Deep-Sea Creatures Contaminated Chemicals produced by humans
have been found in deep-sea squid and other creatures, further
evidence that contaminants make their way deep into the marine
food web, scientists said Monday. Researchers found a variety of
chemical contaminants in nine species of cephalopods, which
include octopods, squids, cuttlefishes and nautiluses. These
species are food for dolphins, narwhals, killer whales and other
toothed whales. The researchers collected nine species of
cephalopods up to a mile down and deeper in the western North
Atlantic Ocean by trawling. "It was surprising to find
measurable and sometimes high amounts of toxic pollutants in
such a deep and remote environment," said Michael Vecchione, a
researcher with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA). Among the chemicals detected, all of
which don't degrade and therefore persist for a very long time:
- Tributyltin (TBT), an additive used to control growth of
organisms and is found in antifouling paints for bo