same day, had likely become entangled in trawl nets and died by drowning.