DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15721641
title: Dataset from Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phthalate diesters in a threatened freshwater turtle Emys orbicularis: effects of age, sex, and temporal variation

description: This repository contains the raw data and R script used for the analyses presented in the preprint: "Exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and phthalate diesters in a threatened freshwater turtle Emys orbicularis: effects of age, sex, and temporal variation"

The data file includes information on individuals as well as quantification of 46 organic compounds from 7 chemical families (PAHs, PAEs, PCBs, OCPs, pyrethroids, DEET, and PBDEs) in plasma samples collected from two populations of European pond turtles from the Camargue wetland (Southern France) in 2019 and 2020. 

The R script reproduces all the statistical analyses and figures of the manuscript.

The ReadMe file briefly summarizes the sampling and chemical analysis method and gives a precise description of the variables in the dataset.

Contact: leslie-anne.merleau@ephe.psl.eu

This version of the dataset was deposited before the manuscript was submitted to a preprint server. A newer version of this record, including the preprint DOI, will be made available shortly. Please consult the Zenodo record history for the latest version.

Current version: v1 — DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.15721641
description: 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.