SOURCES
http://dnr.wi.gov/environmentprotect/pbt/research/OtterSummaryAbstract.pdf
http://www.springerlink.com/content/m4pg0184615kr4hk/
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17926081
Also, at http://www.glc.org/glad/projects/basu09/ they are monitoring eagles and otters for biomarkers. The specific aims of this proposal are: 1) Exposure Assessment : to determine tissue mercury and PBDE levels in river otters and bald eagles from several Great Lakes states, with a focus on animals collected from existing statewide monitoring programs in Michigan and Wisconsin; 2) Health Assessment : to determine river otter and bald eagle health status by means of neurochemical biomarker studies on key receptors (muscarinic, glutamate) and enzymes (monoamine oxidase, cholinesterase) in physiologically important brain regions; 3) Risk Characterization : to determine if there is a statistical association between mercury and PBDE exposure (Aim #1) and alterations in neurochemical biomarkers (Aim #2); and 4) Education and Capacity Building : to build capacity among academic researchers and government/state managers and to disseminate results to scientific and regulatory communities.