CADMIUM CONCENTRATIONS IN FRANCISCANA DOLPHIN (Pontoporia blainvillei) FROM SOUTH BRAZILIAN COAST*

Franciscana dolphins were used as source of information on the bioavailability of cadmium in the neritic waters off South Brazilian Coast. Liver samples obtained from 44 individuals incidentally captured off Rio Grande do Sul State were analyzed by electrothermal AAS. Cadmium concentrations, age, total weight and length of the analyzed dolphins varied between 39 and 4144 μg.kg (wet weight), one and five years, 17.5 and 49.2 kg, and between 105.3 and 156.8 cm, respectively. Concerning hepatic cadmium concentrations of franciscanas, there was no significant difference between data raised by the present study and information from literature, regarding Rio de Janeiro State. The low cadmium concentrations observed may be attributed to the fact that loliginid squids constitute the main cephalopod prey for franciscanas. This study corroborates investigations on cadmium levels in Brazilian squids and strengthened the hypothesis that cephalopods of Loliginidae Family do not constitute important vectors of the transfer of cadmium to cetaceans.