Comparative Analysis of Trace Element Concentrations Across Tissues of Sphyrna tiburo and Sphyrna alleni
Location
OC Auditorium
Start
4-3-2026 2:00 PM
Type of Presentation
Oral Presentation
Abstract
Coastal environments and tropical continental shelves provide critical, valuable habitats for many migratory mesopredators. However, inland runoff from anthropogenic sources introduces trace elements into the water column, which raises concerns about bioaccumulation and biomagnification in mid-to-high trophic level species. High concentrations of non-essential elements can cause impaired sensory function, neurological damage, or mortality. Considering that tissue-specific partitioning and comparative contamination between hammerhead species remain underexamined, this project investigates the concentrations of nineteen trace elements (10 essential, 9 non-essential/toxic) across multiple functional tissues. This study quantifies site-specific concentrations across muscle, metabolic (liver), sensory (eyes), and neurological (brain) tissues, along with fin clippings from the bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo) and shovelbill shark (S. alleni). The results of this study will provide crucial baseline data for comparative risk assessments of trace element contamination between these two species and provide additional understanding of the ecology of the underexamined S. alleni.
Comparative Analysis of Trace Element Concentrations Across Tissues of Sphyrna tiburo and Sphyrna alleni
OC Auditorium
Coastal environments and tropical continental shelves provide critical, valuable habitats for many migratory mesopredators. However, inland runoff from anthropogenic sources introduces trace elements into the water column, which raises concerns about bioaccumulation and biomagnification in mid-to-high trophic level species. High concentrations of non-essential elements can cause impaired sensory function, neurological damage, or mortality. Considering that tissue-specific partitioning and comparative contamination between hammerhead species remain underexamined, this project investigates the concentrations of nineteen trace elements (10 essential, 9 non-essential/toxic) across multiple functional tissues. This study quantifies site-specific concentrations across muscle, metabolic (liver), sensory (eyes), and neurological (brain) tissues, along with fin clippings from the bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo) and shovelbill shark (S. alleni). The results of this study will provide crucial baseline data for comparative risk assessments of trace element contamination between these two species and provide additional understanding of the ecology of the underexamined S. alleni.