Alarmingly, dolphins in the Gulf of Mexico—bordering the United States, Mexico, and Cuba—have tested positive for fentanyl, a substance infamously known as the “zombie drug.”
On Friday, a research team from Texas A&M University announced the publication of their study, “Pharmaceuticals in the Blubber of Live Free-Swimming Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops. 1 truncatus),” which will appear in the December 20 issue of the international journal iScience.
The study revealed that out of 89 dolphins examined, 30 tested positive for three types of drug components: opioids, muscle relaxants, and sedatives. Opioids, commonly used as painkillers, include fentanyl—a potent synthetic opioid. The researchers detected opioids in six dolphin carcasses and 18 living dolphins, raising concerns about the potential impact of these substances on marine life.
However, the team cautioned that traces of fentanyl in dolphin carcasses do not necessarily indicate it as the direct cause of death.
Dara Orbach, the study’s lead author, highlighted the significance of bottlenose dolphins in pollution research.
She explained that dolphins are crucial ecological indicators due to their lipid-rich blubber, which effectively accumulates contaminants. Additionally, tissue samples from living dolphins can be obtained with minimal invasiveness, making them ideal subjects for such studies.
The research team observed higher drug prevalence in dolphins from areas more vulnerable to environmental threats, such as oil spills and algal blooms. They stressed that the long-term effects of chronic drug exposure on marine mammals remain unclear, underscoring the need for further research.
Orbach also emphasized the importance of analyzing drug influx routes, particularly in densely populated areas or regions with heavy fishing and aquaculture activities.
She warned that since dolphins, like humans, consume fish and shrimp, the presence of drugs in marine environments could have serious implications for human health as well.
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